A Disaster of Legendary Proportions

Here are today’s Wonderful Words:

Had Roosevelt been concerned about the trip he was about to take, he certainly would have hesitated to hire a man whose sole exploring experience had been in the Arctic—a region that had almost nothing in common with the Amazon—and who, while there, had led his men to a disaster of legendary proportions.

The River of Doubt, Candice Millard, page 32

Background

This sentence appears early in a book about Roosevelt’s unbelievable journey down The River of Doubt, an uncharted river winding its way through the depths of the Amazon jungle. Roosevelt didn’t concern himself with the planning of the trip, so the outfitting was left to Anthony Fiala, a man wholly unfit to equip a girl scout camping trip, let alone a dangerous jungle excursion.

What makes it wonderful?

As soon as I read these words about Fiala, I felt my stomach tying itself in knots.

I’ve done a bit of backpacking in the North Carolina mountains, and even my three-day trips required plenty of planning and proper supplies. Leaving just one vital piece behind could be the difference between a happy hike through the woods and a frightening fight for your life.

Certainly a many-month jungle expedition would require a much higher level of preparation. And they were leaving that preparation to Fiala? A man responsible for disastrous decisions that nearly killed his crew on his last expedition?

Reading this passage, I felt like I was watching a comic bomb at an open mic night. Anxiety levels through the roof but unable to look away because I needed to see what happened next.

And the story didn’t disappoint.

Fiala’s inexperience meant he didn’t know what boats to choose.

So the men ended up in one-ton dugout canoes. The boats became waterlogged, and they weren’t suited for the long overland portages the river required.

Fiala’s folly meant he didn’t know what food to supply.

So he ordered insane amounts of frivolous fancies—gourmet mustards, spices, and marmalades. Even a selection of five different teas. As you might imagine, the men ran out of food and nearly died because of it.

In short, these words were wonderful because they intrigued me, gave me a taste of what lay ahead, and ensured I kept reading to find out.

Let's get technical

This type of teaser is called foreshadowing. According to OSU’s Guide to Literary Terms, “foreshadowing is a narrative device in which suggestions or warnings about events to come are dropped or planted.”

Suggestions like this expedition is pathetically under equipped.

Warnings like the man preparing the supplies nearly killed everyone on his last trip.

How can you not keep reading when you’re getting hints like this? It would be like turning off the Super Bowl when it’s tied with one minute left in the 4th quarter—damn near impossible.

When you’re telling a story, you can’t give away all your secrets in the beginning. But you can’t keep all your cards hidden either. You need to balance suspense with intrigue—not yet knowing what happens with a hint of what’s to come. And foreshadowing is often the best tool for the job—whether you’re writing about Theodore Roosevelt or the time you were robbed at gunpoint—it can work in any situation.

Happy writing,

Joe