I Talk Like a River

“I Talk Like a River” by Canadian writer Jordan Scott is based on personal experience. In it, Scott describes his childhood struggle with his stutter. It is a story of shame, fear, and the long journey of self-acceptance. “All they see,” he says through his protagonist, referring to his classmates, “is how weird my face looks, and that I can’t hide how scared I am.”

Illustrator Sydney Smith found a brilliant visual solution to show how stuttering creates an invisible barrier between people. Watercolor in his works is heavily diluted, blurring outlines and fogging silhouettes, as if draping the unfriendly world in an invisible veil.

Water becomes a way for the boy to overcome his difficulties and fears. His father takes him to the river and draws his attention to the fact that the strong, uneven current, eddies, and turbulence are all part of the natural flow of water.

With this new metaphor in mind, the boy goes to school the next day and gathers the courage to tell his classmates about his favorite place: “I’m talking about the river. And I talk like the river.”