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Théo d'Or 's Reviews > Death with Interruptions
Death with Interruptions
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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live forever ?
But if eternal life would not coincide with the cessation of bodily degradation that old age entails, the dissapearance of death could suddenly no longer be such an attractive idea.
"The next day, no one died ".
This is how Saramago begins his novel. Obviously, the first reaction is joy, with people feeling like they have just escaped the biggest fear of their lives, and that from that moment on, their whole existence will change radically.
But people continue though, to have all the suffering that disease and old age bring. At this point, people come to realize that the fear felt throughout their life, towards death - it is less intense than that generated by the absence of death. Saramago launches, in this context, in the analysis of human feelings towards the fatality of death. These are put face to face, with peoples position on divinity, the idea being that death has a much more active and powerful presence in people's lives than God. (the spelling folows the one proposed by the narrator).
This quasi-bogumilic thesis aims to reconsider the most intense desires. Ultimately, aversion to death - is just a fear of the unknown.
The moment Death becomes a character, and interacts with people directly - the way we relate to it - changes.
Death becomes an active and visible character when he decides to warn those who are going to die, that they have only one week to live.
The only problem occurs when one of the letters of this type, sent by Death - does not reach the adresant. Here, Death decides to mingle with people, to see why his letter did not arrive.
Thus, we find an interesting character, a violinist - who feels that he has missed his whole life.
Death seems unable to penetrate the intimacy of man who should have another chance at gratitude, to salvation from regret for eternity.
This story being the most beautiful of the novel, I let you discover its finality by yourself.
The initial interpretation can be reconsidered when , at the last sentence, I discover that this is the same sentence with which Saramago begins his story.
So, are we dealing with a cyclical novel ? I think not, which means that the key to unraveling the mystery of the death- defying violinist lies precisely in this suggestion of cyclicity.
In addition to the creativity and novelty of the theme, the novel is worth reading, because it is one of the most beautiful demonstration of how suspence is constructed in a narrative, without becoming commercial, in the bad sense of the word.
But if eternal life would not coincide with the cessation of bodily degradation that old age entails, the dissapearance of death could suddenly no longer be such an attractive idea.
"The next day, no one died ".
This is how Saramago begins his novel. Obviously, the first reaction is joy, with people feeling like they have just escaped the biggest fear of their lives, and that from that moment on, their whole existence will change radically.
But people continue though, to have all the suffering that disease and old age bring. At this point, people come to realize that the fear felt throughout their life, towards death - it is less intense than that generated by the absence of death. Saramago launches, in this context, in the analysis of human feelings towards the fatality of death. These are put face to face, with peoples position on divinity, the idea being that death has a much more active and powerful presence in people's lives than God. (the spelling folows the one proposed by the narrator).
This quasi-bogumilic thesis aims to reconsider the most intense desires. Ultimately, aversion to death - is just a fear of the unknown.
The moment Death becomes a character, and interacts with people directly - the way we relate to it - changes.
Death becomes an active and visible character when he decides to warn those who are going to die, that they have only one week to live.
The only problem occurs when one of the letters of this type, sent by Death - does not reach the adresant. Here, Death decides to mingle with people, to see why his letter did not arrive.
Thus, we find an interesting character, a violinist - who feels that he has missed his whole life.
Death seems unable to penetrate the intimacy of man who should have another chance at gratitude, to salvation from regret for eternity.
This story being the most beautiful of the novel, I let you discover its finality by yourself.
The initial interpretation can be reconsidered when , at the last sentence, I discover that this is the same sentence with which Saramago begins his story.
So, are we dealing with a cyclical novel ? I think not, which means that the key to unraveling the mystery of the death- defying violinist lies precisely in this suggestion of cyclicity.
In addition to the creativity and novelty of the theme, the novel is worth reading, because it is one of the most beautiful demonstration of how suspence is constructed in a narrative, without becoming commercial, in the bad sense of the word.
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Reading Progress
June 21, 2020
–
Started Reading
June 21, 2020
– Shelved
June 21, 2020
–
10.0%
"It seems that this book ask me to imagine a cessation of " the most normal and ordinary thing in life " : dying.
I might like it, though :))"
I might like it, though :))"
June 21, 2020
–
10.0%
"" Death sits in her chilly apartment, where she lives alone, with scythe and filing cabinets, and contemplates her experiment : What if no one died again ? What if she, death with a small d - became human and were to fall in love ? ""
June 22, 2020
–
Finished Reading
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Steven
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rated it 5 stars
Jun 22, 2020 02:37AM
Good point you make at the end of how the suspence in the narrative is done without becoming commercial. What do you think of his style of writing? seeing as he only uses commas. First time I read him it took some getting use to.
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I think I was more stolen by the novelty of the subject, in terms of style I could say that's it somewhat close to what I read at Calvino, in his book with the Knight.I mean, I feel the same appetite for intense approaches, in the sphere of human existence. And the style seems to me extremely readable, accesible to any type of reader.
This Saramago is another maniac. He turns everything over on its ear. Makes you think sideways. I can't figure out what to do with him.I hear that vampires can occasionally make others immortal. I feel like it's only fair to do so when the victim is not any older than 37, for the very reasons you have mentioned in your review. If you're going to have immortality, you might as well experience it before your body has betrayed you.
Hmm , I just got out of the coffin, and I'm terribly thirsty....It looks like you will experience eternity :))
Great review, Théodore...This one sounds even more intriguing than his Blindness, of which I've sadly read only a part. :(
Ha! Don't you dare. I don't want eternity on earth, and I'm not 37 any more!
Thank you, T , I'm glad it piqued your interest !
Great to see you enjoyed this one, Théodore. Wasn't it so interesting to see how the thing people feared got turned around and suddenly the great fear became,: what if all those elderly people never die? The expense of maintaining them all, pensions, etc. So funny! Incidentally my copy has a very humourous cover image:
The image shows Death at the door of a room, and there's a light swith beside the door which I thought was such a good detail, a light switch in French being an 'interrupteur'. So I imagined death as the light going out—only in this book the switch doesn't work;-)
Ha ! I couldn't tell if that switch would be " blessed" or not ...I believe that humanity is not yet aware of the advantages or disadvantages of an eternity. Actually, we are small particles that become aware of pleasure only in the context of this " restriction" of temporal space, which is life.
That's a great review, Theodore. I bought this book a few days ago but haven't read it yet. However, I have read Blindness by Saramago and immediately became a fan of his unique prose style and narrative. The book deals with a very pertinent aspect of our life and your review further accentuates its importance. Thanks for it :)
Saramago is, indeed, an author who sometimes entertains you, as in "Cain", but he can also give you reasons for reflection,as in this book. I'm glad that my text has succeeded in stimulating your desire to continue it.
It is so interesting to follow your journey into Saramago, Theo. Are all his books about death or the lack of it? I really enjoy your review of this and Cain. I have not read anything by him yet. I know long overdue:-)
A very good question, Katia. Yes, at first glance, every author seems inclined to write based on an idea that particularly concerns him. I think that in Saramago's case, it is not death that is this idea, but rather the lust for life. But his way of manifesting this lust, often creates controversy, related to excessive, sometimes childish polemics with religion, and his moral standards may sometimes seem too sévère, or too relaxed. I talked to a blind poet, earlier, about " Blindness". He didn't liked the book, ( he probably preferred Sabato's blind people), but I didn't fight him, I'm not blind, I'm not even a poet, I can't know what he " saw". I refuse comparisons between writers, every writer is that writer, maybe that's why I don't even give ratings. I am sure that if you read his books, you will not cling to the visibly debated idea, but you will understand much more by reading between the lines. Enjoy your reading.
Stupendous review, Théo! As I have come to expect, you challenge and intrigue me with your reviews. It sounds as if the idea in the book is presented in an entirely original way. I like the comment you make about the violinist story - that it is the most beautiful in the novel - which does make me want to read the book.One aspect of the fear of death (which may be in the book) would be fear and love for others, not just for oneself - so that you can fear death for what your death or someone else's may do to someone you love. This seems to be missing from the Bible as well - we can forgive on our own account but what about on behalf of others to whom wrong has been done?
I think you've reached a very sensitive point, JC, which most people usually perceive when is too late, and they can't do anything about it. Not even Saramago was hindered by this " detail", this is an extension of the feeling of fear, the fear of losing the loved one, an extension that appears as a concept that cannot be learned, but only deepen, if it exists, by the way.. So, speaking of that character, the violonist, that man had nothing to lose, anymore, so death could no longer scare him. Here is, indeed, a special point of view, which Saramago has exploited to the fullest, in a satirical, but particularly eloquent way.
Thank you, Théo, for going further into what is obviously a fine novel. Death is, of course, a limit, the benefits of which we have discussed elsewhere!And I loved Fionnuala's light switch comment!
