America (short story)

Infobox short story |
name = America
title_orig =
translator =
author = Orson Scott Card
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre =
published_in = "Asimov's Science Fiction"
publication_type = Periodical
publisher =
media_type = Print (Magazine)
pub_date = 1987
english_pub_date =
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"America" is a short story by Orson Scott Card. It appears in his short story collection "The Folk of the Fringe". Card originally published this story in the January 1987 issue of "Asimov's Science Fiction" magazine.

Plot summary

This story begins before the war that destroys America. In it a teenage boy named Sam Monson travels to Brazil with his father. While there he begins dreaming about a woman who lives in a nearby Native American village named Anamari. When he goes to the village he finds the woman and begins helping her take care of the villagers. While there he learns that she also has dreams that come true and that she is dreaming about giving birth to a boy who will become the future leader of an America that is controlled by the Native Americans. On his last night in Brazil Sam sleeps with Anamari and she gets pregnant with that boy. Years after the war when Sam is the governor of the state of Deseret, Amamari comes to meet with him to negotiate a peace treaty on behalf of their son, Quetzalcoatl. Sam goes and takes with him with a man named Carpenter who he later tells his story to.

Connection to the other stories

At the end of the story "West" by Orson Scott Card, Deaver Teague and the group he is traveling with meets with Sam Monson, the governor of Deseret. In the short story "The Fringe" the main character, is a teacher named Mr. Carpenter who discovers that some of the men in town are stealing from the rest of the people and reports it to the authorities.

Influences

As with many of Card's other literature, a Christian/Mormon influence is present in this story.

Characters

*Mr. Carpenter - narrator
*Sam Monson - becomes governor of Deseret
*Anamari Boagente - Native American from Brazil
*Baniwa villagers - unnamed
*little girl with palsy - unnamed
*Sam’s father - unnamed
*Sam’s mother - unnamed
*Baniwa hunter - unnamed
*oil company employees - unnamed
*chopper pilot - unnamed
*two Native American men - unnamed
*Quetzalcoatl - Sam and Anamari's son

References

*"America" by Orson Scott Card
*"West" by Orson Scott Card
*"The Fringe" by Orson Scott Card

External links

* [http://www.hatrack.com The official Orson Scott Card website]