Andrina A Short Story By GMB 18th Aug 2

Andrina a short story by George Mackay Brown

George Mackay Brown’s short story ‘Andrina’ has an element of mystery which plays an important part. The author is from Orkney and the story has a spiritual element as well as common themes such as the cycle of the seasons , betrayal hope and regeneration.

‘Andrina’ is set in Orkney, a perfect location for his tale because of its mystical atmosphere . The haunting, spiritual atmosphere created through the language George Mackay Brown uses adds to the overall effect of the story. In the short story an old seaman receives regular visits from a young lady, Andrina. Then one day she does not come. The same day the narrator falls ill. He soon recovers and goes in search of Andrina. He can find no one in the village who knows anything about her. This increases the mystery surrounding her character. It is NOT until the end of the story that he discovers that Andrina is the ghost of his granddaughter. This news comes in a letter which had remained unopened since his illness. The short story has a very unusual narrative structure with an embedded structure surrounded by an outer frame narrative. The embedded narrative takes us back in time and introduces us to the sea captain’s past. He tells the main body of the story in the past tense. But, the exposition, narrative hook and resolution are all delivered in the past tense.
This is significant as it represents the cyclical nature of Mackay Brown’s work.

From the beginning of the story we are made aware of the strong relationship between Andrina and the old seaman. Andrina’s role in the relationship is that of a selfless carer; she puts his needs above her own. She carries out many tasks for the elderly seaman; “She lights my lamp, sets the peat fire in a blaze, sees there is enough water in my bucket that stands on the wall niche”. The relationship between Andrina and the old seaman is characterised by the author’s use of symbolism of the elements to create the spiritual atmosphere , which is present throughout the story. The reference to the 4 elements , two of which represent Andrina’s ghostly presence. These two are air and fire. The other two more tangible elements represent the old seaman, earth and water. The author also uses the symbolism of light to show the way in which Andrina brightens his life. This use of symbolism heightens the reader’s enjoyment by appealing to the senses.

The 2nd paragraph contains the narrative hook which introduces the turning point in the relationship of the two main characters and enhances the central mystery surrounding Andrina. The change in the relationship occurs when Andrina fails to visit the old seaman; “Andrina did not come that afternoon” It is the first time she has not visited and significantly on this occasion he falls ill.
Mackay Brown uses metaphorical language to demonstrate the extent of the fever affecting the sea captain. “I accepted that afternoon, , when the window was blackness at last with a first salting of stars”. This is the author’s first example , use of this device to convey the dark, cold loneliness felt by the captain when she failed to visit.
During his illness and time alone he reflects over experiences which are painful to remember. One such painful experience haunts him that night.”experienced over and over again , some of the dull, sordid events of my life, one certain episode was repeated again and again like an ancient gramophone record being put on time after time and a rusty needle scuttling over worn wax”. This extended image is very effective in suggesting the extent of his remorse , therefore, adding to the mystery as the reader wants to know why he is so upset. After the captain has time to reflect he feels ‘ghosts’ of his past have been resurrected . Eventually sleep prevails but the ghosts remain.

Following on from his illness the old sea captain goes in search of his missing visitor in the village. The development of the story adds to the suspense which is slowly building up throughout the search. It is not until he begins to enquire about his visitor that he realises that he never asks questions of Andrina. At the time of her visits he felt content with her company and did not require anything else of her. “It was sufficient that she came every evening, soon after sunset, and performed her quiet ministrations, and then lingered a while”. Mackay Brown creates mystery to surround the character of Andrina by telling us she visits after sunset. As this is traditionally considered to be a time of uncertainty and change it adds to the mysterious atmosphere and suspense of this short story.

When thinking of the questions he failed to ask Andrina he realised he had not told her of the ‘episode’ in his life which he is deeply ashamed of.
The next part of the story is where Mackay Brown uses his most unusual literary technique, telling a story within an story!!
The language he uses in the embedded narrative creates the atmosphere of a fairy tale. The opening to the embedded narrative is very similar to the opening of a children’s fairytale.”In the island, fifty years ago a young man and a young woman came together”. The embedded narrative gives us an insight into his past telling us how ‘one single brief summer’ romance changed his life forever, when his young love, Sigrid, fell pregnant. The love between the young sea captain and Sigrid is portrayed through romantic language ‘ the lingered enchantment of twilight’. This is a prime example of his emotive language to draw the reader into the intensity of the relationship. The embedded narrative as well as giving us insight adds suspense as it interrupts the main story and sends the reader in another direction. It also enhances the mystery by placing more questions in the readers’ mind regarding the identity of Andrina.

When the old sea captain is alone he begins to worry that he has lost Andrina forever. ”What I dreaded to hear was that Andrina had fallen in love, her little rock pools of charity and kindness drowned in that incoming flood”. This could be interpreted in two ways , the first being the loss he would feel if Andrina had found someone else to care for. The second being that she might be hurt the way he had been in the past. It appears as if the old sea captain is reacting in a fatherly manner as he does want her caring nature to be abused. The language Mackay Brown uses demonstrates the overwhelming feeling of loss the old man fearing; The words ‘drowned’ and ‘flood’ show the strength behind the feeling.
The story reaches a climax when the old man finds an envelope “lying on the table unopened , a letter had been delivered three mornings ago”. The letter had come from Sigrid telling the old sea captain about the death of his granddaughter, Andrina. The postmark on the envelop indicated that it had been sent on October, months before Andrina had visited him. In the contents of the letter Sigrid says; “she would have been a lamp in your winter, too”. Ironically this is exactly what Andrina was for the old man, as her regular visits brightened up his otherwise dull life.
Following on from this revelation one of Mackay Brown ‘s most favoured themes , regeneration provides a fitting resolution to the short story. The news which came in the letter allows the old sea captain to let go of his past and appreciate the physical elements of his life , ‘where she was dust, a new time was brightening earth and sea;. This line demonstrates how the old sea captain is letting go of his troubles which haunt him and the relationship with ANDRINA. This is very effective in giving resolution both to the old seaman and the reader. The short story has an ambiguous ending as we do not know is Andrina;s presence was real or merely a figment of the lonely sea captain’s imagination/ Nevertheless she certainly brightened up his winter.

The development of the mystery surrounding Andrina in the narrative creates suspense and makes Mackay Brown’s short story extremely satisfying. He successfully maintains a ghostly and mysterious atmosphere in this unnerving short story.