BY DAVID WROBLEWSKI

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

Ashton Evans

David Wroblewski

Born in Wisconsin near where The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is set

Raised on a farm where his mother raised dogs most of his life

Has lived in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, and Colorado

Attended University of Wisconsin where he started as a theater major, switched to computer sciences, and finally graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle was his first book.

Background

Story set in Chequamegon National Forest, near where Wroblewski grew up

Modern day “Hamlet”Used Rudyard Kipling’s “Jungle Book”,

Shakespeare, and Stephen King as inspirationMain character is a mute who can

communicate best with the dogs they raiseBasis of story comes from past and childhood

of growing up in rural Wisconsin, raising dogs

Background continued

Edgar was born mute and lives on a farm with his parents raising dogs.

Edgar’s uncle reappears in their lives and his dad dies

Claude, the uncle, starts to force himself into their lives

Tries to prove Claude’s a murderEdgar leaves but returns to prove Claude killed

his fatherClaude poisons Edgar and they both die in a fire

in the barn

Important Characters

Edgar Sawtelle- Main character, a muteTrudy-Edgar’s motherGar- Edgar’s father who is killed by ClaudeClaude- Edgar’s uncle, Gar’s murderer

Conflicts

Claude vs. Gar- greed towards powerClaude vs. Edgar- revenge towards killerEdgar vs. wilderness-struggle for survivalEdgar vs. self- isolation from being mute

Themes & Motifs

Family- how does this change before and after Claude comes

Revenge-why is this importantTruth-who is Claude reallyAnger-towards ClaudeMurder-lots of itFate-how do their actions seal their fateIsolation-how does Edgar being mute affect

him

Symbols

Edgar’s mute- ability to see more than others, isolation

Dogs-companionshipGhost-truth, purity

Author’s Style

Prose-straight to the point and lacking flowery language

Not many metaphors“natural and unfettered” voice