As if my head scratching were not enough, I stumbled across this piece of Wikipedia information when researching this post: "A week before the novel appeared in book stores, Saul Bellow published an article in the New York Times entitled “The Search for Symbols, a Writer Warns, Misses All the Fun and Fact of the Story.” Here, Bellow warns readers against looking too deeply for symbols in literature. This has led to much discussion among critics as to why Bellow warned his readers against searching for symbolism just before the symbol-packed Rain King hit the shelves."
Saul Bellow |
It all seems pretty straightforward, except the story is unreliably narrated by Henderson who seems motivated by an internal mantra of "I want, I want, I want." Based on his actions it seems he only wants to be provocative, shocking, contrary, oafish, impractical, heroic and a doctor despite his disdain for reading and study. I see a bit of Buddhist philosophy in the narrative, but I see that everywhere these days. Our "hero" is constantly seeking something outside of himself that will make him happy. No matter his circumstances, he continues making bad decisions resulting in even more unhappiness. Since he is unable to recognize that his actions are the cause of his unhappiness, he traps himself in an endless circle of bad outcomes and unsatisfied desires (live, die, repeat).
It is likely we all know someone like this. I am guilty of making terrible decisions that I think will bring happiness only to realize later that I have not found happiness. The lesson must be that we learn to recognize when we are writing the same unhappy life story. Upon recognition, we must learn to use the wisdom gained in this life to make the right decision for not only ourselves, but for those whose lives will be affected.
While I am unsure of the significance of this novel and why it was given such a high ranking, it was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1960. It did not win the prize that year, but someone recognized a brilliance that eludes me.
Next up: #19 Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
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