Does THE SHORE by Sara Taylor Infringe the Copyright of THE FISHER KING by Hayley Kelsey? Read on to Decide for Yourself (and see more at https://medium.com/@hayleykelseyauthor)
History:
Between May 7-21, 2011, I gave away e-copies of my novel to 20 LibraryThing Free Book Giveaway winners in exchange for reviews. On May 21, 2011, I emailed a copy to winner Anna Taylor in the UK. Sara Taylor stated in print that she began The Shore 10 days later, on May 31, 2011, and submitted chapter three in fall 2011 to her academic advisor, Bunny Goodjohn, who stated in print that Sara Taylor spent summer 2010 in Reading, UK. Sara Taylor stated in print that she submitted The Shore as her 2012 Randolph College (Va.) senior thesis. Sara Taylor became a UK resident after spring 2012.
Anna Taylor’s website, www.annafrancestaylor.blogspot.co.uk, states her middle name is Frances. Sara Taylor’s middle name is similar: Francesca. Several relatives in her Bloxom, Accomack County, Va., hometown are named Anna Frances.
On September 23, 2013 (with January 19, 2014 follow-up), I submitted a query letter, synopsis, and first 50 pages to agent Anna Stein O’Sullivan, co-worker of Lucy Luck, who represents alleged infringer Sara Taylor at Aitken Alexander & Assoc. in UK.
On March 19, 2015, The Shore was published in the UK by William Heinemann Ltd., and on May 26, 2015 in the U.S. by Hogarth Press.
Does THE SHORE Have Striking and Substantial Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
Setting: In The Fisher King: sinking Chesapeake Bay Trappe Island separated from mainland by ferry. In The Shore: sinking Chesapeake Bay Accomack Island separated from mainland by ferry.
Identical character’s name: In The Fisher King: teenage sweetheart Donnie. In The Shore: teenage sweetheart Donnie (note identical spelling)
Identical literary allusions: In The Fisher King: King Arthur and Holy Grail myth. In The Shore: King Arthur and Avalon.
Nearly identical island description: In The Fisher King, long, sandy landmass curves around bay harbor called Rogue’s Reach. In The Shore: long, sandy landmass curves around bay harbor called Tom’s Hook.
Identical descriptions of images: In The Fisher King, heavy-bellied clouds hover overhead; impossible to distinguish sea water from air on skin from humidity; humidity feels like heavy blanket; woman blows a raspberry on baby’s belly; crabs appear to be wearing nail polish. In The Shore: heavy-bellied clouds hover overhead; impossible to distinguish sea water from air on skin from humidity; humidity feels like heavy blanket; woman blows a raspberry; crabs appear to be wearing make-up.
In The Fisher King, greed pushed big business (commercial farming and fishing) to over-farm and overfish, damaging the island and bay, depleting them of natural resources. Over-farming polluted the land with chemicals, destroying the islanders’ health (specifically fertility), putting residents out of work, and finally forcing them to abandon island. In The Shore, greed pushed big business to overfish, damaging the island and ocean, depleting them of natural resources, destroying the islanders’ health (specifically fertility), putting residents out of work, and forcing them to abandon island.
In The Fisher King, generations of Kingsley family have lived and fished on the island for over 200 years, making fish scarce. King was successful businessmen now in the red, resists change. In The Shore, generations of Slater/Gourdy family have lived and worked on island for hundreds of years. Family was successful businessmen who fell into financial straits, resist change.
In The Fisher King, the island is threatened by a three-year-long drought, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and widespread infertility. In The Shore, the island is threatened by a three-year-long drought, STD plague, and widespread infertility.
In The Fisher King, Gail’s father considers himself a gentleman farmer. In The Shore, Mark’s “parents...were still gentlemen farmers.”
In The Fisher King, older sister Gail raises and protects dreamy younger brother (10 years younger) from father. In The Shore, older sister Chloe raises and protects dreamy younger sister from father. Kathy raised brother Mark, who’s 10 years younger.
In The Fisher King, Peter is skinnier than models in magazines at the library. In The Shore, a male character is skinnier than the models in the magazines at the library.
In The Fisher King, Aunt Amy dispenses birth control, disease control, educational books. In The Shore, Aunty Medora dispenses birth control, educational books.
In The Fisher King, Gail not much of reader but reads books on conception and pregnancy. In The Shore, Tamara not much of reader, but reads books on conception and pregnancy.
In The Fisher King, Gail was teenager sweethearts with Don and Peter, become adult lovers after she marries, then she gets pregnant with one’s child, keeps her pregnancy and father’s identity a secret. In The Shore, Letty was teenage sweethearts with Mark, become adult lovers after she marries, then she gets pregnant with his child. Chloe keeps her pregnancy a secret. Tamara keeps the father’s identity a secret.
In The Fisher King, Gail returns to farm to learn that mother Arlene may have had affairs to begat son Wes. Gail perpetuates generational illegitimacy by having affairs and becoming pregnant at end. Married Gail has adult affairs with husband’s brothers (who were teenage sweethearts) to get pregnant and continue his DNA. In The Shore, illegitimate daughter Chloe returns to island to learn the identity of real father, Tiny, who raped her mother Ellie. Chloe perpetuates generational illegitimacy by having affair and becoming pregnant at end. Tamara perpetuates generational illegitimacy by having affairs with boyfriend’s brothers to get pregnant and continue his DNA. Married Letty perpetuates generational illegitimacy by having adult affair with teenage sweetheart Mark to get pregnant to continue his DNA.
In The Fisher King, fertility specialist doesn’t give Gail hormone-stimulator Clomid. In The Shore, Tamara takes hormone-stimulator Clomid.
In The Fisher King, Milton marries Arlene to own farm she will inherit and she marries him to escape farm. In The Shore, Andrew Day marries Medora to own farm she will inherit and she marries him to escape farm.
In The Fisher King, Arlene discovers father deeded farm to her in will to “trap” her on farm. In The Shore, Medora and Sally discover father and grandfather deeded farm to them in will to “trap” them on farm.
In The Fisher King, teenage Donnie presses sexual advances and Gail resists them but it feel like acting. In The Shore, teenage Donnie presses sexual advances and Chloe resists them but it feel like acting.
In The Fisher King, out-of-work Sonny takes job at hated poultry processing plant on mainland. In The Shore, out-of-work father takes job at hated poultry processing plant on mainland.
In The Fisher King, freak fish with secondary sex characteristics found in waters. In The Shore, two-headed freak fish found in waters.
In The Fisher King, Gail lives in shed at edge of marsh; her demanding job turning peelers is like watching after a newborn. In The Shore, a character is “living in the little shack on the edge of the marsh”; male character’s job demanding manning a still is like watching after a newborn.
In The Fisher King, Gail takes job with the state in accounting department. In The Shore, Chloe takes job with the county in payroll department.
In The Fisher King, Sonny is rendered infertile by environmental pollution. In The Shore, the male character’s are rendered infertile by STD plague.
In The Fisher King, Gail has pelvic exam, blushes at nurse’s questionnaire asking number of sexual partners. In The Shore, Chloe has pelvic exam, blushes at nurse’s questions about number of sexual partners.
At the end of The Fisher King, Gail becomes pregnant with illegitimate child at end. In The Shore, Chloe becomes pregnant with illegitimate child at end.
The denouements are identical: The Fisher King ends ambiguously: The father of Gail’s son is left open. Sonny leaves home, freeing himself from family ties, gains independence and maturity. The islanders vacate the island. Gail finally able to resolve brother’s death and put it behind her. The Shore ends ambiguously: The father of Tamara’s son is left open. Chloe leaves home, freeing herself from family ties, gains independence and maturity. The islanders vacate the island. Chloe is finally able to resolve mother’s rape and put it behind her.
The themes are identical: In The Fisher King, characters are trapped by circumstances beyond their control, including extreme weather. The health, economic, and environmental consequences of ecological damage. Coming to terms with guilt over death of beloved family member. The importance of work to identity. Generations-old tie to the island/farmland and importance of inheriting and passing on island/farmland, family history, genes, opportunity, and a traditional, vanishing way of life. In The Shore, characters are trapped by circumstances beyond their control, including extreme weather. The health, economic, and environmental consequences of ecological damage; coming to terms with assault of beloved family member. The importance of work to identity. Generations-old tie to the island/farmland and importance of inheriting and passing on island/farmland, family history, genes, opportunity, and a traditional, vanishing way of life.
Does THE SHORE Have Plot and Theme Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
There are the eight main elements that comprise the “heart” on which The Fisher King turns, and The Shore takes six of them:
1. Conservation—The importance of reclaiming island & sea from environmental damage.
2. Setting—The importance of place, specifically island, & family historical connection to it, to identity
3. Community—The importance of community to sense of belonging.
4. Inheritance—The importance of inheriting & passing on: island, farmland, family history, vanishing way of life, genes, a future.
5. Male infertility—The importance of male fertility to pass on: island, farmland, family name, vanishing way of life, genes.
6. Generational illegitimacy—Each generation of female characters have affairs and illegitimate. pregnancies, births to circumvent male infertility to pass on: island, farmland, family name, vanishing way of life, genes.
Does THE SHORE Have Line-by-Line Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
7—Setting: Accomack Island on Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shore IDENTICAL TO 5—Trappe Island on Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shore
8—They’re [crabs] pretty—chalky white with smudges of bright blue like someone’s brushed them with ladies’ eye shadow STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 156—“I think it’s just the cutest thing that you can tell the girls from the boys [crabs] by the red on their claws, don’t you?...Why, they look like they have painted fingernails.”
9—works in one of the [poultry processing] plants...He hates the plant, the killing floors more than anything else, but it’s the only work around 19—By then he...had gone to work at the processing plant SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 387— he went out and got a job on the night shift at a poultry processing plant in Crisfield, something he swore he’d never do.
12—I heard him talking before I could see them STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 194—I heard the sailboat before I saw it.
23—He’s skinny...skinnier even than the models in the magazines at the library. NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 112—Peter, on the other hand, was skinny 284—Peter was much thinner, skinny really 186—skinnier than the models in the fashion magazines at the library.
30—She...pulling herself slowly from him, and though the day is hot he immediately misses the warmth of her. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 173—Sonny removed his hand from my thigh and returned it to the wheel. Where it had rested, I felt an absence of warmth.
31—His parents...were still gentlemen farmers 187—a gentleman farmer STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 39—my father tried to affect the image of a “gentleman farmer” 337—the pose of a gentleman farmer 439—the gentleman farmer he’d always pretended to be.
33—He felt like he’d been punched in the stomach...She belonged to someone else. She was beyond his reach. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 420— His chest caved in, as if he’d been sucker punched 30— she was married...and beyond his reach.
34—he had been alone, lazily mucking out stalls. IDENTICAL TO 53— I had regular chores—mucking out stalls.
44—She hadn’t been to Salisbury…since she was born...She hadn’t been to a hospital since she was born, either. STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 352—“The last time he saw a doctor was the day he was born” 357—The hospital in Salisbury
45—She liked to think that she felt even more deeply the thrum of tide in her veins...that the islands were more hers, and she more part of them STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO the ebb and flood tides. I found myself identifying with its watery ripples, its swells and dips. That’s me, I thought 289—I was reminded of my long-ago identification with the tide swirls 441— Slower to adapt was my body its circadian rhythms needed to reset themselves from being in sync with the...ebb and flow of the tides.
49—They ignore the heart monitor...the painkiller drip and bundle of tubes and valves taped to his forearm. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 425—more and more machines were crowded around him 426—the valve that adjusted King’s morphine...He checked the fluid levels of the other bags, the flow of the trailing tubes, the digital readouts on the machines.
49—Sally blows a raspberry to indicate what she thinks of that STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 437—Mom turned back to him and bent to his neck with a loud raspberry.
50—Grandpa says, “Y’all have always lived on the farm, and ya’ll always will be allowed to, but I have to deed the place to someone, and I want to deed it to someone that I know is going to be staying.” SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 434— The deed to the farm….He had wanted to pass the farm down through the family…The only way to ensure that she remain on the farm was to put it all in her name.
50—The air is thick with humidity she can feel it aching to come down, but instead it continues to build and roll away SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 102— the humid air 298— Every once in a while, a massive dark cloud the color of metal filings, heavy-bellied with rain, would gather in the distance…But invariably the squalls passed without releasing even a smattering of drizzle.
52—a hurricane had nearly wiped the Shore off the face of the map. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 98— Hurricane Lola roared up the eastern seaboard…severed the northern section…Officially, it disappeared from all maps.
55—She was a come-here, they said. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 21—She’s a come ’ere 99—were still considered “come ’eres” 123—While technically a “come ’ere,” 206—That she was a “come ’ere” 219—As a “come ’ere” 309— viewed me as a “come ‘ere.”
56—the sky is bone dry clear out to the mainland. I know your irrigation pond is empty, mine is too. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 381—Up and down the mid-Atlantic bone-dry wells and cisterns and reservoirs and rivers.
57—“And what do you think you’re doing, missy?” he’d asked. IDENTICAL TO 93—“Oh yes, he can, missy” 349— “Let me tell you something...missy,” he said.
58—Cloud...The ambient moisture begins to…grow heavy, a million pregnant bellies. 335—And the air…heavy with moisture. STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 9— Heavy-bellied, immobile clouds 300—a massive dark cloud…heavy-bellied with rain.
Ch IV—[Stranger from out of town wants marry Medora to own the farm she’ll inherit and she wants marry him to escape the farm.] Medora: “You want money, I want to be anywhere but here.” SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 31—My father was my mother’s ticket off the farm, and she in turn represented his chance to own land.
79—It was his role to press and hers to protest, and for once she fulfilled her prescribed role. But every moment of it felt like acting. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 107—I resisted his advances…This was the way men were supposed to act, always on the prowl, always pushing to see how far they could get 108—Nothing about my own behavior with him felt genuine...I was simply acting out a role of his devising.
87-88—In the months that she was round with James, [husband] Andrew was attentive, fawning almost, and ridiculously mindful of her health and comfort STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 386—Ever since I’d told him I was pregnant, [husband] Sonny had become overly solicitous of my welfare
94—Main character named Donnie IDENTICAL TO 109-throughout—Don was called Donnie [note identical spelling]
97—“I need a pregnancy test.” STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 208—they also do pregnancy tests 354—I’d picked up a pregnancy test.
100—”You can have another one [baby].” “I want this one!” SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 279—“There’ll be other babies.”...she said, bravely, “But they won’t be this one.”
102-103—When Donnie started pulling you closer and moving his hands under your clothes you didn’t know what to do. So you did nothing. And after you’d done nothing once you had to keep on doing nothing. STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 107—I decided to follow his [Donnie] lead, to act as if nothing had happened. He inched closer 109—So because I didn’t know any differently, I continued to go out with him 110—letting his fingers slip under my blouse, then my skirt.
117—Here the air held a weight of its own, fixing the breath in her lungs. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 283—the salt-saturated air entering and leaving my lungs 289—The air...seemed to weight down 360—warming the air with its...weight.
117—Humidity made it impossible to find the point where her skin ended and the air began. STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 102—The tepid water was as warm as the air, and the humid air seemed almost as filled with moisture as the sea, so it was impossible to tell where one stopped on my skin and the other began.
Sara Taylor Reviews
Does THE SHORE by Sara Taylor Infringe the Copyright of THE FISHER KING by Hayley Kelsey? Read on to Decide for Yourself (and see more at https://medium.com/@hayleykelseyauthor)
History:
Between May 7-21, 2011, I gave away e-copies of my novel to 20 LibraryThing Free Book Giveaway winners in exchange for reviews. On May 21, 2011, I emailed a copy to winner Anna Taylor in the UK. Sara Taylor stated in print that she began The Shore 10 days later, on May 31, 2011, and submitted chapter three in fall 2011 to her academic advisor, Bunny Goodjohn, who stated in print that Sara Taylor spent summer 2010 in Reading, UK. Sara Taylor stated in print that she submitted The Shore as her 2012 Randolph College (Va.) senior thesis. Sara Taylor became a UK resident after spring 2012.
Anna Taylor’s website, www.annafrancestaylor.blogspot.co.uk, states her middle name is Frances. Sara Taylor’s middle name is similar: Francesca. Several relatives in her Bloxom, Accomack County, Va., hometown are named Anna Frances.
On September 23, 2013 (with January 19, 2014 follow-up), I submitted a query letter, synopsis, and first 50 pages to agent Anna Stein O’Sullivan, co-worker of Lucy Luck, who represents alleged infringer Sara Taylor at Aitken Alexander & Assoc. in UK.
On March 19, 2015, The Shore was published in the UK by William Heinemann Ltd., and on May 26, 2015 in the U.S. by Hogarth Press.
Does THE SHORE Have Striking and Substantial Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
Setting: In The Fisher King: sinking Chesapeake Bay Trappe Island separated from mainland by ferry. In The Shore: sinking Chesapeake Bay Accomack Island separated from mainland by ferry.
Identical character’s name: In The Fisher King: teenage sweetheart Donnie. In The Shore: teenage sweetheart Donnie (note identical spelling)
Identical literary allusions: In The Fisher King: King Arthur and Holy Grail myth. In The Shore: King Arthur and Avalon.
Nearly identical island description: In The Fisher King, long, sandy landmass curves around bay harbor called Rogue’s Reach. In The Shore: long, sandy landmass curves around bay harbor called Tom’s Hook.
Identical descriptions of images: In The Fisher King, heavy-bellied clouds hover overhead; impossible to distinguish sea water from air on skin from humidity; humidity feels like heavy blanket; woman blows a raspberry on baby’s belly; crabs appear to be wearing nail polish. In The Shore: heavy-bellied clouds hover overhead; impossible to distinguish sea water from air on skin from humidity; humidity feels like heavy blanket; woman blows a raspberry; crabs appear to be wearing make-up.
In The Fisher King, greed pushed big business (commercial farming and fishing) to over-farm and overfish, damaging the island and bay, depleting them of natural resources. Over-farming polluted the land with chemicals, destroying the islanders’ health (specifically fertility), putting residents out of work, and finally forcing them to abandon island. In The Shore, greed pushed big business to overfish, damaging the island and ocean, depleting them of natural resources, destroying the islanders’ health (specifically fertility), putting residents out of work, and forcing them to abandon island.
In The Fisher King, generations of Kingsley family have lived and fished on the island for over 200 years, making fish scarce. King was successful businessmen now in the red, resists change. In The Shore, generations of Slater/Gourdy family have lived and worked on island for hundreds of years. Family was successful businessmen who fell into financial straits, resist change.
In The Fisher King, the island is threatened by a three-year-long drought, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and widespread infertility. In The Shore, the island is threatened by a three-year-long drought, STD plague, and widespread infertility.
In The Fisher King, Gail’s father considers himself a gentleman farmer. In The Shore, Mark’s “parents...were still gentlemen farmers.”
In The Fisher King, older sister Gail raises and protects dreamy younger brother (10 years younger) from father. In The Shore, older sister Chloe raises and protects dreamy younger sister from father. Kathy raised brother Mark, who’s 10 years younger.
In The Fisher King, Peter is skinnier than models in magazines at the library. In The Shore, a male character is skinnier than the models in the magazines at the library.
In The Fisher King, Aunt Amy dispenses birth control, disease control, educational books. In The Shore, Aunty Medora dispenses birth control, educational books.
In The Fisher King, Gail not much of reader but reads books on conception and pregnancy. In The Shore, Tamara not much of reader, but reads books on conception and pregnancy.
In The Fisher King, Gail was teenager sweethearts with Don and Peter, become adult lovers after she marries, then she gets pregnant with one’s child, keeps her pregnancy and father’s identity a secret. In The Shore, Letty was teenage sweethearts with Mark, become adult lovers after she marries, then she gets pregnant with his child. Chloe keeps her pregnancy a secret. Tamara keeps the father’s identity a secret.
In The Fisher King, Gail returns to farm to learn that mother Arlene may have had affairs to begat son Wes. Gail perpetuates generational illegitimacy by having affairs and becoming pregnant at end. Married Gail has adult affairs with husband’s brothers (who were teenage sweethearts) to get pregnant and continue his DNA. In The Shore, illegitimate daughter Chloe returns to island to learn the identity of real father, Tiny, who raped her mother Ellie. Chloe perpetuates generational illegitimacy by having affair and becoming pregnant at end. Tamara perpetuates generational illegitimacy by having affairs with boyfriend’s brothers to get pregnant and continue his DNA. Married Letty perpetuates generational illegitimacy by having adult affair with teenage sweetheart Mark to get pregnant to continue his DNA.
In The Fisher King, fertility specialist doesn’t give Gail hormone-stimulator Clomid. In The Shore, Tamara takes hormone-stimulator Clomid.
In The Fisher King, Milton marries Arlene to own farm she will inherit and she marries him to escape farm. In The Shore, Andrew Day marries Medora to own farm she will inherit and she marries him to escape farm.
In The Fisher King, Arlene discovers father deeded farm to her in will to “trap” her on farm. In The Shore, Medora and Sally discover father and grandfather deeded farm to them in will to “trap” them on farm.
In The Fisher King, teenage Donnie presses sexual advances and Gail resists them but it feel like acting. In The Shore, teenage Donnie presses sexual advances and Chloe resists them but it feel like acting.
In The Fisher King, out-of-work Sonny takes job at hated poultry processing plant on mainland. In The Shore, out-of-work father takes job at hated poultry processing plant on mainland.
In The Fisher King, freak fish with secondary sex characteristics found in waters. In The Shore, two-headed freak fish found in waters.
In The Fisher King, Gail lives in shed at edge of marsh; her demanding job turning peelers is like watching after a newborn. In The Shore, a character is “living in the little shack on the edge of the marsh”; male character’s job demanding manning a still is like watching after a newborn.
In The Fisher King, Gail takes job with the state in accounting department. In The Shore, Chloe takes job with the county in payroll department.
In The Fisher King, Sonny is rendered infertile by environmental pollution. In The Shore, the male character’s are rendered infertile by STD plague.
In The Fisher King, Gail has pelvic exam, blushes at nurse’s questionnaire asking number of sexual partners. In The Shore, Chloe has pelvic exam, blushes at nurse’s questions about number of sexual partners.
At the end of The Fisher King, Gail becomes pregnant with illegitimate child at end. In The Shore, Chloe becomes pregnant with illegitimate child at end.
The denouements are identical: The Fisher King ends ambiguously: The father of Gail’s son is left open. Sonny leaves home, freeing himself from family ties, gains independence and maturity. The islanders vacate the island. Gail finally able to resolve brother’s death and put it behind her. The Shore ends ambiguously: The father of Tamara’s son is left open. Chloe leaves home, freeing herself from family ties, gains independence and maturity. The islanders vacate the island. Chloe is finally able to resolve mother’s rape and put it behind her.
The themes are identical: In The Fisher King, characters are trapped by circumstances beyond their control, including extreme weather. The health, economic, and environmental consequences of ecological damage. Coming to terms with guilt over death of beloved family member. The importance of work to identity. Generations-old tie to the island/farmland and importance of inheriting and passing on island/farmland, family history, genes, opportunity, and a traditional, vanishing way of life. In The Shore, characters are trapped by circumstances beyond their control, including extreme weather. The health, economic, and environmental consequences of ecological damage; coming to terms with assault of beloved family member. The importance of work to identity. Generations-old tie to the island/farmland and importance of inheriting and passing on island/farmland, family history, genes, opportunity, and a traditional, vanishing way of life.
Does THE SHORE Have Plot and Theme Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
There are the eight main elements that comprise the “heart” on which The Fisher King turns, and The Shore takes six of them:
1. Conservation—The importance of reclaiming island & sea from environmental damage.
2. Setting—The importance of place, specifically island, & family historical connection to it, to identity
3. Community—The importance of community to sense of belonging.
4. Inheritance—The importance of inheriting & passing on: island, farmland, family history, vanishing way of life, genes, a future.
5. Male infertility—The importance of male fertility to pass on: island, farmland, family name, vanishing way of life, genes.
6. Generational illegitimacy—Each generation of female characters have affairs and illegitimate. pregnancies, births to circumvent male infertility to pass on: island, farmland, family name, vanishing way of life, genes.
Does THE SHORE Have Line-by-Line Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
7—Setting: Accomack Island on Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shore IDENTICAL TO 5—Trappe Island on Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shore
8—They’re [crabs] pretty—chalky white with smudges of bright blue like someone’s brushed them with ladies’ eye shadow STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 156—“I think it’s just the cutest thing that you can tell the girls from the boys [crabs] by the red on their claws, don’t you?...Why, they look like they have painted fingernails.”
9—works in one of the [poultry processing] plants...He hates the plant, the killing floors more than anything else, but it’s the only work around 19—By then he...had gone to work at the processing plant SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 387— he went out and got a job on the night shift at a poultry processing plant in Crisfield, something he swore he’d never do.
12—I heard him talking before I could see them STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 194—I heard the sailboat before I saw it.
23—He’s skinny...skinnier even than the models in the magazines at the library. NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 112—Peter, on the other hand, was skinny 284—Peter was much thinner, skinny really 186—skinnier than the models in the fashion magazines at the library.
30—She...pulling herself slowly from him, and though the day is hot he immediately misses the warmth of her. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 173—Sonny removed his hand from my thigh and returned it to the wheel. Where it had rested, I felt an absence of warmth.
31—His parents...were still gentlemen farmers 187—a gentleman farmer STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 39—my father tried to affect the image of a “gentleman farmer” 337—the pose of a gentleman farmer 439—the gentleman farmer he’d always pretended to be.
33—He felt like he’d been punched in the stomach...She belonged to someone else. She was beyond his reach. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 420— His chest caved in, as if he’d been sucker punched 30— she was married...and beyond his reach.
34—he had been alone, lazily mucking out stalls. IDENTICAL TO 53— I had regular chores—mucking out stalls.
44—She hadn’t been to Salisbury…since she was born...She hadn’t been to a hospital since she was born, either. STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 352—“The last time he saw a doctor was the day he was born” 357—The hospital in Salisbury
45—She liked to think that she felt even more deeply the thrum of tide in her veins...that the islands were more hers, and she more part of them STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO the ebb and flood tides. I found myself identifying with its watery ripples, its swells and dips. That’s me, I thought 289—I was reminded of my long-ago identification with the tide swirls 441— Slower to adapt was my body its circadian rhythms needed to reset themselves from being in sync with the...ebb and flow of the tides.
49—They ignore the heart monitor...the painkiller drip and bundle of tubes and valves taped to his forearm. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 425—more and more machines were crowded around him 426—the valve that adjusted King’s morphine...He checked the fluid levels of the other bags, the flow of the trailing tubes, the digital readouts on the machines.
49—Sally blows a raspberry to indicate what she thinks of that STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 437—Mom turned back to him and bent to his neck with a loud raspberry.
50—Grandpa says, “Y’all have always lived on the farm, and ya’ll always will be allowed to, but I have to deed the place to someone, and I want to deed it to someone that I know is going to be staying.” SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 434— The deed to the farm….He had wanted to pass the farm down through the family…The only way to ensure that she remain on the farm was to put it all in her name.
50—The air is thick with humidity she can feel it aching to come down, but instead it continues to build and roll away SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 102— the humid air 298— Every once in a while, a massive dark cloud the color of metal filings, heavy-bellied with rain, would gather in the distance…But invariably the squalls passed without releasing even a smattering of drizzle.
52—a hurricane had nearly wiped the Shore off the face of the map. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 98— Hurricane Lola roared up the eastern seaboard…severed the northern section…Officially, it disappeared from all maps.
55—She was a come-here, they said. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 21—She’s a come ’ere 99—were still considered “come ’eres” 123—While technically a “come ’ere,” 206—That she was a “come ’ere” 219—As a “come ’ere” 309— viewed me as a “come ‘ere.”
56—the sky is bone dry clear out to the mainland. I know your irrigation pond is empty, mine is too. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 381—Up and down the mid-Atlantic bone-dry wells and cisterns and reservoirs and rivers.
57—“And what do you think you’re doing, missy?” he’d asked. IDENTICAL TO 93—“Oh yes, he can, missy” 349— “Let me tell you something...missy,” he said.
58—Cloud...The ambient moisture begins to…grow heavy, a million pregnant bellies. 335—And the air…heavy with moisture. STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 9— Heavy-bellied, immobile clouds 300—a massive dark cloud…heavy-bellied with rain.
Ch IV—[Stranger from out of town wants marry Medora to own the farm she’ll inherit and she wants marry him to escape the farm.] Medora: “You want money, I want to be anywhere but here.” SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 31—My father was my mother’s ticket off the farm, and she in turn represented his chance to own land.
79—It was his role to press and hers to protest, and for once she fulfilled her prescribed role. But every moment of it felt like acting. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 107—I resisted his advances…This was the way men were supposed to act, always on the prowl, always pushing to see how far they could get 108—Nothing about my own behavior with him felt genuine...I was simply acting out a role of his devising.
87-88—In the months that she was round with James, [husband] Andrew was attentive, fawning almost, and ridiculously mindful of her health and comfort STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 386—Ever since I’d told him I was pregnant, [husband] Sonny had become overly solicitous of my welfare
94—Main character named Donnie IDENTICAL TO 109-throughout—Don was called Donnie [note identical spelling]
97—“I need a pregnancy test.” STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 208—they also do pregnancy tests 354—I’d picked up a pregnancy test.
100—”You can have another one [baby].” “I want this one!” SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 279—“There’ll be other babies.”...she said, bravely, “But they won’t be this one.”
102-103—When Donnie started pulling you closer and moving his hands under your clothes you didn’t know what to do. So you did nothing. And after you’d done nothing once you had to keep on doing nothing. STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 107—I decided to follow his [Donnie] lead, to act as if nothing had happened. He inched closer 109—So because I didn’t know any differently, I continued to go out with him 110—letting his fingers slip under my blouse, then my skirt.
117—Here the air held a weight of its own, fixing the breath in her lungs. SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO 283—the salt-saturated air entering and leaving my lungs 289—The air...seemed to weight down 360—warming the air with its...weight.
117—Humidity made it impossible to find the point where her skin ended and the air began. STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO 102—The tepid water was as warm as the air, and the humid air seemed almost as filled with moisture as the sea, so it was impossible to tell where one stopped on my skin and the other began.