End of Ch. 4: “I am the false character that follows the name
around” (17).
At the end of chapter 6, we have this scene of Jack lecturing
about Hitler:“When the showing ended, someone asked about the plot to kill Hitler. The discussion moved to plots in general. I found myself saying to the assembled heads, ‘All plots tend to move deathward. This is the nature of plots. Political plots, terrorist plots, lovers’ plots, narrative plots, plots that are part of children’s games. We edge nearer death every time we plot. It is like a contract that all must sign, the plotters as well as those who are the targets of the plot.’
“Is this true? Why did I say it? What does it mean?” (26).
Edwin "Buddy" Trauth
ReplyDeleteThe manner in which Jack seems to “vomit” the idea that all plots lead to death is an unconscious reflection of his life. Jack has an obvious fear of death that often interferes with his sleep. His fear coupled with Babette’s similar fear of death even leads the couple to regularly discuss which of them is going to die first. It seems odd to the reader that Jack would provide an explanation describing the inevitability of death given Jack’s obvious fear of death. The reason Jack is so quick to offer such an unexpected thought is because this same idea has been the basis of Jack’s subconscious attempts to avoid death. Jack has been married many times. His current wife, Babette, is different from the other wives because she is much more open and straightforward when compared to his previous wives. He later recounts that Dana, one of his former wives, used to speak to him in one language and then speak on the phone in a different language. It seems “fishy” she would speak on the phone in a language Jack didn’t understand and could suggest that she had something to hide. From the explanation Jack gave about Hitler it is clear that he associates “plot” with death. This “plot” that Jack refers to could be consistent with the guarded personality of Dana specifically and could be extended to all of his previous relationships. Therefore, to further distance himself from death, something he obviously fears, he has married a woman that does not have that “plot” element that the other women possessed. From this it is easy to understand why Jack is so adamant in his praise of Badette’s up front nature.
Jack’s closing lecture to his class at the end of chapter 6 resonates throughout the novel. While at initially referring to Hitler’s murder plot, this quote eventually ends up as Jack’s mindset on life. Throughout the novel, Jack’s biggest fear is death and the uncertainty death brings. In fact, many characters in the novel are related to ideas about death. Jack’s current wife, Babette, fears death as much as Jack does, going so far as to take medication to help her anxiety. Contrarily, Jack’s son Heinrich seems to “attract danger” and Jack often fears for him.
ReplyDeleteWhile impacting the characters, the idea of a plot ending with an imminent death also shapes the storyline of the novel. Jack’s fear of death is interpreted literally in his unwillingness to accept a certain path, believing if he has a “plot” he will die. This is why the novel does not follow the normal sequence of events as most all other novels do and instead dwells on detailing unimportant events in Jack’s life, like grocery stores and the German language. It is only at the end of the novel that the reader recognizes that a plot comes to fruition. Even then, with a plot established, Jack’s worst fears are recognized. The plotline he had so actively tried to avoid is headed in the direction of death.
In response to the quote “I am the false character that follows the name around,” Jack is making an epistemological of his limitations on the knowledge of Hitler. It is clear that, although he knows a lot about the subject, that he does not know enough to satisfy himself. This is evident by his half-hearted strive to learn German. This is also emphasized by his willingness to take on the initials J.A.K. He is not confident that his work is substantial or will be taken seriously. By transforming his name and learning German, Jack believes that the knowledge he already possesses on Hitler will become more substantial, or believable. This emphasizes that Jack is really not confident in his knowledge on the subject he is supposed to be an expert on. In other words, he does not feel that his knowledge is enough. He feels that what he know needs to be supplemented by something else to make it credible.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am confined to the information in the first sixty pages of the book, the passage mentioned seems to foreshadow a thought that the novel will later address. This passage is coupled with Jack’s re-occurring question of “who will die first?” (Jack or Babette). It is mentioned, if not highlighted, that both Jack and Babette have had previous spouses, and it leaves the reader to wonder if this marriage is just another scene in their lives, or a permanent fixture. The notion that all plots lead to death can parallel Jack’s relationship with Babette. This relationship might actually be the “till death do us part” relationship that has previously failed both of them, and if the relationship is not genuine for both, the plot of one of the spouses will lead to the death of another, whether that death is literal, figurative, emotional etc.
James Raff