Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
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Society has a way of dealing with problems in times of distress. In some ways it is to ignore the problem outright, in others it is to induce mass panic, but in either way society has a tendency to take on an “every man for himself” mentality. It is amazing how people can turn into monsters in times of chaos, leaving others behind to fend for themselves. These concepts are explored in the works The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon, Blindness by Jose Saramago, 1984 by George Orwell and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
When catastrophic situations are happening out of our reach either in another part of the world or to a different society of people, the natural reaction is to ostrich- to stick heads in the sand and pretend that nothing is happening. This problem is not happening to us, so why should we care? This type of isolation is apparent in The Crying of Lot 49 and 1984. Both Oedipa and Winston find themselves alone in a conspiracy surrounding them that is determined to crush their spirit and shun them from the rest of society. In her search for the meaning behind the muted post horn symbol that is scribbled on bathroom stalls, engraved on rings and tattooed on arms, Oedipa becomes terribly alone and is abandoned in many ways by the people she relies on. The ex-boyfriend who sends her on this wild goose chase is dead, her husband becomes addicted to LSD, her doctor goes insane and gets arrested, her lover runs away with a teenager, and the director commits suicide. The only person left to accompany her is the one who started her search in the first place- Genghis Cohen, the philatelist, whose examination of the Pierce Inferarity stamp collection and discovery of the post horn watermark on them sparks Oedipas interest in the first place. In the closing scene, Oedipa sits patiently at the auction, again by herself, waiting for the crying of Lot 49.
In the beautiful city of Oceania, Winston’s employer, lover, and friend all betray him. In keeping a journal to write anarchistic thoughts, starting a love affair with a beautiful coworker, and studying the teaching of the Brotherhood, Winston puts himself in great danger. His superior, OBrien, who introduces him to the Brotherhoods teachings, is really an Inner Party member infiltrating the Outer Party to catch betrayers in the act. Julia, his lover, could very well be a set up as well, as she also works for the Outer Party and knows the risks involved in their relationship. The fact that out of the blue hands Winston a note simply saying “I Love You” is suspicious, but Winston is too taken aback to realize this at the time. The combination of these acts that include the journal, the Brotherhood, and the love affair, put Winston in turmoil and he is inevitably caught and tortured back into a robot-like loyal following. In this city one’s own life is too important to think about anyone elses, as most of its civilians are too loyal, afraid or brainwashed to care about anyone but themselves.
The unnamed country in Blindness becomes a hostile society after a widespread epidemic of “white blindness”. After the pandemic spreads quickly throughout the population, the general consensus is to put the infected away and out of sight. The blind interns, as they call themselves, are stuffed into an abandoned mental hospital, where food is scarce, violence is rampant, and the army will shoot anyone who gets too close to the gate. These people are shown absolutely no compassion, despite the terrible fate that has befallen them, and are utterly helpless in their position. The infected interns, who are still able to see but have been near the blind interns, refuse to help the blind in any way, often stealing food or leaving their dead out for the blind to bury. The only salvation for the blind interns is the doctors wife, who is somehow immune to the disease,