Nihilistic Eye's blog

Epiphany can be defined as the sudden realization of the essence or meaning of something, as well as the understanding of the truth of certain situations or one’s life as a whole. In Death in Venice, Gustav von Auschenbach’s recognition of his love for and obsession with Tadzio is a kind of epiphany that, while not exactly beneficial or positive marks a point in which the character experience complete clarity and begins to express honesty about his previously rejected desires.

Gustav von Auschenbach, having led a life of dedication to his craft, prides himself on disciplined perfectionism and dignity. His life up to the point at which the novel takes place has been largely uneventful. Many ominous occurrences help to illustrate Gustav’s state of mind at the story’s opening. His exchange with a strange gondola rower who turns out to be a criminal, as well as his sighting of a disturbing old man dressed to look youthful are both v

aguely perilous encounters which serve to establish Gustav’s uneasiness. Upon discovering Tadzio, Gustav slowly allows his principles and dignity to erode as his obsession expands. Tadzio seems to tap into the lifelong desires that Gustav has repressed in the interest of being fully committed to his work. The end result of this obsession, however, is the writer’s death.

While not necessarily in the dark before this epiphany, von Auschenbach was certainly very repressed. After feeling a vague need for a vacation, he travels to Venice completely unaware of what waits for him. The obsession is something that, given his principles, is extremely hard to verbalize. However, when he finally declares, “I love you,” it is clear that he has accepted the truth about his feelings and desires. Though neither overtly religious or spiritual, von Auschenbach’s epiphany marks a change in his profound change in his state of mind and worldview and could therefore be seen as spiritual. This epiphany was solely brought on by the travel experience, before which von Auschenbach had lived a stable and principled life. His deeply ingrained longings were awakened through his trip to Venice and his sighting of Tadzio. While von Auschenbach’s Venetian experience led him to a greater freedom and honesty, which is not to be ignored, his travels ultimately resulted in his mental torture and death.

Epiphany is not always positive, as indicated by Death in Venice. Discovery, especially self-discovery, can be quite painful and sometimes thoroughly detrimental. Gustav von Auschenbach, having lived a monotonous and increasingly stagnant life was unable to process the hard truths of his dangerous desires, considering them foreign, unpleasant, and sinful; his inability to ever speak or reach out to Tadzio being proof of this. While it was certainly a moment of complete honesty, von Auschenbach’s revelation and declaration of his love led him to further introversion. The downward spiral that began with the first time he laid eyes on the young boy grew from a preoccupation to a complete obsession leaving him unable to focus on anything else and changing his worldview and philosophy to suit his festering desires. This epiphany of his uncontrollable lust led to his bizarre death but allowed him to gain a deeper knowledge of himself.

In Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami, each of the story’s main characters must endure the pressure to give up their ambitions in order to assimilate into society. Narrated by a character who has forced himself, through will power, to conform and fit into the rigid structure of civilization, the novel follows Sumire, a free spirited aspiring writer.

Focusing heavily on subjective perceptions, the author asserts the notion that most people do not truly know themselves and wander through life without any real clarity or understanding. It seems to be true that people have an obvious desire to belong. Other than this omnipresent desire, however, most people do not understanding themselves, their feelings, and the motivations for their actions.

Sumire’s spontaneity and emotional openness make her somewhat of an outcast in society, leading to the narrator’s attraction to her. His own introversion and closed personality contrast sharply with hers. However, as Sumire’s lesbian relationship with Miu progresses, she undergoes a forced personality change similar to that of the narrator. Unlike the narrator, Sumire’s strong sense of individualism makes this change impossible.

Their long discussions on the nature of perceptions and life in general show the vast differences in their ideals. The narrator’s devotion to integrating himself has clearly led to his inability to express himself, whereas Sumire’s constant desire to express herself leads to her inability to fit into wider society. Both characters are, by the end of the novel, casualties of the societal pressure to conform.  

Xiaolu Guo's A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers dwells heavily on the theme of alienation. Z is, by her own admission, an outsider, having spent her entire life in small town China with shoe-making family. Her time in London is characterized by both her intricate and somewhat passive observations of the differences between Chinese and English culture and her complex and unique relationship with her much older boyfriend.

While somewhat of an outsider himself, Z’s boyfriend demonstrates a distinctly Western laziness which emanates from many of his many aspects of his lifestyle. This is probably best illustrated by his identification as an artist, an easy label under which one is free to behave as they which. His tumultuous past is also hinted at through his vegetarianism, as well as the short, uncomfortable reunion with his family. His disgust with the preparation of meat at this gathering is evidence of this. It seems as though his beliefs are structured against those of his family, and that, rather than being rebellious and anarchic by nature, he is simply trying to distance himself from his own upbringing.

In this way, he and Z are both outcasts. Z’s trouble with the language barrier and culture shock and her boyfriend’s disillusionment and outsider attitude creates a somewhat mutual sense of alienation that is one of the very few things they have in common. The strength of this alienation, however, is powerful enough to create a bond that outweighs their countless differences.

The Journey of Ibn Fattouma by Naguib Mahfouz tells the story of a man whose travels lead to a multitude of changes in his life and perspectives. After struggling with the intense corruption in his native city, Ibn Fattouma is told by Sufi, his instructor, about the land of Gebel. Though Gebel is a city shrouded in mystery, from which no one has been known to return alive, Sufi encourages the journey.

What follows is Ibn Fattouma’s settlement in Mashriq, an environment free of sexual constraints, and his marriage to Arousa and the beginning of his family. Though Mashriq is a sexually liberal society, it does not demonstrate the same toleration of religion and Fattouma is exiled and forbidden to see his family after trying to teach his son Islam. It is clear that his journey his thus far broadened his horizons. However, it could be argued that a character like Ibn Fattouma would have been happier and far better off having lived a small, isolated life in his native city.

After being jailed for twenty years in by the king of Haira, a stronger nation which overtakes Mashriq, Ibn Fattouma finds his wife in Halba, a religiously free state, but seeing that she has remarried, finds another woman and continues his travels. After stopping in two more locations, he chooses to continue his search for the land of Gebel and his discovery of their secret of perfection. The fact that the story ends before the reader learns whether or not he reaches his goal indicates that it is no longer important. Ibn Fattouma’s life has been drastically altered by his travels and his brutal desire to reach Gebel. Still, he demonstrates certain characteristics of an experimental tourist, having, by the end of the story, given up his attachments in favor of his continues desire to travel.

Erik Cohen’s “A Phenomenology of Tourist Experiences” provides the reader with a number of examples of the variation among tourist personalities and motivations. Upon reading this article, I realized that many of the characters of the novels we have read in this class fit quite well into one or more of these categories. The recreational model of tourist, one who travels for pleasure, or for a small escape or vacation, applies very well to Daisy Miller, a character whose nonchalance and haughtiness guide her through life. The diversionary mode of tourist, however, is far more common in the readings we have done. The characters of Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises travel out of a need for meaning and more fundamentally, their sense of alienation brought on by their current environment. Mary and Colin from The Comfort of Strangers also share certain traits with tourists of this kind. Their repression and unspoken dissatisfaction with their own relationship has led to an alienation of sorts from each other. The experiential tourist, one who travels looking for meaning, can be seen in Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice. Having led a focused, dedicated, yet highly repressed life, Gustav von Auschenbach travels to Venice looking for meaning, under the guise of needing a small vacation to benefit his art. While this character frequently lies to himself about his true motivations, it becomes clear throughout the story why he chose to go to Venice. The experimental mode of tourism, those who “engage in a quest for an alternative in many directions,” is probably best illustrated by Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. Dean lives fast, travelling constantly without any real center. His lack of commitment and instability make him the perfect example of an experimental tourist.

            Ian McEwan’s The Comfort of Strangers makes a variety of statements about not only travel, but the nature of relationships between men and women, as well as presenting a theory on the presence of sado-masochistic desires in almost every person. Colin and Mary, a couple with a series of relationship problems, sleep in separate beds and have grown cold towards each other. While their meeting with Robert and Caroline at first rekindles romance and ends their enigmatic lack of intimacy, these characters soon prove deadly for the travelling couple.

            Robert, a strange and aggressive though somewhat charming local, lures the couple into what slowly becomes an odd and unsettling relationship. His tales of his stern, violent father and the refuge he sought from his kind and caring mother provide a backdrop for his sadistic tendencies. His wife Caroline, though seemingly fragile and submissive, appears to be somewhat more aware and in control than the other characters, including even her husband. This is clearly evidence of Caroline’s masochism and the pleasure she derives from her situation.

            When related to the topic of travel, The Comfort of Strangers appears to be an indictment of tourism. This is communicated through the fact that McEwan does not once mention the name of the city (Venice) in which the story takes place, asserting that the events of the novel could have befallen foreigners in any city. The obscure death of Colin, when looked at objectively, is the result of his and Mary’s desire to travel and to change things in their stagnant relationship. This same desire is part of what attracts them to Robert and Caroline. While Robert and Caroline are clearly the story’s aggressors, the passivity of Colin and Mary, as well as their flawed relationship, play a significant part in their tragic fate.

Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice is a work that condemns not only travel but isolation as well. Gustav von Auschenbach, having led a life of dedication to his craft, prides himself on disciplined perfectionism and dignity. His life up to the point at which the novel takes place has been largely uneventful.

Many ominous occurrences help to illustrate Gustav’s state of mind at the story’s opening. His exchange with a strange gondola rower who turns out to be a criminal, as well as his sighting of a disturbing old man dressed to look youthful are both vaguely perilous encounters which serve to establish Gustav’s uneasiness.

Upon discovering Tadzio, Gustav slowly allows his principles and dignity to erode as his obsession expands. Tadzio seems to tap into the lifelong desires that Gustav has repressed in the interest of being fully committed to his work. The end result of this obsession, however, is the writer’s death. Death in Venice therefore makes the case that travel is detrimental to individuals that have lived stable and principled lives, for it can very easily awaken deeply ingrained longings. While von Auschenbach Venetian experience led him to a greater freedom and honesty, which is not to be ignored, his travels ultimately resulted in his mental torture and death.

Kerouac’s novel, On The Road, portrays its central character, Dean Moriarty, as a gritty, highly interesting, and almost heroic figure. However, the reality behind this character and the lifestyle and school of thought which he represents is far more complicated. Neal Cassady, the real-life basis for Dean Moriarty, expressed his dissatisfaction with his tumultuous life and he grew older, indicating that the energy and passion of travel can result in an inner emptiness characterized by complete lack of stability and meaningful human relationships

After a turbulent childhood during which he served a fair amount jail time, Neal Cassady married young and moved to New York City where he met Jack Kerouac. His constant travels took their toll on his wife and children. His experimentation with psychedelic drugs, while somewhat groundbreaking, led to more frenetic cross-country excursions, as well as further straining his relationships with those closest to him. “Towards the end of his life he would reflect, Twenty years of fast living – there's just not much left, and my kids are all screwed up. Don't do what I have done."

Cassady was clearly displeased with himself in his later years. His life, characterized by constant spontaneity and drastic change, had not brought him anything resembling solace or peace of mind. While he projected an exciting image and captivating personality that enthralled the great literary minds his Beatnik friends, Cassady eventually regretted his lifestyle.

Paul Bowles’ The Sheltering Sky illustrates the threat posed to ignorant travelers, particularly American, by regions they do not understand. Desecrated by the unforgiving Sahara Desert, Port and Kit Moresby struggle to survive the consequences of their ignorance.

While similar to many other literary works, such as Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, in its depiction of a person engulfed in a world that is both foreign and dangerous to them, the fundamental lesson behind The Sheltering Sky continues to be learned in actual cases of tourism gone wrong in the present day.

The case of Tom and Eileen Lonergan in 1998, for example, exemplifies these hazards. The Lonergans, an American couple from Baton Rouge, who went scuba diving off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and were never seen or heard from again. While the irresponsibility of others may have played a role in the disappearance as well, the main reason for their tragic deaths was their failure to assess the dangers of their environment.

Another parallel between Port and Kit Moresby and the real-life case of Tom and Eileen Lonergan is the original intention behind their desires to travel. In both cases the couples felt that a journey to an enigmatic and dubious location would salvage their failing marriages. The idea of travel for the purpose of fixing problems that would otherwise remain unchanged or possibly become worse is a theme present in almost every novel whose central characters are travelers. When a person disillusioned with their present environment and feels their life growing slowly stagnant as they age, the strong desire for escape is a natural reaction. However, as illustrated in The Sheltering Sky, certain destinations are better left unexplored.

Having seen Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now long before ever reading or even discovering Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, I approached the novel with a cinematic eye. From the opening scene it is clear that Conrad’s use of highly visual scenes plays a crucial role in the development of the story. As night falls on the Thames river, the atmosphere becomes “less brilliant but more profound.” This description could, in a sense, apply to Kurtz himself; a man whose exposure to savagery has transformed him from a multi-talented and highly civilized being into a primitive, insane, yet thoughtful and profound character. Marlon Brando captures this transformation in his performance, and while many of the stories original plot points became casualties of the filmmaking process, Conrad’s main themes are still evident in Apocalypse Now.

By using the Vietnam War as a backdrop, Coppola was able to provide Heart of Darkness with a relevant framework for the time. In his adaptation, however, Coppola questions the sanity of both Kurtz and Marlow (called Willard in the film). The latter character is portrayed as a deep, complex, and highly volatile soldier on the verge of a mental breakdown of his own. It is partially because of this that his eventual meeting with Kurtz inspires a mutual respect, rather than disgust or straightforward fear.

I believe that Apocalypse Now is far closer, in tone and characterization, to Conrad’s story than even the actual film adaptation of the novel. Kurtz’s final lines, “The horror! The horror!” which indicate the character’s concluding judgment on his own life, remain intact in the film. The parallels between the slaughter and abuse of African natives during the ivory trade and the atrocities committed during the Vietnam War are therefore clear.