Book Club Discussion Guide
This section is designed as a guide for Book Clubs who wish to discuss Until the Deep Water Stills as they read it.
Until the Deep Water Stills is by design layered, intricate and deep much the same way our lives are. It provides many avenues for ongoing exploration and discussion. You may go as deep as you choose into these layers. It is not necessary to penetrate all of them to follow the plot.
But the deeper you go the more you will find. Think of it as exploring the metaphorical coral reefs that you can’t see from the surface. Dive in if you dare.
METAPHORS IN “UNTIL THE DEEP WATER STILLS”
1. WADING IN THE SHALLOWS
Let’s start at the beginning: the water metaphor. You can’t miss this one since it is right at the surface so to speak. But trust me – there’s much more than what meets the eye. The water metaphor permeates the novel on several levels. Sometimes shallow and occasionally deep.
CLUE
The “Part” titles are significant. Okay, that’s obvious… but don’t stop at the obvious. The really good stuff is down another layer.
HINT
People tend to move from one plateau to another when they are wrestling with the really big issues in their life.
CLUE
The titles of the final chapters are signposts. Simple enough, right? Maybe not. Ask yourself what they signify beneath the surface level. Think of them as icebergs. The biggest part is below the waterline.
HINT
Katherine sets the pace for the main characters. They take their lead from her.
CLUE
The novel title is a transparent play on words. Or is it so transparent? Think of it as a prism subdividing and refracting the light into different colours.
HINT
Go deeper to … the ocean floor of her soul… the river of life… rogue waves dashing themselves on the rocks… the cascade of memories flowing on the current… the sound of water gently lapping against the dock.
2. SLIPPING BELOW THE SURFACE
Still with me? Okay, listen up. The next layer of metaphor is down a bit deeper. It’s woven into the dialogue in places as well as in the narrative. You’ll find it quite readily if you keep your ears tuned and listen for the message within the message.
CLUE
Pay attention to the interplay between Katherine and Jayce particularly in Part Two. What is it that frustrates Katherine so much when she tries to communicate with Jayce?
HINT
Simply put: Michael-John (Katherine and Jayce’s infant son). That’s right – he factors significantly into this metaphor. In fact, you could say he is the living manifestation of it.
Off you go again… Dive in if you dare.
3. THE DEEP DIVE
Now we get to scuba depth. This is where you peel back the outer skin of the novel and shine some light on the inner workings. I want you to poke around in those nooks and crannies where the sunlight is more filtered. The light may be fainter but it illuminates all the more.
CLUE
You already have it. It’s in the paragraph above. Trust me. You just have to see it in the right light to grasp it. Need more? The book cover may help you.
HINT
It’s a metaphor for the process of understanding and opening your eyes to the truth. Or, to put it another way, a metaphor for stepping out of the dark of confusion and doubt.
That’s all you get… for now. Dive in if you dare.
4. COMING UP FOR AIR
You’re on the home stretch now in your search for metaphors. You’ve gone down far and deep to find the sunken treasure. Now you can begin to make your way towards the light again.
This fourth and final layer of metaphor is subtle in places and flat out in-your-face in others. It shouldn’t be hard to crack (or should I say shatter) the code.
CLUE
Once again, it’s already there in the paragraph above. But I’ll through in a bonus clue. This metaphor is launched right from the get go. If you’ve peaked at the novel at all you’ve already cut your fingers on it in a manner of speaking.
HINT
It figures prominently into the dramatic scene that is the turning point of the novel. It also symbolizes the journey from brokenness to healing.