Paul Auster, "Brooklyn Follies" - "Double-cross" (chapter 20), de That was when Harry…." a " cradled in the arms of the B.P.M.

Résumé du document

This extract is the 20th chapter, 'Double Cross' of the novel. This is the story of Harry's murder, which constitutes the most tragic moment of the book. Nathan is here the narrator. He and Tom leave the Chowder Inn in order to go back to New York for Harry's funeral. Later will also appear Nancy. In opposition to the 'good' trio of Harry, Nathan and Tom, is the Evil trio composed of Harry, Gordon and Myron which proved to be fatal to Harry. In the previous chapter Tom sees his dreams realised, Harry sees his destroyed. In what way is his death original?

Extraits

[...] Indeed, Trumbell doesn't want to buy the manuscript and Gordon is not in Harry's side, but the real goal is to threat Harry (with the threat of the law) and to take Gordon's revenge for Harry. - This revenge is the deal Trumbell offers Harry. It is not murdering him The bargain - Offered by Trumbell to Harry, this bargain is the result of a blackmail : you cooperate with us, we won't say a word to the law”. (l.33- 34) decide, Harry. Life or death.” (l.58) - This bargain is the essence of Harry's life: his books. [...]

[...] Your bad breath. Your varicose veins. Your dyed hair. Your awful jokes. Your fat belly. Your knobby knees. Your puny cock. Everything.” (l.12-14) - Gordon even makes a real indictment of Harry: He attacks him. you insane” (l.18) (turned me over the cops)? Who (cut a deal for himself by pointing his finger at (l.22) We can note the insistence on the word ‘'who'' which is to insist for Gordon upon Harry's responsibility. [...]

[...] We could resume it as: Gordon + Harry and Gordon + Trumbell. Here, the couple Gordon + Harry disappears to give way to the one Gordon + Trumbell. TRANSITION: As Nathan who considered this was a homicide, the treason reveals to be the part of a diabolic puzzle which can only bring Harry to death. This treason takes then a character particularly obnoxious and violent II “They've killed a perfect murder Violence of the words in an indictment - It's this real violence of the words which are responsible of Harry's death, because it'll make him lose his aptitudes and his capacity of thinking: Even if is not a physical violence, it's a verbal violence. [...]

[...] The goal is said to be “justice” (paradox when we plan to realize a fraud) (l.31): “fair is fair But it's in reality a cruel revenge that the argument is not to make money:”heavy- handy bluff” (l.72). This revenge is the result of the legal affair between Harry and Gordon where Harry had betrayed Gordon: “After what you did to me? [ ] Now it's my turn to destroy yours.” (l.18-19) Love me tender - But the biggest treason is for Harry not the one of the fraud but the one of Gordon, his now ex-associate who with he had an affair: “This was love that had gone wrong, deception on a scale he had never encountered before, and the pain of it destroyed any power he might have had to resist the onslaught” (l.4-7). [...]

[...] Murderers!” (l.122) Rufus and Nancy can't understand what he has just lived and his actual state of mind, moreover he's such panicked that he can't listen to anyone. Conclusion . - While Harry glorified the idea of the trio with Nathan and Tom previously, this trio is fatal to him. It's a real treason Harry can't bear. - We discover through this passage another face of the character, not any more eccentric but his negative part (his physical is differently seen by Gordon), more dramatic. - As he used to say, marks the but this X or let us say Ex is fatal to him. [...]