Representation and responsibility in 'Under the Mountain' and 'The Fat Man'

Abstract

In two of his best-known works, 'Under the Mountain' and 'The Fat Man', Maurice Gee pursues what he perceives as a dual responsibility to young New Zealand readers: first, to represent their country in fiction, to show exciting action happening 'at home'; and second, to confront serious moral and ethical issues within that setting. Gee's work is profoundly moral, both in its investigation of moral dilemmas through the actions of young protagonists, and in its commitment to placing the action in a local setting. In these novels, representation and responsibility intertwine, accounting for some problematic aspects of writing for young readers, including how to represent the high cost of heroic action, and how to depict evil. To do so responsibly means balancing the need to take into account the reactions of young readers and their adult guardians with the demands of the narrative and the messages it conveys. 'Under the Mountain' and 'The Fat Man' have both had very positive receptions in New Zealand, but they have received some criticism. That criticism centres on the darker moments in each novel - the death of a popular character in 'Under the Mountain', and the uncompromising bleakness of 'The Fat Man'. In replying to that criticism, Gee has referred to the 'covenant' that exists between author and reader, which is particularly important when writing for young readers. He eschews easy answers in his books: protagonists commit heroic acts, but acts that come at a personal cost that might best be characterised as the loss of innocence. Is it right to represent bleak, dark or tragic moments for young readers and, if so, how best to do it? Given that so many of his novels require protagonists to act as responsible representatives for the good of the community, it is small wonder that Gee takes his own responsibility as a writer seriously.