Yes, some have speculated that maybe Oskar somehow sense's Eli's presence next door.gattoparde59 wrote:Some random thoughts on the prologue and the first chapter.
Still not entirely clear what the prologue is all about, the way Blackeberg is described. A place that disappoints? A new frontier that seems to become more like a jail. Maybe. A place lacking in imagination? Too materialistic? Lacking a spiritual life and so "unprepared" for something like Eli? Maybe this is one of the many translation issues that crop up in this novel?
Nice bit about the moving van driver. He was party to some unspecified horror, something that he is going to keep a secret. Secrecy and concealment seems to be one theme in the first chapter. Think of all the things that Oskar keeps hidden: his piss ball, himself from the bullies, the stolen candy, his apartment building (described as a fortress), his scrapbook, hiding the knife in his pants, the game he plays in the woods. Håkan has some pretty obvious stuff he is trying to hide as well.Most of all I think Eli is hidden away in this first chapter. My impression is that you could read this first chapter and not really know that there is an Eli in the story. Is there a direct reference to Eli in this first chapter? Håkan's motivations are definitely a puzzle if you have never read this before.
Oskar in the first chapter? I don't know if this is a matter of liking or not liking, but Oskar does seem to be a very depressing character. Oskar's life seems unrelentingly sad and dark. He is ruled by fear and self-loathing. He tries to compensate with the shoplifting and later with the "game" he plays with the knife. Also interesting that he tries to rationalize his predicament, squealing like a pig is his "superpower" that he uses to survive.
What is really striking about Oskar is just how isolated he is in the first chapter. Any wonder he fantasizes about making friends with the police officer. He is terrorized and then left alone in the bathroom. He chats with Tommy for a bit, but Tommy treats this mainly as a sales opportunity, although there is a little rough kindness there I think. Johan is out there somewhere, but is definitely not much of friend.
So the overwhelming image I get of Oskar is how very alone he is, sealed away in his apartment, eating his candy, turning abruptly to his sickening fantasies about murder, fantasies he shares with no one, in part because there is no one there to share them with.
Or is he alone? I am still struck by how Oskar first senses a presence in his room, a poison gas that threatens to "devour" him. (the original Swedish would be helpful here, this is a weird image) then Oskar begins with the "the earth will drink his blood" as he imagines the murder of Jonny. The clincher for me here is at the end of it all he finds he cut his wrist by accident, licks up his own blood and then imagines it is Jonny's blood. I really think that Eli's influence is already making itself felt through the apartment wall and into Oskar's head. Eli has those kinds of psychic powers.
I could go on about this type of communion that I find running through the story, but I'll leave it there- for now.
I think JAL manages to build up substantial tension and interest by introducing the as-yet unnamed Eli through Hakan's thoughts. The thing I am not quite so sure about is how justified Hakan's fear of Eli really is. Take the part, for example, where he says to himself, "If he didn't do it, he would have to kill himself. Couldn't go home empty-handed. That's how it was. It was him or the boy. Go ahead and choose." I don't get the impression from the rest of the story that Eli really is as dark and terrifying as this passage suggests. Because later on, the two of them just end up arguing and bargaining about it--Eli never really threatens him.
i think my vote goes for the basement.
