So part of Revision 8 will include cutting this subplot.
The thing is, though, as I think about cutting this subplot I realize it eliminates most of Doleful Creatures' original plot.
Is that bad? Does that mean the original plot of the book is bad? Does it mean I've wasted a lot of time writing this book, since at Rev. 9, it's essentially a new book?
No. No. And no.
I'm killing my darlings. I'm just a,bit slower at it than most.
As I thought about it, I realized it all sounded familiar to me. Then it came: The allegory of the tame and wild olive trees, as found in Jacob Chapter 5.
To sum up: The lord of a vineyard of olive trees does a lot of fertilizing, digging, and grafting to preserve the roots of his olive trees, while at the same time working to ensure he gets good fruit for all his labors. He discovers at one point, however, that branches grafted into the roots of his favorite tree are producing bad fruit, and have to be culled in order to preserve the roots and to save the good fruit the tree once bore.
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the servant went down into the vineyard; and they came to the tree whose natural branches had been broken off, and the wild branches had been grafted in; and behold all sorts of fruit did cumber the tree.
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard did taste
of the fruit, every sort according to its number. And the Lord of the
vineyard said: Behold, this long time have we nourished this tree, and I
have laid up unto myself against the season much fruit.
But behold, this time it hath brought forth much fruit, and there is none
of it which is good. And behold, there are all kinds of bad fruit; and
it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding all our labor; and now it
grieveth me that I should lose this tree.
And
the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: What shall we do unto
the tree, that I may preserve again good fruit thereof unto mine own
self?
And
the servant said unto his master: Behold, because thou didst graft in
the branches of the wild olive tree they have nourished the roots, that
they are alive and they have not perished; wherefore thou beholdest that
they are yet good.
And
it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:
The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof profit me nothing
so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.
Nevertheless,
I know that the roots are good, and for mine own purpose I have
preserved them; and because of their much strength they have hitherto
brought forth, from the wild branches, good fruit.
But behold, the wild branches have grown and have overrun
the roots thereof; and because that the wild branches have overcome the
roots thereof it hath brought forth much evil fruit; and because that
it hath brought forth so much evil fruit thou beholdest that it
beginneth to perish; and it will soon become ripened, that it may be
cast into the fire, except we should do something for it to preserve it.
That's what editing is: Removing the bad from the good, transplanting in the good, and sometimes culling what's been transplanted because it's threatening to overpower the roots. And sometimes the removal is painful because you remember the good fruit the roots or the branches once produced, and you fear that the tree itself is no good and should be dug up and cast into the fire. But there's always something that keeps you going back, remembering that good fruit, and thinking, "There's still something I can do with this tree to bring back that good fruit."
Revision 8 will continue that pruning, and I'm excited for it.
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