A lover’s perspective accentuates a heightened apprehension of the trials and jubilations of the protagonist, Berg, as he overcomes an opioid addiction under Alejandro’s mentorship as a boat builder in Daniel Gumbiner’s The Boatbuilder. Examining Nell’s personal ambitions, interactions with Berg, and her actions to encourage Berg in his journey to sobriety highlights Gumbiner’s dedicated use of the character to illuminate the power of a support system and discipline in goal realization. Nell is a round but minor character in The Boatbuilder who embodies the discipline, passion, and support required to overcome life’s hurdles, such as drug addiction.
Nell is presented as a dedicated musician keen on achieving success, evident from the massive number of tours and the choice to reside in San Francisco. Her purpose-driven choice not only foils Berg’s but also demonstrates that hard work and determination are vital for success. An excellent illustration is when Nell was on tour as her boyfriend Berg spent pleasurable moments indulging in drugs following a relapse. As Gumbiner writes, “She was still on tour, had been on tour for the last two months” (10). Embarking on such trips implied extended stays away from her boyfriend and family, a mark of commitment toward her career ambitions as a musician. The trait sharply contrasts Berg’s as he opted for fun awaiting her return. The contrast depicts Gumbiner’s clever use of a minor character to illustrate sacrifice and dedication. Furthermore, Nell worked double shifts to balance her daily needs and pursue a music career. Gumbiner notes, “She worked in film as a freelance wardrobe assistant, but she wanted to make a living as a musician” (22). Her ambition resulted in completing a long tour from San Francisco to Atlanta. Nell’s character in the novel oozes discipline and commitment, aligning with the novel ambition to detail the traits required to arrive at success.
Apart from discipline, Gumbiner accentuates the role of passion in achievement, which he uses Nell’s persona to exemplify. Apart from her music career, she is depicted as a character passionate about life. For example, Gumbiner writes, “She had wanted to come up earlier in the day to see the boat depart” (34). Besides her busy schedule, which involves traveling and working on shoots, Nelly is enthusiastic about nature and is frustrated that fixing the lights during the shoot denied her the opportunity to watch the boat leave. Her passion for a work-life balance and adventure is also evident from her conversation with Alejandro. In one incident, she argues that Tess, Alejandro’s oldest child, reminds her of her childhood. Nell argues that as a child, she was “Just this floating orb of energy, drifting from one imaginary narrative to the next” (Gumbiner 69). The phase characterizes her free spirit and passion for exploration. She further notes that she enjoyed the liberation and freedom to become anything. Gumbiner captures Nell reminiscing to reveal her character’s enthusiasm towards life, which began at a young age. Apart from a busy individual who wanders across the cities, Gumbiner presents Nell as a passionate individual who embraces all elements of life.
The life challenges require social support and encouragement, a character that Nell played flawlessly in Berg’s recovery. She is a positive influence on Berg’s life, constantly motivating him to recover from opioid addiction. Gumbiner details how Berg starts cleaning up and avoiding drugs before Nell arrives but continues with the vice following her departure (27). The assertion underlines Nell’s intolerance of drug and substance abuse alongside support for the boyfriend to overcome the vice. Nell supports Berg through multiple letters of encouragement, which motivate him to consider a clean life away from drug abuse. Furthermore, she frequently reminds him of the imperative to embark on a more sociable lifestyle through meeting more people. She uses telephone calls on tour to connect with Berg and encourage him. When Berg was experiencing blind headaches, “Nell came up to stay with Berg, and he spent the new few days in bed taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen, with little success” (Gumbiner 96). Nell also sits on his lap as Berg contemplates decisions to overcome the addiction challenge. Gumbiner portrays Nell as a motivator for achievement, constantly keeping the protagonist in check despite pursuing a busy career that often involves lengthy travels. Thus, Nell is the rock for physical and emotional support upon which paths to success and sobriety can be developed.
Adopting Nell’s discipline, passion, and support traits is critical in overcoming the personal and social hardships in the Twenty-First Century, similar to how Gumbiner used the minor character to underline the usefulness of the values in developing a framework for overpowering drug addiction. Nell’s discipline and commitment to her music career should be the impetus for achievement and growth. Likewise, her passion for life should motivate enthusiasm towards difficult situations and life challenges. Finally, anchoring others through dedicated support is necessary to develop a robust system for cultivating resilience. Multiple issues plague the community and adopting Nell’s approach can enhance the odds of thriving.
Work Cited
Gumbiner, Daniel. The Boatbuilder. McSweeney’s, 2018.
