Protagonist of Hunger comments about waiting in an airport.
The morning had come with a brush of fresh air. The city became alive as I walked down the street, sunbeams heating my cheeks, warming my face and my body entirely. I paced into the airport, carrying in my pocket my only pencil and some paper. I sat there by myself observing those who passed me by. Oh how gaily and lightly they walked along these dull and cold corridors carrying behind their belongings. Not a single burden or pain in their eyes, no clouded thoughts, no dark hidden secrets. I saw them walk by, thousands of them, strolling around, taking their seats. How much happier could they be? I wandered through my mind and the terrible injustice and absurdity of my life, my thoughts suddenly drifting to the annoying ticking of the black clock above me. Each second now became an eternity of painful misery, and the incessant chattering of people serving as a loud concert of ceaseless maddening music. They suddenly sat there, occupying the seats in front of me. They laughed loudly, their voices combined in a single infuriating high-pitched laughter. The noise irritated each one of my wretched nerves blocking my head from following even the simplest train of thought.
I think you really captured the way the protagonist thinks about things. The way his mind is distracted but at the same time its on target. I think its captured well in the sentence "The city became alive as I walked down the street, sunbeams heating my cheeks, warming my face and my body entirely." it shows how he went from talking about the city to talking about how warm it was.
ReplyDeleteYour blog was a good representation of Knut Hamsun's writing. It was interesting how you illustrated the fact that the protagonist gets quite easily distracted. When you say, " They suddenly sat there, occupying the seats in front of me. They laughed loudly, their voices combined in a single infuriating high-pitched laughter. The noise irritated each one of my wretched nerves blocking my head from following even the simplest train of thought," It really portrays that the slightest of things can distract the protagonist. He can choose not to look at the people sitting next to him and just continue on with his writing, but for some reason he needs to look at them as distractions. Moreover, I'm not sure if you wanted to show this but it's ironic that he goes to an airport to write and then complains that people are making loud noises. In my opinion if you want to get distracted then the airport is the ideal location; there are always screaming children, people talking, and a tremendous amount of noise there.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the book I felt as though the protagonist was searching for something that he could blame as a distraction.I think you did a good job in representing both the style in which the author writes as well as the protagonist.
Hey Javiera,
ReplyDeleteThe first thing which struck me about your portrayal of the protagonist is that he is extremely observant and somewhat reclusive, as he takes a seat alone in the airport commenting on the people who pass by him and their activities. Also, i like how you started off your pastiche, "The mourning had come with a brush of fresh air," which mimics the authors style. The entire novel Hunger resembles a dairy like entry, so your first line fits perfectly as it indicates a new and another day has begun. Further, I feel that alongside the protagonist being very observant of his surroundings, this is a huge distraction for him, as you have mentioned at the end of your piece, "The noise irritated each one of my wretched nerves blocking my head from following even the simplest train of thought."
Further, i find it interesting that you discussed the concept of happiness and laughter of the people around him.
Bye,
Sabrina