I thought the woman made the tale more interesting. It gave the narrator a more human, vulnerable feel. Plus, his she-doesn't-even-know-I'm-alive infatuation took on greater fascination when it became clear that in fact she didn't know he was alive. Or vice versa.
Is Faustine supposed to be some female equivalent of Faust? Or maybe it's just meant to evoke the weird, sinister spookiness of that devil-dealing name.
Oh, great idea about Faust! There is sort of a parallel about selling your soul in exchange for otherworldly knowledge, although in this case Faustine didn't have a choice in the matter; Morel made the deal for her.
The story wouldn't have worked without the woman. The narrator needed a reason to try to engage the tourists. Otherwise, he might have kept on hiding from them or tried to leave the island somehow. The infatuation also made the story more engaging and personal and the narrator more likable, as kc said.
That's a great idea about Faust, kc. Not a connection I had thought of. Yes, I'm surprised how much the sentiment struck me, as kc already noted, that it took the "doesn't know I'm alive" note and one-upped it with "and she isn't either."
"To be on an island inhabited by artificial ghosts was the most unbearable of nightmares; to be in love with one of those images was worse than being in love with a ghost (perhaps we always want the person we love to have the existence of a ghost.)"
I found it strange that he developed such an obsession so easily. I chalked it up to his crazed loneliness and fears.
ReplyDeleteI thought the woman made the tale more interesting. It gave the narrator a more human, vulnerable feel. Plus, his she-doesn't-even-know-I'm-alive infatuation took on greater fascination when it became clear that in fact she didn't know he was alive. Or vice versa.
ReplyDeleteIs Faustine supposed to be some female equivalent of Faust? Or maybe it's just meant to evoke the weird, sinister spookiness of that devil-dealing name.
ReplyDeleteOh, great idea about Faust! There is sort of a parallel about selling your soul in exchange for otherworldly knowledge, although in this case Faustine didn't have a choice in the matter; Morel made the deal for her.
ReplyDeleteThe story wouldn't have worked without the woman. The narrator needed a reason to try to engage the tourists. Otherwise, he might have kept on hiding from them or tried to leave the island somehow. The infatuation also made the story more engaging and personal and the narrator more likable, as kc said.
That's a great idea about Faust, kc. Not a connection I had thought of.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm surprised how much the sentiment struck me, as kc already noted, that it took the "doesn't know I'm alive" note and one-upped it with "and she isn't either."
Oh, and I loved this:
ReplyDelete"To be on an island inhabited by artificial ghosts was the most unbearable of nightmares; to be in love with one of those images was worse than being in love with a ghost (perhaps we always want the person we love to have the existence of a ghost.)"