Wednesday, September 05, 2007
“The Volunteer”
I think the focus on Ted in this story is strange. He doesn’t seem to me like a very interesting character -- and his sorrow at the end of the story is shallow, in my opinion. I think the story should focus more on Elizabeth, as all the strength in the story revolves around her. I especially think the last line shows this: “At last, she feels the warmth of her son’s tears in the palms of her hands.”
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4 comments:
I thought there was a dual focus and that there HAD to be. The story involves a symbiotic relationship of sorts, such as the one we saw in "War's End" between the mentally ill guy and the old nurse, only this relationship is much more profound.
I thought this story was fantastic, and for me it was the one story where he really broke through the partition of severe mental illness and laid bare the sufferer's humanity. I found it very powerful.
I thought the kid's sorrow was profound. It wasn't just about a sexual experience gone awry; it was about the end of dreams; it was about sorrow, growing up, human connection, empathy, selfishness, love, awareness. It was about a moment in time when someone realizes that life is infinitely more layered than he had ever imagined.
That's an EXCELLENT description, kc. And you're absolutely right about how he made the ill person completely human and relatable in this story. It was remarkable, really.
And the empathy for the teenagers is amazing. I loved his descriptions of their feelings after the sex.
"Her expression is blank, a little stunned. As though she has arrived somewhere only to discover it is no different than the place she has come from."
I guess I just don't find teenagers' disillusionment with sex to be a deep topic.
It's not just about sex, though, as kc said.
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