- Now that we have finished, this question has more definitive answers. How do the different parts of the book relate to one another? Do you see any common themes? How does Bolano bring it all together?
- Gael brought up the issue of homophobia. Homophobia is a recurring theme. What role does it play in the book? What about women? How are women portrayed?
- Do you think Hans/Archimboldi killed his wife Ingeborg? There are a lot of murders in the book even without the girls in Santa Theresa. How is murder portrayed?
- Both Hans and Ingeborg are accused of insanity. Do you think either of them are insane? What about Klaus Haus? Even if not a murderer, he seems something of a sociopath. Why did he turn out that way? Bolano seems to paint his parents as excessively normal.
- The Frechman who rents Hans/Archimboldi his first typewriter says (pg. 786) "There's nothing inside the man who sits there writing. Nothing of himself, I mean. How much better off the poor man would be if he devoted himself to reading. Reading is pleasure and happiness to be alive or sadness to be alive and above all it's knowledge and questions. Writing, meanwhile, is almost always empty." Is this true? Is this true of Hans/Archimboldi?
We'll be meeting to discuss this on September 9th at the Main Library in Conference Rm 3 at noon. Feel free to bring a lunch.
- Gael brought up the issue of homophobia. Homophobia is a recurring theme. What role does it play in the book? What about women? How are women portrayed?
- Do you think Hans/Archimboldi killed his wife Ingeborg? There are a lot of murders in the book even without the girls in Santa Theresa. How is murder portrayed?
- Both Hans and Ingeborg are accused of insanity. Do you think either of them are insane? What about Klaus Haus? Even if not a murderer, he seems something of a sociopath. Why did he turn out that way? Bolano seems to paint his parents as excessively normal.
- The Frechman who rents Hans/Archimboldi his first typewriter says (pg. 786) "There's nothing inside the man who sits there writing. Nothing of himself, I mean. How much better off the poor man would be if he devoted himself to reading. Reading is pleasure and happiness to be alive or sadness to be alive and above all it's knowledge and questions. Writing, meanwhile, is almost always empty." Is this true? Is this true of Hans/Archimboldi?
We'll be meeting to discuss this on September 9th at the Main Library in Conference Rm 3 at noon. Feel free to bring a lunch.
