January 9, 2009
The invention of Morel
Blog Post: Jonathan R. Van Dyke
Reading this book I am a little confused as to why the main character of this book is not trying to go out and touch people or get the attention of others. Every time he has he has just been ignored which leaves me to wonder, if any other person in his situation would do the same thing? If it were me personally I would try and go out and get someone’s attention or talk to someone to see if they even acknowledge me. So far he has approached a woman and has failed to even have acknowledgement of his existence. The main character seems very timid and shy, but stuck on his island for months with no human contact I think any person would try and talk to someone, which makes me question the validity of the book. Although remembering the book is just someone’s fantasy and did not really happen I will just go with it. I also am wondering what the invention of Morel really is. Does it have something to do with this escaped convicts hallucinations, or fantasies? I am also wondering what really happened to the people that first colonized the island, and am thinking those people that the convict is seeing could be ghosts of the first colonizers of the island. When the convict tries to listen to their conversation it is all just the same thing and they are talking about the same things over and over again. The convict thinks they are toying with him, but I believe they could be ghosts and their presence could be amplified by whatever Morel invented. Now let’s delve into the convict’s state of mind to sort of understand the man. He is on an island living in a marsh with no food, so physically and mentally he is exhausted. He also just broke out of jail and he is intensely afraid of persecution, and believes he may be swept away at anytime guards, police, or just anybody. He is also seeing things that are most likely not really there. This sounds an awful like someone who is schizophrenic. Reading past page 49 the convict talks about a horrible dream he is having about him being in a ward, and Morel being his physician, maybe the invention of Morel is an invention being used on the convict right now and he is in a psychiatric ward dreaming about this deserted island he is living on. Morel could be inventing something to try and cure the convict and maybe towards the end of the book he will be cured by the invention of Morel. Another theory I have is that maybe the food on the island or something he is eating has caused him to hallucinate. The convict explored that avenue a while back ago but has since forgotten about it, probably believing his hallucinations to be too real. Also what is up with this guy, he is stalking some gypsy lady, what is up with that? He has got to be a real weirdo. Is that how he’s always been with girls? Hopefully not, but maybe, after all we have no background history or any recollection or inclination of what his past was like or could have been like other than he says to “us”, that he was wrongfully punished for a crime he did not convict and somehow escaped from a prison. Did he leave behind a wife and kids, was the single, did he work, and these are all answers that could shed light onto why he does the things he does. Also why is he even on the island, if there are people there that he is afraid of why doesn’t he just leave? He has a little boat on the island. I also really believe he is and always has been a non-social person because when he tries to talk to the lady, he always messes up, or says something really dumb. I really have not read a book like this and it seems very odd and throws you off guard and just keeps you wondering. I am actually glad we have had the in class discussions to sort of clarify the book because I believe without the discussions I would totally be completely lost in the book. I am still wondering how the lady plays into the book because the author brought her in the book for a reason. She keeps talking to Morel about ghosts, maybe she sees or somehow notices the convict, but does not say anything about it, well I guess I will just have to read more and find out!
Wow! I kind of get lost in your thinking here. But the notion of why he doesn't touch the others is interesting. Do we need to touch to verify our reality? How do we know that touch isn't just as tricky as vision?
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