Freedom by Nella Larsen, 1926
The magic trick:
Covering only the major – and troubling – events of several year’s in a man’s life and thoughts
Yesterday we looked at Nella Larsen’s “The Wrong Man.” Today we have “Freedom,” published in the same year. It’s a dark set of twist and turns down a creepy old stairwell into tragedy. It jumps quickly through key events over the course of several years. And the story is told within the thoughts of our main character. But because we only pause in the timeline for the most emotionally wrenching events, the effect is to make us feel this man’s thoughts are completely and totally ravaged with guilt and regret.
Which maybe they are.
It’s a troubling, wild ride.
And that’s quite a trick on Larsen’s part.
The selection:
His work here was done, but what was there to prevent him from staying away for six months, – a year, – forever?… Never to see her again! … He stopped, irresolute. What would she do? He tried to construct a representation of her future without him. In his present new hatred, she became a creature irresistibly given to pleasure at no matter what cost. A sybarite! A parasite too!
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