The train and reality
On the train, there is a mourning woman. Prior to Sun getting off the train there are the children who assume he is going to the other person affiliated with the Chinese—the sinophile. For some reason it seems that people must seem to know what is going on adding to the mystery of the story. Additionally, Madden is aware of Sun's presence and meets him at the train station. This leads me to think this reality is socially constructed by Sun. I think he feels guilt and when he is dictating his story he wants to note that it was inevitable that he was going to murder. I think that he added in the connection to his ancestor to even further the idea that this was his destiny. Also, I think the reaction from the women, the children and Madden are very fitting that they know what is happening; children are playful and do not really appreciate the magnitude of situations, the women is aware that murder is occuring and natturally adults are more introspective and finally Madden is very stoic and knowledgeable because at the end of the day he is a general. There is no right answer but if we compare this to Vincent Moon then there is also a socially constructed reality in which Vincent Moon was the extreme villain.
Although, in the middle of a small town and considering Chinese people are uncommon in Europe (with respect to the story), and given that Albert is the only dude in the immediate area who has anything to do with Chinese people, I suppose it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for the kids to assume the Chinese guy wanted to talk to the guy who studied Chinese.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this talk of "destiny" is very curious considering the idea of multiple, forking (mind you), paths and an infinite number of alternate realities that could simultaneously exist. I think it's interesting that he commits to the cause (rooted in part in show that his race can make a difference) when he and Albert acknowledge that there may very well be an infinite number of timelines that are simultaneously being walked.