Going After Cacciato (vol. I)

In his work, Going After Cacciato, Tim O’Brien explores the issue of fear and heroism in the character of Paul Berlin. O’Brien writes, “The real issue was the power of will to defeat fear. A matter of figuring a way to do it. Somehow working his way into that secret chamber of the human heart…for the exercise of courage” (81). Throughout the novel, Berlin struggles against the paralyzing force of fear. In the midst of battle, fear rises to place a strangle hold upon the helpless Spec Four. As a result, Berlin collapses into himself in a futile attempt to escape the fear. Berlin counts, focuses on an imaginary marble, pretends to be home…he does everything but confront his fear. Berlin’s inability to deal with the realities of war turn him into a runaway of the mind. He flees the harsh times of marching, the long hours of the observation post, and the problems between soldiers by escaping into his imagination. Perhaps in many respects Berlin may be looked upon as a coward who cannot face life with courage. But perhaps Berlin escapes into illusion as a defense mechanism, as a way to save something which the war attempts to take. As a safe guard against becoming cold, hopeless, and without sympathy, Berlin daydreams. But in his attempts to save his soul he never finds what he truly needs: the courage to face life in war and keep moving forward.

The Violent Bear It Away (vol. II)

Flannery O’Connor’s work is most certainly the most difficult I’ve had to evaluate this semester. Unlike the other works, the reality here is purposely distorted and the characters not simply living in a magical world. When we think of a bildungsroman we typically think of a work which follows the positive growth of a young protagonist. However, if anything, O’Connor’s work is an example of a negative bildungsroman. Francis is set on a course of inevitable destruction because he has two forces at play in his life ripping him into pieces. On the one hand, Francis must wrestle with the pulling force of the mad faith of Old Tarwater. On the other hand, Rayber’s cold, emotionless reason attempts to drag Francis to the opposite end. I refer to Old Tarwater and Rayber as “forces” because that is truly how they function, there is no acts of love to win over Francis but only the hope to pummel him into submission. Each is attempting to create a boy in their own image, the force of which ultimately tears the boy apart. As a result, reading O’Connor’s work is much like watching a car accident take place. Francis is set on a course of destruction (getting drunk leads to burning the house which ultimately leads to murder) because he is placed in a world in which love is an idea that people speak about but are unable to express. In a loveless world, neither true words nor nice acts can save a boy who is tragically bound to develop into a psychologically devastated individual.

The Violent Bear It Away (vol. I)

The Violent Bear It Away contains many interesting characters, but none as fascinatingly influential as Uncle Tarwater. The lives of young Tarwater and Rayber stand in the shadow of the life of their crazed Uncle. And while the two despise the ramblings of their Uncle, both of the characters cannot help but be drawn to his energy. “He [Uncle Tarwater] would look as if he had been wrestling a wildcat, as if his head were still full of the visions he had seen in its eyes…these were the times that Tarwater knew [that he would answer the call from God]” (8). Uncle Tarwater instills in Rayber and his cousin a spirit which the two with wrestle with for the entirety of the novel. But what is the “spirit”? The spirit appears to be “love that appeared to exist only to be itself, imperious and all demanding, the kind that would cause him to make a fool of himself in an instant” (114). The depth of true love is terrifying to Rayber because it challenges all the mastery his self-will has fooled him into believing, love challenges the intellectual control he has obtained over his life. Indeed, love is a force which makes people do foolish things, become like Uncle Tarwaters. But if we deny love, deny passion in order to gain control we become simply mechanical men. The battle between intellectual control and the untamable passion which dwells within the characters is fought throughout the novel.

The Bear (vol. III)

Faulkner’s The Bear is certainly a bildungsroman. The work begins with Isaac McCaslin as a young boy setting out for his first hunting expedition in hopes of killing the legendary Old Ben. On his first hunt, Ike is unsure of himself and filled with fear at the prospect of encountering the bear. However, under the mentorship of Sam Fathers, Ike matures into one of the most skilled hunters in the group. But the development of Ike is not simply in terms of hunting ability, but he is also instilled with the virtues of pride, humility, and courage which are instilled in him by the wilderness. His encounters with nature help Ike to develop a sense of identity and provide the virtues which will guide his future decisions. The work then shifts to Ike’s revelations concerning his family’s troublesome past and Ike must now wrestle with the legacy left to him. It seems that like most young adults exiting adolescence, Ike understands who he is but now must decide whether his future will follow in the footsteps of his family or if he must brave a new path entirely. Ike comes to grips with his family’s past and decides that who he is and will become will be set apart from the sins of his fathers.