Lack in All the Living

Lack is a pervasive element of All the Living. Nearly every struggle that the characters face is due to lack, from the beginning of the novel to the end. Aloma is introduced as a character who had “never lived in a house” (1), and coming from a family that “couldn’t handle her anymore” (5) because of their seven other children. In addition to the lack of material possessions, Aloma is also an orphan, and though she is in a relationship with Orren she still describes his family as “not her people” (3). Even Aloma’s talent for playing piano is plagued with lack. Despite her talent and promise, she first stays at her mission school for another three years after graduation due to her lack of other opportunities and material wealth. Then, when she finally leaves the mission school, she is stuck in a place where her only two options are a piano that is decrepit that it’s unplayable, or a piano with “pitches sagging and unclean” (86).  Overall, this shows how even the brighter sides of the characters in the novel are constantly plagued by lack, and how they struggle to overcome this constant obstacle to their happiness.

Additionally, I found it interesting how the setting reflected lack. When Aloma first comes to the house, she describes how “the soil had leached to chalky dust” (1). Additionally, when describing other areas, such as the store, the landscapes are always barren and give the impression of a deprived world. This sense of desolation affects the characters in many ways, with Aloma describing the farm as “the dust you feel unholy bound to” (30). This leads to the characters, especially Aloma and Orren, feeling trapped in the lack and helpless.

Setting and Characterization in "All the Living"

The setting of the vast, dusty farmland pervades and affects every part of the narrative in C.E. Morgan’s “All the Living.” However, more specifically, the setting they reside in characterizes both Orren and Bell, and foreshadows what roles they eventually play in Aloma’s life.

The farmland Orren has lived on for his entire life is portrayed as hostile to Aloma. When she first arrives, the tobacco, the crop that is supposed to be their livelihood, “faltered on the drybeat earth” (3). The portraits of his dead family have a “curious power” to make her feel unwanted (26). She is repeatedly attacked by a rooster, but even after it is killed, Orren brings her its spurs to give her one last fright. To make matters worse, the mountains that Aloma associates with her early life still loom large over the landscape.

The hostility of the setting connects to Aloma’s relationship with Orren. When he first arrives at the farm, he is clearly a different man from the one she fell in love with. She notices that “it was as though someone had come along with a plane and sheered off all the extra that once cushioned him” (8). Like the sudden drought causing the farm to become a place devoid of life and prosperity, the recent death of Orren’s family leaves him a changed man, not nearly as loving and ideal as Aloma remembers him. The setting represents his inner conflict, and its hostility mirrors his sudden hostility toward Aloma.

On the other hand, Bell appears to be a far better alternative to Orren. He is strongly associated with the church where Aloma can go to play piano and get away from the oppressive hostility of the farm. Just as the church represents escape for Aloma, Bell too seems to be the opposite of Orren, at one point moved to tears by her piano-playing, showing the “tenderheartedness of mountain boys” (103). Just as the church opposes the farm, Bell’s emotional vulnerability opposes Orren’s closed-off hostility toward Aloma.

However, in the end, neither Orren nor Bell prove to be a perfect companion to Aloma. This is represented through the pianos they both show her. Bell’s piano is a beautifully-carved, but when Aloma attempts to play it, “the sound bloated out, the pitches sagging and unclean” (135). Orren’s piano is similarly broken, some of the keys making “no sound, just a sponging broken depression” (28). However, a key difference is in the outward appearance of these pianos. Though both do not work for Aloma, Bell’s piano masquerades as a beautifully well-kept piano. Orren’s piano, on the other hand, is broken both in appearance and sound, and does not mislead Aloma.

This can easily connect to how the men come to play a role in Aloma’s life. While he starts out a positive figure in her life, Bell eventually casts her out as “deceitful” (171). Like his piano and his church, his outward appearance gives way to hostility toward Aloma. However, Orren is honest entirely in his treatment of Aloma, and does seem to love her despite the pain he has been through in the loss of his parents. Thus, Orren, like his piano and his farmland home, is hostile to Aloma only due to hardship.

The Symbolism of Pastor Bell Johnson's First Sermon

As Aloma walks down the aisle anxiously approaching the piano at the front of the church she is met by Pastor Bell Johnson who gives her a very applicable sermon. All the Living by C.E. Morgan encompasses many meaningful motifs, most of which are embedded in Pastor Johnson’s very first sermon with Aloma. Pastor Johnson opens his sermon by arguing that, “we are all lonesome men” (Morgan 78). Pastor Johnson’s message here is very simple but strong. Johnson realizes that we are all lonesome people who can only rely on God. This could not be truer for Aloma and Orren as they have no family and cannot rely on each other. Aloma was raised as an orphan by her aunt and uncle while Orren’s family was tragically killed when he was younger. In addition to their separation from family, Aloma and Orren live on a secluded farm miles away from the nearest store. Then Pastor Bell tells others to let God’s love help them just as, “God turned [him], so that [his] innermost heart was all exposed (Morgan 79). This motif of love is very ironic in a love story that is unromantic as it is. In the end, Orren and Aloma must love each other again. Their sex only relationship is not the kind of love that keeps people happy. Orren never seems to pay attention to Aloma, while Aloma never attempts to improve their relationship. It is as if neither of them know how to love. This may because they have been isolated for most of their lives and were stripped of their familial love. The Pastor goes on to state that, “God asks us to be less so that others may be more” (Morgan 80). This motif of selflessness goes hand in hand with the motif of love. Orren’s selfishness is shown through his uncaring desire of Aloma. Orren is selfish because he will not give up his farm in order to have a better life with Aloma. This turns their relationship into something unromantic and unfair. On the other hand, Aloma wants nothing more than to be a pianist. Her dreams of playing the piano blind her from the harsh realities of her relationship that she could be trying to fix. Overall, Pastor Bell Johnson gives his first sermon in the presence of Aloma and his message could not be more applicable to her. Her battle with loneliness, love and selfishness are at the forefront of the novel. 

The Absence of Affection

A significant theme in All The Living is the lack of things, such as prosperity, love, and satisfaction. The lack of substance in the relationship between Aloma and Orren, however, is perhaps the most significant motif in the novel. The inadequacy in their relationship can be attributed to many things, but more notably Aloma's lonesome childhood and the absence of love in her life.

Aloma grew up as an orphan, so she never truly learned what it means to love or to be loved. Raised by her aunt and uncle, Aloma never felt the loss of her parents. She was even complacent after her aunt and uncle had sent her away to missionary school because she never had someone or something that she loved enough to be hurt by its loss. By growing up in the absence of love, Aloma had "tried to invent the feeling of loss inside her. But like the dead, the feeling simply wasn't there. It was not that her uncle and aunt filled up the space that her parents vacated; it was just that the empty space was fine as it was and no more hurtful than being born with four finger on one hand instead of five" (104). Clearly Aloma isn't significantly affected by the lack of parental figures, and she even compares it to being born with an abnormality which is her norm. Orren, however, is much more poignant when he loses his mother and brother. After their passing, he becomes increasingly dismal and this is evident in his interactions with Aloma, as well. He stops showing affection to Aloma and she begins initiating sex with him because she believes this to be the solution to intimacy. Obviously Orren is affected by the passing of his family and Aloma is blind to the implications of this.

By having a lackluster childhood, Aloma grows up to be disengaged from the true meaning of love: she doesn't feel for the loss of her parents and she doesn't feel for the loss of Orren's family either. Orren, however, is different in that he expresses his emotions and is visibly affected by the passing of his mother and brother. This, combined with Aloma's innocence to what love truly is and what it means to be loved provides for an inadequate relationship and one susceptible to middle-aged pastors.

Importance of the Epigraph in "All the Living"

The novel All the Living by C.E. Morgan takes its very title from its epigraph, showing the value and importance this has on the story overall. The epigraph, which is taken from the Catholic bible, works to foreshadow the themes and takeaways that lie ahead in the novel. The opening phrase states, “There is an evil in all that happens under the sun” (1), noting the sun and the dissonance which it brings. As the novel begins, Aloma makes a clear connection between the sun and the farm, a setting in which she strongly resents. After one particular grueling day of farm work, Aloma claims that “she found that the afternoon sun sapped her strength” (165), but goes on to mention that “the sun glanced off” (165) of Orren. This functions to both suggest that the sun deprives Aloma of her intrinsic good as well as to highlight that sun drives that distance between Aloma and Orren further, deeming it each way as the evil that the epigraph predicted. Furthermore, the fact that the epigraph was taken from scripture serves as foreshadowing of the role that religion will play in the novel. It creates an implicit connection to Bell’s character, who is constantly described “with his Bible spread open before him” (100). The epigraph goes on to describe the lives of characters Aloma and Orren, namely with the phrase “madness is in their hearts while they live” (1). This is the first mention of the novel’s atypical- or mad- nature, as is increasing revealed through the couple’s atypical romantic relationship. The phrase also shows the impact of deceased family members on the characters and how this has made it so their hearts are no longer joined with the living. It is a concept that hinders Aloma’s emotional expression and Orren’s ability to exist in the present. In their own ways, both characters refuse to acknowledge their pasts and the weight they carries today. This is seen in the novel through the “wall of faces” (5) and the presence of the small house, kept empty because of Orren’s inability to accept that “Emma and Cash don’t live [t]here anymore…They’re dead” (157). In this way, the epigraph provides context for readers to see the lives of characters who are ‘living dogs’ but only focused on their ‘dead lions.’ This theme is reiterated by the novel’s unsatisfying ending, in which Aloma gives up her dreams and constant desire to leave in order to stay with a man whom she isn’t sure she loves. The characters ability to make decisions that will largely impact their futures at times where “things ain’t exactly in order” (185), reaffirms that both the epigraph and the novel present a way of life that is purely getting by. It’s more living than loving, and more enduring than thriving. It leaves readers questioning if settling to be a ‘living dog’ really is all that better than being a ‘dead lion.’

Loss and Love in "All the Living"

Aloma and Orren have both suffered a loss in their lives, but at very different times of their lives, and each was affected in a very different way than the other. The loss in each of their lives strongly affects how each love. The relationship between the two is strained because of their contradicting ways of loving.

Aloma lost her parents at age three, and does not have much of a memory of them. Her aunt and uncle took her in and treated her well enough, but sent her off to school at twelve. On the loss of her parents, Aloma says, “It was not that her uncle and aunt filled up the space that her parents vacated; it was just that the empty space was fine as it was and no more hurtful than being born with four fingers instead of five” (104). Because of this, Aloma grew up without much familial love, or much love at all. Before Orren, her only true love was the piano. Because of this, Aloma longs for love but does not know how to show it. The piano represents her passions and her ability to love, so it is significant that it is something that Orren pays practically no mind to. He has never heard her play when they move in together, and is oblivious to the fact that the piano in the house is in un-playable condition. This is representative of Orren’s emotional coldness and inability to properly love Aloma after his family’s death. Orren being too poor to purchase Aloma a new piano is representative of how the situation is partially out of Orren’s control. He did not ask for his family to die, and he is trying to cope with it. However, just because he is trying does not change the fact that he is pulling away from Aloma.

Because Orren lost his family suddenly, he is filled with an extreme feeling of loss and pain. He has been left the farm, and he takes over caring for it completely on his own. The farm itself represents Orren’s longing for his family. All his time is taken up by the hard work. In an argument, Aloma says, “It means I don’t ever see you no matter that I live with you and when I do see you, you don’t have anything to say” (106). The farm takes up Orren’s time just like the loss of his family takes away all Orren’s emotional capacity. Aloma cannot relate to Orren’s loss, though she may try. Looking at a picture of Orren’s mother, she says, “I should’ve met her. Cash too, Aloma said. I wish you’d brought me up here before now” (24). This sentence is rather accusatory and insensitive, though Aloma seems to not realize that. She wishes she knew Orren’s family, so she could not what the loss of them felt like. Because she never knew them, the loss of them is much like the loss of her parents. “As a child, she’s tried to invent the feeling of loss inside her. But like the dead, the feeling simply wasn’t there” (104). It is just not there with Orren’s family as well.

The most intimate times between the couple seem to be in the bedroom, and even then, it is not quite romantic. Aloma does not know much of love, and initiates sex to try and show it. Orren will have sex with her, but it is often rather violent or animalistic, and never romantic. This leaves Aloma confused because she thinks that sex is an expression of love and intimacy. During their first time having sex, Aloma describes, “it brought the fact of Orren into a proximity she had not previously imagined. Within, but without at the same time and his face more open and more unreachable than she had imagined a face could be. It moved her in a way that had nothing to do with pleasure” (20).

Aloma and Orren’s inability to understand each other, their ways of loving, and their experiences of loss lead to an unbalanced and unstable relationship.

Aloma and Finding Beauty in the Dissonance

Much of C.E. Morgan’s novel, All The Living, explores internal conflicts such as the effects of isolation and the grieving processes both internally and externally for both Orren and Aloma. For Aloma specifically, whose life has never been picture-perfect, these conflicts often manifest themselves in an escapist mentality and inability to be content in her current stagnant state of life on the farm with Orren. In the novel, Aloma has a fasciation with the imperfect- much like her life- and often finds beauty in the small imperfections of her world. She admits it herself, hearing the off-key singing of the churchgoers saying, “It was not perfection that moved her, only that rub, what others found ugly. She sought the joy of misshapen things” (Morgan 78).  Aloma finds pleasure in these small instances of discord in her music as well. Morgan writes, “It was always dissonance she liked best” (14). Even near the end of the novel when she feels more disconnected from Orren than ever, theses small appreciations for the imperfect appear in the small details of the text. As she collects eggs in the barn one morning Aloma confesses, “…she found that she actually liked searching out the eggs and holding them, smooth and even in her hand- the fawn brown carapace of the eggs far more beautiful than the white…” (131). In these infinitesimal details, Aloma’s distrust of stability is revealed. Because she has never experienced a perfect life she finds comfort in things that are never quite flawless. In this sense, Aloma’s

yearn to escape to the perfect “real-world” beyond the mountains is complicated by the satisfaction she finds searching for the beauty of imperfect aspects of her mundane life.

The Lack

As said by Bookforum, "Lack is everywhere in All the Living". Although Aloma and Orren lack many things, none of these is as expressed as satisfaction within their relationship. During the formative years of this relationship, they spoke with desire and longing for a wonderful future together - "She told him that she would someday get out of the mountains to study piano and he told her again and again of the farm he would own and if these two strands were like roads that could never converge, neither Aloma nor Orren cared to notice" (21). This two-pronged statement, showcasing said wonderful future, exposes exactly the fatal flaw between the two love birds. Feasibly, these paths through life do not intertwine as they would hope. Ignoring and under-analyzing the world's realities brought them to the current situation, one of simply settling for what they have. In a constant state of ignorance, Orren has turned a blind eye to Aloma's passion for piano. Speaking of the dilapidated piano in the old house, he says "Last time I checked, Aloma, that was a real piano" (44). This would be passingly excusable if Orren worked a sprawling, successful farm, but he says himself that they have "No money" (51). Another lack which they possess, the lack of money emphasizes how Orren's own dream is falling short of where it should have ideally landed. Without succeeding in the way, she desires, Aloma turns to petty victories to feel vindicated. An example of such being the execution of the unruly rooster, also using this a vehicle for her desire for a piano. "I want a piano right now, and I want you to kill that rooster right now! If you loved me, you could just do one simple thing!" (58). Evoking thoughts of an avalanche, anger forces any human to make statements from outside the realm of the current conversation, but these statements are very relevant to the overall situation. Stemming from the fact that Orren either refused or simply did not care to fix the piano, Aloma acted under her own prerogative and secured a job as a pianist at the local church. In an unexpected occurrence, when Aloma shared the good news, Orren "said nothing in response, only kept on, and that stole the slightest pleasure from her telling" (74). It’s as if he has forgotten that Aloma has wants that exist independent of his. It is arguable that their relationship is not which is typical, but regardless, in any semi-functioning relationship one should be (or at least act) elated when their significant other receives a great opportunity. 

Mothers will be Motthers

Mothers play a role throughout the entirety of the C.E. Morgan's All the Living. The first one you come across is briefly the mention that Aloma’s mother is dead and that she is an orphan being taken care of by her aunt and uncle before being shipped to her mission school to grow up. Her mother is only briefly mentioned throughout the rest of the novel to simply inform others that she is no longer with them.

Next, you hear of Orren’s mother, Emma. Sadly, she recently died and is also no longer with them. Although there are stories of her that Orren shares throughout the novel. When she was living, she took care of the kids, cleaned the house, cooked for the kids and herself, and took care of the animals and the farm. She did everything. After Orren’s father, Cassius died, she had no idea how to do any of the farm or animal care, but throughout the years she learned and did the best she could before turning to the children for some help along the way.

The other mother that is mentioned is Bell Johnson’s mother. Mrs. Johnson is very present throughout the novel. No matter what is happening, Mrs. Johnson is sure to appear at some point if her son is involved. She even lived with Bell, and could almost be caught spying when he brought Aloma home to show her the grand piano that his grandfather had bought, “Mrs. Johnson was in the house when they went in. She opened the door for them when they had barely stepped up onto the porch, as if she’d been hovering behind the door with her arthritic hand on the knob” (133). The points throughout the novel in which Aloma and Bell are alone or even when they are together you can sense the lingering of Mrs. Johnson around the corner. When Aloma first met Bell and Mrs. Johnson in the church kitchen, one could sense the tension between the women in the room. One could say that Mrs. Johnson was an overbearing, over-protective mother while another would say that she was just sceptical about Aloma and wanted to know with whom her son was spending time with.

Throughout All the Living, one is able to decipher how a mother is protective of her children, in this case her sons. Both Emma and Mrs. Johnson are very caring towards their children and want what is best for them. Whether that is growing up on a farm and living their lives in agriculture or growing up in a church and then becoming a preacher, their mother’s are just wanting to know that they will be okay in the end. Throughout the novel one is able to see and sense all of this throughout the stories that are told of Emma and throughout the interactions that Mrs. Johnson has with both Bell and Aloma.

Lacking within All the Living

Within All the Living, the theme of lacking haunts both Aloma and Orren for the majority of the novel. Personally, I believe the lack of love, affection, and emotion are the most prominent forms of lacking present. Both Orren and Aloma struggle with finding the proper way to feel their emotions, and therefore struggle with turn these emotions into appropriate actions. To begin, Aloma lacked love from the beginning of her life, as her parents passed away at young age and her aunt and uncle sent her away to a missionary school at the age of twelve. When describing the loss of her parents, she notes, "it was just that the empty space was fine as it was and no more hurtful than being four fingers on one hand instead of five. It was just a lack she thought didn't mean anything" (Morgan 104).  Although Aloma seems unaffected by her parents death, it shows she feels this way because she has never loved something enough that it hurt her when she lost it. Orren, on the other hand, has known the terrible feeling of losing something you love deeply, and cannot seem to grasp the death of his mother and brother. After their accident, Orren lives his life in misery and loses his ability to show any feeling towards Aloma, or anyone else for that matter. Aloma explains Orrens actions by saying, "it was if he were trying to make it clear... that there was suffering under way for the one left alive, but that he could endure" (Morgan 45).  Again, now both characters do not know what to do with their lack of emotion towards anything, as Aloma never had any love in her life and Orren lost all of his.
Now, as the two live under the same roof, they find themselves tip toeing around one another because their lack of emotion has led to a lack of affection and action towards one another. In attempt to show affection to Orren, Aloma constantly initiates having sex with him, as if she believes thats the only proper thing to do when two people live under the same roof and should be in love. Although Orren engages with her, he still never shows any romantic feelings towards her, making her feel unwanted and unloved. The way the two act around each other again contributes to the lack of love each has in their life, as Aloma desperately tries to find it through inappropriate actions, and Orren tries to avoid it because he doesn't want to be hurt the same way he was when his family died. Looking from either point of view of the characters, it becomes obvious that their lack of love and emotion towards one another is what drives most of the conflict in the novel, making it the most important thing they lack.

Piano in All the Living

Throughout C.E. Morgan’s novel All the Living, protagonist Aloma details her life as she comes to live with her boyfriend Orren on his family’s farm. When Aloma choses to live with Orren, she attaches herself to him because she is isolated and has nowhere else to go. However, her attachment to Orren creates tension around her dreams of being a successful pianist, and this tension initially strains her relationship with Orren.

Ever since Aloma began excelling at the piano classes at her mission school, she dreams of a future in which she studies music. As Aloma declares to Orren, “Someday I’m gonna be a great piano player and we’re gonna get out of here” (23). Regardless of the fact that “she wanted nothing more than to study piano in some faraway place” (15), Aloma’s lack of connections and experiences hinder her from leaving. As Morgan writes, “She had nowhere else to go and no way to get there” (15). Aloma accepts a job as a staff pianist following graduation, and moves to Orren’s farm after his family dies.

When Aloma moves in with Orren, she becomes dependent on him and her musical dreams become strained. The piano at the house is decrepit and unusable, and Orren himself is uninterested in Aloma’s piano skills and dreams. As Morgan writes, “She opened the cover and pressed a white bone key. There was no sound, just a sponging broken depression. She pushed down the neighboring keys and the pitches yawed out, one string buzzed hideously. She stepped away suddenly and looked around herself as if seeing the room, the house, for the first time” (28). Aloma feels disconnected to Orren and his home, and Orren disregards  Aloma’s musical talent and her desire to play the piano. For example, Orren often comments on Aloma’s disappearance when she plays the piano at the church. Orren’s aloofness distances him from Aloma, and he doesn’t comprehend the importance of the piano in her life, which causes tension in their relationship.

Toward the novel’s end, however, Orren and Aloma are able to better communicate, and Aloma articulates the importance of the piano in her life. Aloma states, “I think I have enough money saved now to rent a piano and I might could teach lessons up at the house. I’ll make us some money that way” (192) and she finally comments on the state of the piano at the new house. Morgan writes, “Aloma gazed helplessly around her at the house, which did not speak to her of a home and maybe never would. Its wall of untold faces, the buckling piano, the memories which were not her own. Her eyes settled on Orren. Let’s get rid of this piano, she said. It’s done” (195). Because Orren comes to understand the significance of the piano in Aloma’s life through their newfound communication, Aloma and Orren are able to work out their differences, and their relationship is strengthened.

Life Lessons from Gilead

Marilynne Robinson uses her story Gilead to teach readers that being human and living a fulfilling life does not involve unlimited happiness, a lesson very relevant in America today. According to Psychology Today, many Americans have a wrong idea of what “happiness” truly means and cause themselves emotional distress by chasing this fleeting notion of pure bliss. Being happy all the time just isn’t biologically possible and is not part of being human. Gilead shows us the importance of being accepting of bad times and using these negative experiences to highlight when something truly enjoyable happens through the motifs of light and darkness.

Gilead first mentions light when the narrator and his father are at the graveyard, visiting the narrator’s deceased grandpa. Graveyards are typically not viewed as aesthetically pleasing or beautiful, but this graveyard “was just a patch of ground with a half-fallen fence around it and a gate on a chain weighted with a cowbell” (12), and the narrator describes it as “about the loneliest place you could imagine” (13). The narrator and his father start work diligently before sundown to weed the grass and repair the broken fence in the unmaintained graveyard and finish right before night time.

After he finishes his work, the author is struck by an object in the sky and sees a “full moon rising just as the sun was going down. Each of them standing on its edge, with the most wonderful light between them” (14). He and his father look over the graveyard under this light and his father remarks, “I would never have thought this place could be beautiful. I’m glad to know that” (15). It can be inferred that Gilead is trying to teach its reader to see the “light” and beauty in life even in moments that aren’t necessarily pleasant. The narrator and his father are able to find beauty in a graveyard as it is getting dark outside, a situation where most people would feel fear and discomfort. Marilynne Robinson seems to understand that being human involves both positive and negative experiences, a valuable reminder for the reader.

Gilead also explores “light and darkness” in human nature by examining this duality in its characters, including Edward, the narrator’s brother. While the narrator’s father is a well-respected preacher, a calling that the narrator follows as an adult, religion does not play a part in Edward’s life because he is an atheist. When asked to say a prayer at dinner, he responds, I am afraid I cannot do that in good conscience, sir . . . I have put away childish things” (26). This news crushes the narrator’s father and is at odds with the narrator’s beliefs, but the narrator still believes Edward is a good person and feels confident that his soul will not be dammed. Interestingly, the narrator is also able to find enjoyment by reading a book Edward gave him The Essence of Christianity, written by Feuerbach, a “famous atheist, [but one who is] about as good on the joyful aspects of religion as anybody, and [who] loves the world” (24).

The narrator appears to understand that many people in his life, especially loved ones, will have beliefs or commit actions that are not aligned with his values. However, he still looks for the good in others and understands that part of being human includes hearing other people’s different beliefs. Like how Gilead teaches readers to see the “light” when situations are “dark”, the book also teaches to see the light in others and be tolerant of differences, embracing the parts of others that are good in spite of those differences.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/raising-happiness/201412/why-happiness-is-the-wrong-pursuit-0