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"Croatoan" is a short story by American writer Harlan Ellison published in 1975 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and anthologized in Strange Wine; an illustrated version appeared in Heavy Metal in 1978. The story won a Locus Award. The story is also used as a specimen of analysis by Stephen King in Danse Macabre.

Plot summary

Gabe is forced by a hysterical girlfriend to descend into New York City's sewers, into which he has just flushed her aborted fetus. Arriving there, he finds that fetuses populate the sewers, astride similarly disposed-of crocodiles, and the word "Croatoan", crudely lettered on a wall near the entrance to the sewer.

Reception

"Croatoan" won the 1976 Locus Award for Best Short Story^[1] and was a finalist for the 1976 Hugo Award for Best Short Story.^[2]

Themes and structure

Although abortion figures into the plot of "Croatoan", the issues surrounding abortion are not central themes in the story. In the story's introduction, Ellison states that the story is neither for nor against abortion, but rather a promotion of personal responsibility (he goes on to say that after writing the story he had a vasectomy). The story is character driven, focusing on Gabe's growth beyond the pleasures of sex and casual relationships to embracing fatherhood and maturity. The critic Joseph Patrouch comments that the theme of searching for the responsibilities and maturity of fatherhood present in this story complements the recurring theme of searching for a father figure that is present in much of Ellison's work.^[3]

Patrouch also comments that the structure of the story highlights the emphasis on character over actions. Three distinct flashbacks are used at different moments in the narration in order to further develop the character of Gabe. The development of the plot is governed by Gabe's growth rather than external events.^[3] The non-linear narrative structure of "Croatoan" is typical of Ellison's style, and is a feature of many of his most famous stories.

References

^ Locus Award Archived 2017-09-15 at the Wayback Machine, at The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction; earliest version published November 10, 2011; retrieved August 19, 2020
^ 1976 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved August 19, 2020
^ ^a ^b Porter, Andrew (editor)(1978). The Book of Ellison. ALGOL Press, p62-63. ISBN 978-0-916186-07-4

External links

Croatoan title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database

This article about a short story (or stories) published in the 1970s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[SFEnyclopedia-1] Locus Award Archived 2017-09-15 at the Wayback Machine, at The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction; earliest version published November 10, 2011; retrieved August 19, 2020

[Hugo-2] 1976 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved August 19, 2020

[BookofEllison-3] Porter, Andrew (editor)(1978). The Book of Ellison. ALGOL Press, p62-63. ISBN 978-0-916186-07-4

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+{{Short description|Short story}}
-"'''Croatoan'''" is a [[short story]] by [[Harlan Ellison]], published in [[1975]] in ''[[The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction]]'', and anthologized in ''[[Strange Wine]]'' in 1978. The story was short-listed for a [[Hugo Award]], and won a [[Locus Award]]. The story is also used for a specimen of analysis by [[Stephen King]] in ''[[Danse Macabre (book)|Danse Macabre]]''.
+[[File:Croatoan FSF.jpg|thumb|right|"Croatoan"'s first publication, in ''F&SF'', featured a cover by Dario Campanile.]]
+"'''Croatoan'''" is a [[short story]] by American writer  [[Harlan Ellison]] published in 1975 in ''[[The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction]]'', and anthologized in ''[[Strange Wine]]''; an illustrated version appeared in ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'' in 1978. The story won a [[Locus Award]]. The story is also used as a specimen of analysis by [[Stephen King]] in ''[[Danse Macabre (book)|Danse Macabre]]''.
+==Plot summary==
-The story's narrator is forced by a hysterical girlfriend to descend into [[New York City]]'s sewers, into which he has just flushed her aborted baby. Arriving there, he finds that fetuses populate the sewers, along with an animal population composed of similarly disposed-of [[crocodile]]s, whom the fetuses ride, and the word "[[Croatoan]]", crudely lettered on a wall near the entrance to the sewer. The story ends with the narrator's hysterical realization: "I am the one they have been looking for all along....They call me father."
+Gabe is forced by a hysterical girlfriend to descend into [[New York City]]'s sewers, into which he has just flushed her aborted fetus. Arriving there, he finds that fetuses populate the sewers, astride similarly disposed-of [[crocodile]]s, and the word "[[Roanoke Colony#1590 relief mission|Croatoan]]", crudely lettered on a wall near the entrance to the sewer.
+==Reception==
-"Croatoan" was also carved into a tree at the deserted [[Roanoke colony]], possibly referring to a nearby island the colonists may have fled to.
+"Croatoan" won the 1976 [[Locus Award for Best Short Story]]<ref name="SFEnyclopedia">[http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/archives/locus_award/31735 Locus Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915035804/http://sf-encyclopedia.com/archives/locus_award/31735 |date=2017-09-15 }}, at ''[[The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction]]''; earliest version published November 10, 2011; retrieved August 19, 2020</ref> and was a finalist for the 1976 [[Hugo Award for Best Short Story]].<ref name=Hugo>[http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/1976-hugo-awards/ 1976 Hugo Awards], at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved August 19, 2020</ref>
+==Themes and structure==
-In the story's introduction, Ellison states that the story is neither for nor against abortion, but rather a promotion of personal responsibility.  He goes on to say that after writing the story he had a [[vasectomy]].
+Although [[abortion]] figures into the plot of "Croatoan", the issues surrounding abortion are not central themes in the story.  In the story's introduction, Ellison states that the story is neither for nor against abortion, but rather a promotion of personal responsibility (he goes on to say that after writing the story he had a [[vasectomy]]).  The story is [[Plot (narrative)#Forms of plot|character driven]], focusing on Gabe's growth beyond the pleasures of sex and casual relationships to embracing fatherhood and maturity.  The critic Joseph Patrouch comments that the theme of searching for the responsibilities and maturity of fatherhood present in this story complements the recurring theme of searching for a [[father figure]] that is present in much of Ellison's work.<ref name=BookofEllison>Porter, Andrew (editor)(1978). ''The Book of Ellison''. ALGOL Press, p62-63. {{ISBN|978-0-916186-07-4}}</ref>
+Patrouch also comments that the structure of the story highlights the emphasis on character over actions.  Three distinct [[Flashback (narrative)|flashback]]s are used at different moments in the narration in order to further develop the character of Gabe.  The development of the plot is governed by Gabe's growth rather than external events.<ref name="BookofEllison"/>  The non-linear narrative structure of "Croatoan" is typical of Ellison's style, and is a feature of many of his most famous stories.
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
+==External links==
+* {{isfdb title|id=50739}}
+{{Harlan Ellison}}
 [[Category:1975 short stories]]
+[[Category:Fiction about abortion]]
 [[Category:Short stories by Harlan Ellison]]
+[[Category:Works originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction]]
+{{1970s-story-stub}}

v t e Harlan Ellison
Bibliography
Novels and novellas	Web of the City Spider Kiss A Boy and His Dog Mefisto in Onyx
Short story collections	The Deadly Streets Gentleman Junkie and Other Stories of the Hung-Up Generation Ellison Wonderland Paingod and Other Delusions Love Ain't Nothing But Sex Misspelled The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World Alone Against Tomorrow Approaching Oblivion Deathbird Stories No Doors, No Windows Strange Wine Shatterday Stalking the Nightmare Angry Candy Slippage Can & Can'tankerous
Short stories	”Adrift Just Off the Islets of Langerhans” “The Beast that Shouted Love at The Heart of the World” “Croatoan” “The Deathbird” “The Discarded” “The Dragon on the Bookshelf” “From A to Z, in the Chocolate Alphabet” “The Function of Dream Sleep” “How Interesting: A Tiny Man” “How's the Night Life on Cissalda?” “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” “Jeffty Is Five” “Paladin of the Lost Hour” “The Prowler in the City at the Edge of the World” “"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman” “Soldier from Tomorrow” “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs”
Collaborations	Phoenix Without Ashes Mind Fields
Television work	"Soldier" "Demon with a Glass Hand" "The City on the Edge of Forever" "Paladin of the Lost Hour" "Gramma" "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich" "A View from the Gallery" "Objects in Motion"
Consultant	Babylon 5 The Gathering In the Beginning Thirdspace The River of Souls A Call to Arms
Adaptations	I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream "The Human Operators" "One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty" "Shatterday" A Boy and His Dog (1975 film) "Djinn, No Chaser"
Anthologies edited	Dangerous Visions Again, Dangerous Visions Medea: Harlan's World The Last Dangerous Visions
Non-fiction	Memos from Purgatory The Glass Teat & The Other Glass Teat Harlan Ellison's Watching The Harlan Ellison Hornbook