Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1478015
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 4 SEPTEMBER 2022 6 BOOK 'On Life's Stage' by Alfred Massa Patrick Sammut THIS is a new collection of short stories (16 in all spread on 192 pages) written by this veteran author who has been writing collections of poems, short stories and novels for more than 50 years. In Fuq il- Palk tal-Ħajja one reads about everyday human experiences, which often occur in silence and remain hidden. Thus, in 'Id-dar tal-faċċata' things take place in a village, where an unmarried man lives with his widowed mother and a girl living alone on the other side of the street; Massa uncovers certain truths that are kept un- uttered even amongst friends, together with a loner's dreams and emotions. Here we read about the classical ogling of a man prying over a woman and her body from some secret place. 'Għoqda f'ħabel il-ħajja' is a struggle between the spiritual and the material, the rational and the emotional, the chal- lenges married couples face during their journey together. Death reaps unexpectedly and, even here, some secrets remain hidden. '33' deals with numbers, if it is worthwhile heeding their meanings. 'Provenz' is about life; studying, wooing, getting married, children, old age, sol- itude and illness. Here Massa resorts to an Italian dialogue. Happiness turns into sorrow, light into darkness, and the nar- rator asks: "How worthy is love between lovers when one day it will come to nothing?" (p. 55). Massa stresses on suffering and pain, when faith could be the only solace for mankind. 'Qa- ttus iswed' is also about love, family, births and upbringing, but also about fears that certain situations instil in an individu- al. The 'Sapuna taċ-ċavetta' of the story title is donated as a gift, a symbolic advice for who- ever receives it to wash, since his reputation had tarnished both him and others. A prevailing theme in Massa's works is a social one. 'Silwett ta' xjuħija' invites the reader to reflect upon the dire situations many old people are in: solitude above all, poverty, not to men- tion ill-treament and derision from naughty children who know no better. Here enters the element of magical realism, but the end is far from happy. 'Kalzetta mqattgħa' touches abuse on minors. 'Frotta qarsa' starts with the equation that a simple life equals love and a united family. But Massa often reminds us that hell and purga- tory can also be found in this world, and take form in various accidents, death, alcoholism and domestic violence. 'Qas- ma bejn l-aħwa' deals also with extremities people live through in certain countries, with the well-to-do on one side and the impoverished on the other. Here, Massa invites reflection on politicians' duties and what they are actually doing. So this rants against egoism and greed for money in those who are in power. Massa resorts to scenes from fables and dreams, invit- ing us to reflect on the good we're usually used to without appreciating it. There are other stories where Massa leaves the end open: ('Qattus iswed', 'Qaddej fidil', 'Il-mitra tat-tiġieġa'); in others the end is somewhat enigmatic, the author apparently exper- imenting and challenging the reader who is used to run-of- the mill narrative of a lighter sort to react and and move on a little ('Frotta qarsa'). Other times the story takes the form of an anecdote leaving space for a smile ('Ħabib il-mewt'). Then there is 'In-niċċa fuq il- kanal' set in 17th century Ven- ice and is fashioned in a Gothic style, with the dominance of night, gloom, terror and mur- der. Massa based this story on Rufillo Uguccioni's novel Un lume sul rio (1949). Another favourite narrative technique of Massa's is his way of going through things all at once, but even in the brevity of a story he creates a touch of curiosity in the reader. So is 'Il-bejta', dealing about a business man, alcoholism, in- fidelity, familiar pain, sepa- ration and despair. But this time Massa opts for a happy ending, with the dominance of positive values such as pardon, penitence, love and reconcilia- tion. Even 'Warda b'zokk mik- sur' deals with the family, but the situation overturns with ensuing negative aspects. At times, Massa includes directs personal comments and as an extradiagetic author addresses the reader ('Warda b'zokk mik- sur'). The best thing here is to read a story or two every day, with a pause in between. These sto- ries are for those who dislike lenghty reads and love a short read in minutes without much mind hassle. But this doesn't mean that Massa's stories don't invite reflection on things dif- ferent, such as loyalty ('Qaddej fidil'), the family and the chil- dren's future ('Il-mitra tat- tiġieġa'), death and the past customs linked with it ('Ħabib il-mewt'). In 'Fuq il-Palk tal-Ħajja Mas- sa writes from the perspective of a mature man – he's over 80 –and thus is well experi- enced, both as a man and as an author. As the reader familiar with Massa's narrative writ- ing knows, the seasonal phases accompany man in all that he goes through in life. Besides, 'fate' returns, as in the major part of all Massa's works. He is one of the remaining writers who can – and does so – place in confrontation Maltese life in the past, the traditional and the patriarchal, tied to arable land and the village, with the extant one which has ruled out much of the familial aspects and the way our forefathers lived their lives. Surely enough, this is an author deservedly followed by lots of readers.