The ending of the book seems optimistic and hopeful, in my opinion. I believe Isserley has begun to feel for the "vodsels" she captures. The last hitcher, for instance, shares with Isserley a similarly dysfunctional life. We aren't given the details, but there seems to be some hint of how he is a startling parallel of Isserley:
"Even as he was strapping himself in, the hitcher was thinking there was still time to change his mind. What on earth was the point of going through with this? Why not just get right out of the car, go right back where he'd come from, and keep his...his poison to himself?There was something so sick about doing this day after day, going out on the road and seeing if he could trap some poor sucker into giving him a lift. Then, as soon as he had a captive audience, of course he would let them have it, right in the guts, right between the eyes, always the same thing..." (276)
"Maybe he'd behave differently with this one, because she was a girl...But fat chance. He'd let her have it like all the others. Until something happened to make him stop." (277)
And yet as they continue the ride in the car, I believe there is a mutual recognition, soul-to-soul, of a fellow being in desperation, in isolation, in desolation:
"Isserley looked him straight in the eyes. They were shiny with unwept tears, and she could see a tiny Isserley reflected in each one." (284)
It is moving. And he had decided against harming her, requesting to alight earlier. Yet the isolation of the two stricken individuals is made forever complete, when, despite their mutual bond, Isserley still chooses the icpathua toggle. But, for the first time, we see that she is moved. For the first time she feels, not remorse, but something towards remorse, for the captured "vodsels". "I understand", she says. "I'm sorry", she whispers.
posted by sarah @ 12:44 AM
2 Comments:
What pests these spam bloggers are!
Going back to your posting on Faber:
The sympathy that we feel for Isserley does reach a high point as she herself begins to feel sympathy for the captured vodsels. Why do you think that earlier on Faber makes it a point to show us that Isserley does not know how to say the word "mercy"?
dr yeo
hmm yes, that's very interesting.
I think Faber might be trying to show how the whole notion of "mercy" is absent in the "human" vocabulary. The notion of empathy is commonly used as a basis of distinction between humans and other creatures. Part of this is gleaned from my science fiction module, in particular, Philip K. Dick's book entitled "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep". Perhaps Faber intends to show that the ability to show compassion, or "mercy", is what truly defines us as human.
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