The Watery Place by Isaac Asimov
In The Watery Place by Isaac Asimov we have the theme of contempt, inquisitiveness, selfishness and conflict. Taken from his The Complete Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed deputy and the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Asimov maybe exploring the theme of contempt. Cameron (sheriff) has no new time for visitors. He considers them to be an obstacle while he works out his income tax returns. The narrator on the other hand takes interest, if not remains inquisitive about the two men. So much so that he tries to persuade Cameron to be nice to them. It does not dawn on Cameron to be nice to them. Again he is too busy with his tax returns. This may be significant as Cameron is acting selfishly and caring more for his tax returns than he is about his job. Two unusually dressed men have walked into his office and Cameron does not take interest.
At no stage in the story does Cameron take on board what the narrator is saying to him. The narrator knows the excitement of having two charcoal suited men in his office who are in knowledge of the spaceship but this is lost on Cameron. Who again is acting single-minded and selfish? It is though Cameron wants a peaceful easy life without any complications with the reader suspecting that Cameron may be retiring soon and as such does not need any more hassle in his life. This is completely contrary to the narrator who is not only inquisitive about the two men in charcoal suits but he believes that Cameron should contact others. Just in case the men are from Venus.
There may also be some symbolism in the story which might be important. The charcoal dressed men prove that they have come from far away. Similarly the dress code of the charcoal dressed men is in mirror or, or at least they think it is, to what is expected on Earth. Cameron’s deafness places an important role in the story and he tells the narrator that he thought the two charcoal dressed men said they were from Venice and not Venus. Similar lack of hearing appears to decide the outcome of the story. Cameron has no understanding, unlike the narrator, that a spaceship has landed outside.
The end of the story is also interesting as the narrator feels very let down and lost. He knows that something special happened but that moment has passed. He also knows that because Cameron has told the two charcoal dressed men not to come back they hardly will and a moment in time has been forgotten. If Cameron had taken the two charcoal dressed men’s advice. He may have learnt years of advance procedures and knowledge. Instead Cameron has acted selfishly, though he cannot really be blamed. He has other earthly worries on his mind. Doing his tax forms became predominant to Cameron. Though on the other side some critics might suggest that so much could have been learnt from the charcoal dressed men.