JER: “Not Quite Narwhal” by Jessie Sima
JER: “Not Quite Narwhal” by Jessie Sima is all about self-awareness and discovery. The protagonist - Kelp - struggles to figure out why he isn’t a very strong swimmer, and why he doesn’t seem to be like the other narwhals. Eventually, Kelp journeys up onto the land after seeing a mysterious “land narwhal” on a cliff above the water. Kelp realizes that he might actually be a “land narwhal”, or as he comes to find out, a “unicorn”. I relate to this story in a small way. I am the son of a Danish immigrant father and an American mother - who seems to have more Danish pride than my father. I grew up with a lot of cognitive dissonance arising from “survival of the fittest” naked Capitalism and “American exceptionalism”. I wasn’t able to fully understand that American culture may have been causing me some discomfort until I was able to live in Hong Kong for two years. For once, I felt like I was surrounded by quiet, cons...