We, The Infected

So here's one of the passages (well, it's not even a whole passage) from the novel that had the biggest impact on me:

JAL wrote:Things would not simply return to normal. Something big had to be done. Like running away, hitchhiking, making your way home in the middle of the night to show that it was ... important.

First, this scenario was the first time I thought about Oskar as the strong macho guy Eli saw him during that kiss scene. He's finally taking some action, not for just himself, and not by following anyone's encouragemt. In the film it's not hard to overlook the importance or "weight" of this night hijacking (here I meant the word "hitchhiking" indeed) sequence, but when you read it, it's a big yay.

Now, this could be just my possibly off-track interpretation, but the whole situation and Oskar's actions taught me of something. Ever since I've read it for the first time I kinda made up a rule in my everyday life. Let's put it this way: When your life goes to hell, things start to fall apart (your girlfriend turns out to be a vampire, your dad don't care about you more than a glass of booze etc.), you don't complain about how unfair it is. You stand up and do something extraordinary. Something special, that is surprising and "big" from you.

Whenever I have a shitty day, I try to do something that normally I wouldn't, like I was someone who's got nothing to lose. I'm talking about things like asking out a girl with total confidence, or taking a walk at night in the creepiest forest around there. Did I mention that one of my hobbies is jumping on public toilet seats? Yeah, this comes from school, once I just got enough of the whole thing and instead of class I ended up in the gent's room... good old times.

This may be not the wisest rule to live by, since some day you might end up doing something way too crazy, but man, it does make me feel better everytime I'm down. Funny. That's a good thing I've learnt from the book.

Microwave Jellyfish wrote:In the film it's not hard to overlook the importance or "weight" of this night hijacking sequence, but when you read it, it's a big yay.

You mean hitchhiking, right? It is big, but not hijacking big.

I think with Oskar, it is desperate times call for desperate measures. You are right though, doing something is what this is all about. Oskar dreams of something and then he goes out and does it. (He imagines himself going through the night and right through Eli's window and in to see Eli.) There is a deliberate contrast between this type of thing, and the other characters in the story who don't seem to be getting anywhere even though they would clearly like to.

Is Eli the inspiration as well? After 200 years she is really going out on the edge by getting involved with Oskar.

Microwave Jellyfish wrote:You stand up and do something extraordinary. Something special, that is surprising and "big" from you.

Isn't that what Eli is doing? That is the trait I admire most in Eli. Eli wants something better. Eli does not want to only be a vampire, even after 200 years.

gattoparde59 wrote:You mean hitchhiking, right? It is big, but not hijacking big.

Argh. I always mix up that two. Worse than my constant then/than screw-ups. Argh.

gattoparde59 wrote:Isn't that what Eli is doing? That is the trait I admire most in Eli. Eli wants something better. Eli does not want to only be a vampire, even after 200 years.

Never thought about that in this context - probably because I'm in the majority who identifies with Oskar more -, but yes, it is a good point.

a_contemplative_life wrote:Sometimes we have to make our own happiness.

I know someone else talked about this passage, and I think it was you.

gattoparde59 wrote:

a_contemplative_life wrote:Sometimes we have to make our own happiness.

I know someone else talked about this passage, and I think it was you.

Yeah it was in the long essay on love in the novel. I wondered whether Oskar could ever have run away with Eli if he hadn't done this first. I think this sort of laid the groundwork for the much bigger decision later on, i.e., his realization that he could make important decisions for himself that affect his life. That's part of what growing up is all about I suppose.

Love often has a transformational effect.

Oskar goes from 'piggy' to warrior to adult. And who led him there? Eli. But Eli couldn't have led him anywhere (except an early grave) without the love he felt for her. Eli, too, was transformed...from murderer to child to lover. And Oskar was the reason for that transformation. Eli is the lonely girl in Oskar's lonely world that makes it all make sense to him.

Oskar will continue to grow, and will continue to embrace Eli. And, I think, he'll eventually man up enough to offer to be Eli's eternal mate and take the infection as his own. Killing people is incidental when you're focused on the greatest thing in the world, which is just to love, and be loved in return.

This is also one of my favorite passages from the book. I agree too that this is when Oskar finally decides what he is going to do with his life. If he returns with his dad then his life will continue as before and nothing will change for him. Eli would probably leave and Oskar would wonder for the rest of his life what could have been.

a_contemplative_life wrote:Sometimes we have to make our own happiness.

Words of wisdom, words of wisdom.