The Cliff by Charles Baxter
"The Cliff" by Charles Baxter is a compelling narrative that explores themes of initiation, purity, and the complexities of mentorship through the interaction between a young boy and a cantankerous old man. Set against the backdrop of a coastal cliff in California, the story begins with the old man questioning the boy's experiences and readiness for a mysterious initiation into what he calls "the spells." As they drive, the boy observes the old man's physical state—marked by coughing, smoking, and irritability—which raises questions about the old man's own purity and beliefs. Upon arrival at the cliff, the old man instructs the boy to perform a series of rites, including drawing an invisible circle and reciting words provided to him.
The story's climax unfolds as the boy jumps down the slope, grappling with the duality of his experience—whether he is merely rappelling or genuinely soaring. This moment serves as a metaphor for his desires and aspirations, contrasting the old man's forgotten intentions with the boy's yearning for a different kind of freedom. Ultimately, the narrative invites readers to reflect on the nature of guidance, the passage from innocence to experience, and the search for one's own path amidst the expectations of others. The ambiguity in the boy's flight suggests a deeper exploration of identity and agency within the context of mentorship and personal growth.
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The Cliff by Charles Baxter
First published: 1984
Type of plot: Fable
Time of work: The 1970's
Locale: The California coast
Principal Characters:
The old man , the teacher of the spellsThe boy , his fifteen-year-old protégé
The Story
A young boy is being driven to a cliff at an unspecified location on the California coastline. The driver, a cantankerous old man, interrogates the boy en route, suspicious of his experience with women, how well he has memorized the old man's instructions, his moral, spiritual, and emotional purity, and his impatience to get started with the initiation into what the old man calls "the spells." Noting the old man's incessant coughing and smoking, his occasional hits from the wine bottle stashed under his seat, and his irritability in general, the boy wonders aloud about the old man's purity, whether or not he still believes in the spells. Outraged by the boy's temerity, the old man reminds him that his body has been pure. More important, he tells the boy that he, the old man, is the spells. Besides, he adds, "nobody is ever pure twice."
When they arrive at the cliff, the old man orders the boy to remove his shoes and sweatshirt, and to make a circle in the dirt with his feet. The boy reminds the old man that there is no dirt, but the old man insists he follow his orders. So the boy traces an invisible circle around his body and then speaks to the horizon, using the words the old man has given him. The old man hands him one end of a rope, takes another swig of wine, and then lets out the slack as the boy jumps down the slope of the cliff.
At this point the boy takes it into his mind to "swoop toward the cliffs." The ambiguity of the phrase—is he imagining flight while rapelling down a cliff or he is actually flying?—is maintained as he soars and dips above the old man. Even as he does so, he begins to realize that this kind of flying is not for him. He wants to "fly low, near the ground, in the cities, speeding in smooth arcs between the buildings, late at night." The boy grins down at the old man, who has "forgotten the dirty purposes of flight."