If the River Was Whiskey by T. Coraghessan Boyle
"If the River Was Whiskey" by T. Coraghessan Boyle explores the complex dynamics of a troubled family during a lakeside vacation. The story centers on a sixth-grader named Tilden, nicknamed Tiller, whose father is an unemployed alcoholic. As the family attempts to escape their issues in a cabin owned by Tiller's mother’s father, the narrative delves into themes of neglect, addiction, and the longing for connection. Tiller often finds himself alone, fishing and exploring the lake while his parents engage in heavy drinking and heated arguments that highlight their dysfunctional relationship.
Tiller's father, struggling with his addiction and feelings of inadequacy, attempts to prove himself by spending a day fishing with his son. Despite the father's efforts, their outing is marred by the father’s underlying dependency on alcohol, culminating in a poignant moment where he catches a garbage fish, symbolizing lost potential and broken dreams. The story intricately paints a portrait of a family in crisis, examining the impacts of alcoholism and the yearning for emotional bonds amidst turmoil. Through Tiller's eyes, readers witness the stark contrast between childhood innocence and the harsh realities of adult struggles.
If the River Was Whiskey by T. Coraghessan Boyle
First published: 1988
Type of plot: Domestic realism
Time of work: Probably the 1970's or 1980's
Locale: A lake in the mountains
Principal Characters:
Dad , an alcoholic who has recently lost his jobCaroline , his wifeTilden ("Tiller") , their son
The Story
Tilden, a sixth-grader who is also called "Tiller," is the son of an unemployed alcoholic father. In a vain effort to turn his life around, the father, his wife, Caroline, and Tiller have gone to spend a month at Caroline's father's cabin on a lake. Caroline sits in her deck chair watching as Tiller rises to the surface of the lake where he has been snorkeling, jumps out of the water, and immediately casts a fishing line into the water. Back at the cabin, Tiller's depressed father pours himself a tall vodka and soda from a plastic half-gallon jug, although it is not even noon. He needs a couple of drinks just to begin to feel good. Later, Tiller is sitting in a local bar where his parents are drinking heavily with another couple. The men talk at cross-purposes, the stranger about building supplies, his father about his failed career as a blues musician. The women gossip about people his mother has never met. Both parents ignore their son, who sits quietly watching a neon beer sign flash on and off.
Tiller spends much time alone on this family vacation. In the early mornings, while his parents still lie sleeping, he rows across the lake to fish a certain cove where large pike are said to lurk, according to an old man who lives in the cabin next to Tilden's. Tiller dresses warmly for these outings and always wears the lifejacket his mother insists on. The lifejacket obstructs his casting, however, so he removes it as soon as he begins to fish. As the day warms up, he removes one article of clothing after another, sometimes remaining nude in the privacy of the cove.
The narrative shifts from this tranquil scene back to the cabin later in the day, where Tiller's father and mother are having an ugly row. The father rouses from a semiconscious, alcohol-induced state to overhear his wife tell their son that his father is a drunk. Furious, the father leaps from the bed and grabs his wife by the shoulders. Tiller escapes from the cabin, leaving his parents barking mutual accusations. The father accuses his wife of being just as drunk as he; she retaliates by pointing out that at least she has a job. He says he will get another job; she accuses him of spending no time whatsoever with their son and calls him a lousy father. He grabs a bottle of cheap whiskey, her drink, and pours a large serving. They declare their hatred for each other and she leaves.
Tilden tries not to think about his parents, but when he does think of his father, he remembers the day he came home from school to find his father home, playing the guitar in a darkened, smoky room with empty beer bottles and a liquor bottle within easy reach. His father ignored his greeting; he just kept playing "If the River Was Whiskey" repeatedly on a guitar that he rarely uses. His father could not explain the meaning of the song, but he offered Tiller his first sip of beer.
Tiller's dad decides to prove his wife wrong: He is not a drunk and not a lousy father. He will spend the day fishing with his son and not drink a drop. Tiller excitedly packs a lunch, little realizing that his father is already feeling queasy from lack of alcohol. He takes his father to the cove in search of the special pike, and they fish until dark. Although his father is tired and out of cigarettes, he suddenly comes to life when a fish takes his line and he fights to bring it in. He triumphantly hauls in a big pike, but Tiller knows better: It is no pike, but a bottom-feeding carp, a garbage fish that no one eats.
At 2:00 a.m. the next morning, Tiller's father reflects on what is to come: Caroline is leaving him and consequently he is losing his son. Almost suicidally depressed, he falls asleep and dreams he is out in the boat with Tiller, utterly incapable of any action, when suddenly they are sucked deep under water. He sees his son going down, and he can do nothing to save him.
Sources for Further Study
The Bloomsbury Review. IX, November/December, 1989, p.5.
Booklist. LXXXV, May 15, 1989, p.1606.
Kirkus Reviews. LVII, March 1, 1989, p.312.
Library Journal. CXIV, March 15, 1989, p.84.
Los Angeles Times Book Review. May 21, 1989, p.3.
Mother Jones. XIV, July/August, 1989, p.52.
The New Republic. CC, June 12, 1989, p.40.
The New York Times. May 2, 1989, p. C18.
The New York Times Book Review. XCIV, May 14, 1989, p.1.
Publishers Weekly CCXXXV, February 24, 1989, p.223.
The Wall Street Journal. CCXIII, June 20, 1989, p. A16.