A Lake Beyond the Wind is the book that I chose to read for the Palestinian group. I have not quite finished it yet, and so far I am still somewhat confused! Right now the story seems to be going in different directions, and I have not quite fit all of the pieces together. It is interesting to see how the story keeps switching narrators, but I am not sure how each of the narrators fit together.
The one thing that seems to be tying different narrators and characters together in the story so far is the vest. The navy bullet-proof vest keeps appearing and disappearing in the different narratives. It is seen in the hands of one character, then seems to leave the story in the hands of a different character, only to reappear in the hands of yet another character. What is this vest? Is it a symbol of some sort? It is continually portrayed as something that each character desires to possess. Being a bullet-proof vest, could it stand for the desire for peace in Palestine, or the desire that each of the characters has to be “exempt” from leading war-torn life? If that is the case, then it is even more interesting that the vest was sold to Radi- a young boy- by the hands of a British soldier. Even more, the soldier was leaving the battle to go home; that is why he had no use for the vest anymore. But why did he sell it, instead of just taking it home with him?
It was interesting that each of the characters in Radi’s village so admired the vest, and had never even seen one before. It was almost like magic to them, totally surreal. Could the author be implying that the Middle East, at least the Palestinian area, deeply desires peace, but it has been so long removed from the area that it is only a foreign and superstitious idea to its people? Could he be implying that they deeply admire peace, but have trouble believing in it? And even more, does he imply that peace comes and goes in each character’s life, never staying very long with any one of them? Hmmm, these are thoughts I will continue to ponder as I finish the end of the book!
I agree that having so many narrators in the book got confusing, and I often had to go back and make sure I was reading about the right one. I do think that the vest is a symbol of peace that they are trying to pass around, which is why so many different people have the vest and use it. I think this shows that people do want peace and long for that comfort.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you had difficulty reading this book. I just couldn't get into it, then started getting frustrated and guilty because of it.
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