Finding Strength in the Natural World in Beth Brant’s “Swimming Upstream” and Tomás Vallejos’ “Piñons”

Abstract

Beth Brant’s “Swimming Upstream,” tells the story of a Native American woman, Anna May, who loses custody of her son due to her lesbian lifestyle and history with alcoholism. When her son drowns on a fishing trip with her ex-husband, Anna May finds herself struggling with alcoholic temptation. While on the brink of relapse, she watches an injured salmon fighting to swim upstream and leap over a dam. In doing so, she is symbolically reminded of her own strength. Similarly, Tomás Vallejos’ “Piñons” tells the story of a young man grappling with his own sexuality amid his father’s toxic masculinity. Feeling isolated and ostracized by his community and family, he, too, ventures into nature for solace and is reminded of his own strength through the symbolism of the piñon tree. Both Anna May and the unnamed narrator of Piñons find that while society seeks to stifle and silence their differences, in nature, differences are celebrated as miracles. These two stories of social outsiders emphasize the rejuvenating power of the natural world and suggest that reconnecting to nature gives strength of voice and identity to those who would otherwise be silenced by the patriarchal rules of society.