The last sentence jumped out at me the most. It seems obvious by the tone of the earlier conversation with the two waiters, that by "light", he didn't mean physical light. He meant it to be more like "distraction", like "escape", or something to help you avoid sleep. This could be because falling asleep allows the opportunity for our thoughts to run free, and it becomes difficult to ignore them.
This quote brings depth to the old man and the old waiter. It brings the internal struggle of the older men to the surface. The young waiter cannot understand them, clearly. After this I went back and re-read the conversation on page 148:
"Last week he tried to commit suicide," one waiter said.
"Why?"
"He was in despair."
"What about?"
"Nothing."
"How do you know it was nothing?"
"He has plenty of money."
It seemed, after reading the full story, that it was the young waiter that claimed the old man had no reason to kill himself. He can't relate, because of all the positive things in his own life. He has a "light" of his own at home in bed with his wife, from his youth, and from his confidence.
I enjoyed this story, because I feel I can relate to the feeling of wanting "light" for the night. I can't say I know the reasons why the other two men need it, and I won't assume, but I can empathize nonetheless. Sometimes, for me, it's easier to stay up all night, and disconnect myself from life.
No comments:
Post a Comment