On October 8, acclaimed author Patrick deWitt read an excerpt from his latest novel, “Dodge City,” to an audience of students, faculty, and community members in the Massachusetts Hall Faculty Room. Following an introduction by Professor of English Brock Clarke, deWitt discussed his writing process and the themes within his work.
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'Dodge City' follows Leland “Lee” Clarke, a young man expelled from UCLA in 1967 after a fistfight. After receiving a draft notice for the Vietnam War, Clarke embarks on a drug-fueled road trip in a Jaguar E-Type, aiming to escape to Canada.
The selected chapter portrays Clarke's reunion with his estranged father, a dog-catcher living in Concrete, Washington. Their relationship unfolds amid the backdrop of Clarke’s complex family history, including his manic mother and twin sister, Grace. The narrative wrestles with ideas of personal freedom and the morality surrounding military service.
DeWitt stated that he intended the novel to explore big questions regarding agency and freedom, particularly in the context of being drafted into a war one does not believe in. In the excerpt, Clarke expresses that the Vietnam War is “a hard war to get behind,” while his father reflects on his own obligatory enlistment in World War II, highlighting the inevitable nature of war as part of the male American experience.
The author’s inspiration stems from his father's own experience with draft evasion, emphasizing the tension between national duty and personal autonomy. DeWitt’s curiosity about the Vietnam War and his father's narrative helped him create relatable characters.
During the talk, deWitt elaborated on his writing methodology, stating that his process is driven by emotion rather than preconceived notions. He likened the complexity of human relationships to the central themes in his work, asserting that his stories reflect the intricacies of life.
He also touched on the challenge of knowing when to stop writing in a scene, humorously comparing it to recognizing when one is full from eating. DeWitt concluded with a reflection on the potential dangers of becoming too attached to one's characters during the writing process.
Audience member Austen Temple ’29 remarked on deWitt's unique perspective as someone who succeeded as a writer despite dropping out of high school. Temple expressed a desire for more authors like deWitt to visit Bowdoin to share their distinctive experiences.