Dear American Airlines 4

In this section of the book, there are many comparisons shown with the main character and narrator, Bennie, and the character in the novel he is translating, Walenty. Both of them are very damaged people, and it seems as though Bennie really feels a connection to this fictitious character, although their situations are quite different. Walenty is a Polish soldier who fought against the Nazi’s, so unlike Bernie, the majority of his troubles are not his fault. Besides losing a leg in the war, he has become deeply emotionally scarred. This is shown through the quote, “He was unprepared for the raw color of it all. For three years he had seen no color except for the beef-red of wounds and crimson splashes of blood; everything else had been painted in hard, parched shades of gray and brown and black,” (16). Having been fighting a war for so long, death and destruction has become the norm for him, and he finds a colorful and cheerful scene to be odd and unsettling. This is similar to Bennie, who was in an alcohol induced stupor for much of his life. He is only happy when he is drunk, as shown through the quote “I’m just a mordantly sober guy in an airport trying to avoid looking at his broken shoelace,” (90). The regular world has lost it wonder and excitement for Bennie, and by using the word “mordantly” the reader is led to believe that living itself is painful to him. However, Bernie has created his own problems by leaning so regularly on his alcoholic crutch. Although Walenty and Bernie are both severely damaged people, Walenty was damaged by the Nazis whereas Bernie damaged himself.

Because of the continuous comparison of Walenty and Bennie, it almost seems like their fates are tied together. Due to this illusion, when a passage is shown where Walenty is getting better, it gives the reader hope that Bernie might get better himself. Walenty is shown recovering from his wartime trauma in the quote, “Across the bay were terraced vineyards and a white castle and nearby an old man in a cotton suit was transferring the scene onto the canvas propped upon his easel. His lips were moving constantly an it appeared he was conversing with his colors,” (92). After being so desensitized to everything around him, Walenty has learned to appreciate the world. He takes pleasure in observing his surrounding, something which used to only remind him of the war. It appears that Walenty has gotten over his troubles, leading the reader to think that maybe Bennie will get over his problems as well. Although this reading does not show Bennie improving, I must still satisfy the blog requirements with another quote so, “My blackouts were never fully black, some parts gray, some parts orange and blistering,” (101). It is never stated in this particular section of the book, but because of the strong ties between Walenty and Bennie, it is safe to assume that Bennie will be getting better in due time.