What did you think of this story? I enjoyed reading it but am having some difficulty digesting its meaning. It seems composed of triangles: Tati, Leiniger, the narrator; Tati, Mendel, Nageli; the narrator, Richard, Sebastian.
Did you get the sense that the author was drawing parallels between the relationship of Nageli and Mendel and the narrator and her husband?
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I hadn't thought of it when I read the story, but now that you've mentioned it, I'm thinking about it.
On the most basic level, there is a striking parallel -- the superior scientist is held back by the inferior scientist. In each case, the superior scientist chooses to "serve" the inferior scientist and his work (Mendel by experimenting on hawkweeds; the narrator by staying home with the children and later giving the faculty dinners, students' coffee, and alumni picnics).
Yes, that was my take.
I didn't have any kind of sinister feel about the husband as I did about Nageli — but I did think he was an egoist who never considered the ways his wife might have felt thwarted or taken for granted in their marriage.
Speaking of triangles, I just noticed something interesting (it was obvious, but I failed to notice it at first):
Mendel and Nageli, Mendel and Tati; Tati and Leiniger, Tati and me. Pairs of men who hated each other and pairs of friends passing papers.
When thoughts of these men swirl around in her head, she doesn't think of Richard.
Yes, I assumed the parallels, especially after reading a couple more stories and noticing a similar pattern. I agree that the husband didn't seem sinister, just selfish and thoughtless.
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