Not Wanted on the Voyage

Not Wanted on the Voyage is a novel by Canadian author Timothy Findley, which presents a humourous reinterpretation of the Great Flood in the biblical book of Genesis.

Related Topics:
Canadian - Timothy Findley - Great Flood - Biblical - Genesis

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The novel's central character is Noah Noyes, an authoritarian doctor and father whose obsession with God's law leads him to neglect his family. His wife, Mrs. Noyes, is an alcoholic who talks to animals (including Mottyl, a blind cat who actually narrates part of the novel) and trains a chorus of singing sheep.

Related Topics:
Noah - God - Alcoholic - Narrates - Sheep

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One day, an exhausted and depressed Yahweh visits Noyes and tells him to build an ark in preparation for the flood. His family reacts negatively: Japheth runs away and gets caught by cannibals, but escapes with his skin permanently turned blue, while Ham quickly marries Lucy, a mysterious seven-foot-tall woman with webbed fingers who is eventually revealed to be the devil in drag.

Related Topics:
Depressed - Ark - Japheth - Cannibal - Ham - Webbed fingers - Devil - Drag

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In the novel's telling, Noah is ultimately responsible for the loss of innocence and magic in the world. He fails to collect fairies, and the unicorns and demons die on the ark. As a result of Noah's failure, animals lose the ability to speak.

Related Topics:
Magic - Fairies - Unicorn - Demon

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Illustrating the novel's anti-patriarchal themes, Mrs. Noyes and Lucy are the ones who successfully keep things together until the ark can be left behind.

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