Lack of Self Knowledge in Mad Shadows
ThemePart. ChptQuoteExplanation(Lack of) self-knowledge1.1“Thetrainwasleavingtown.” (Blais 15)Journey to self-knowledgeNo stopping fate, cannot get off train after it has parted until you reach your destination1.1“He watched in silence and did not understand, but his idiot face was so dazzling that it made on think of genius.” (Blais 15)Silence – Patrice’s idiocy, nothing behind his pretty face1.1“The blond child followed indolently, his head resting against his mother’s elbow.” (Blais 17)Simply follows mother, a guide leading him to vanity1.1“He cried when he was told to, responded to her tenderness without knowing shy. He had never discovered anything, not even his mother’s love, or Isabelle’s jealousy.” (Blais 18)Lack of self-knowledge. He is an idiot, cannot discover anything about himself. Without a soul, no identity, a doll, no self.1.1“He was destined to know nothing but his own beauty. This he discovered.” (Blais 18)Vanity, won’t make further discovery as for his self, identity, will not
have a soul1.2“From then on Patrice knew that he was beautiful, and beauty was to become the goal of his life. Patrice had become the god of Patrice. His soul was too feeble to ask for more.” (Blais 20)Experiences self-realization to an extent, but only surface, beauty (what he discovers) prevents him from further self-knowledge – cannot gain a soul1.3“At forty, Louise was still a frivolous doll, empty and excessively concerned with her slender body. Patrice’s beauty was to her but a reflection of her own.” (Blais 24)Self-absorbedNarcissist love (Patrice)Empty doll, no soul, only vanity1.4“He was easy-going and always accommodating. ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
have a soul1.2“From then on Patrice knew that he was beautiful, and beauty was to become the goal of his life. Patrice had become the god of Patrice. His soul was too feeble to ask for more.” (Blais 20)Experiences self-realization to an extent, but only surface, beauty (what he discovers) prevents him from further self-knowledge – cannot gain a soul1.3“At forty, Louise was still a frivolous doll, empty and excessively concerned with her slender body. Patrice’s beauty was to her but a reflection of her own.” (Blais 24)Self-absorbedNarcissist love (Patrice)Empty doll, no soul, only vanity1.4“He was easy-going and always accommodating. Neither good nor evil, fierce nor gentle, he did not really know what he was; nor did he try to find out.” (Blais 34)Lack of self-knowledge, not on a journey to find it, however1.5“He felt a bitter need to beg for mercy, but his own feelings were as confusing to him as his soul.” (Blais 36)Has a soul, but does not make use of it1.5“Alone in his room, Patrice danced and imitated, for he always imitated everything, the gestures of the young couples.” (Blais 37)Wants to be happy, like the couples, however cannot be done, imitation2.1“How odd, my pupils are dilated. Probably the anxiety.The vulgar doll was trembling.And your cheek? What have you there?The blemish on her cheek was like a welt on a leper, a sinister patch which threatened to destroy her. She covered it with cream but the cream turned purple.” (Blais 60)Does not face reality, will be killed by this2.4“Patrice shuddered, without understanding. He sensed vaguely that he was of the same race as these ‘beautiful beasts’.” (Blais 71)Reacts like an animal, but does not delve deeper to understand that2.6“Lanz felt himself growing cold, he who had never thought of death nor of the death of the spirit, he whose gods were his clothes, his women, Louise’s jewels, and a gold cane.” (Blais 75)Knew nothing about himself even at the very end of his life2.6“Everything grew confused. His idiot’s memory was like an empty box in which the mechanisms of remorse were out of order and which was no more resilient than the heart of a madman.” (Blais 76)Cannot remember whyNo remorse – no emotions, only understand physical pain2.8“Patrice had forgotten almost all his sorrows and was content in his new security.” (Blais 84)No self-knowledge, content being kept alive by Louise, pampered4.1“Patrice, who had never made the effort to reflect on anything around him, had reached such depths of neglect and despair that he began for the first time to question what was happening to him.” (Blais 102)Cannot understand why Louise has shunned him4.2“Anne looked at her, as curious as a grown woman about this tragedy which she was witnessing but not realizing that the tragedy was also her own.” (Blais 104)Did not know that she was like her mother4.3“Suddenly everything cried out to him, ‘Patrice, you are an idiot.’ The trees, the sun, the lake, and the birds…” (Blais 107)Did not understand what all of nature tries to tell him4.4“Up until that time, he had never felt such a desperate need to think about something. Now he was always asking himself questions, the way a child does about miracles.” (Blais 110)Trying to come to self-knowledge for two years, does not succeed4.4“Am I a mirror or am I Patrice?” (Blais 110)Cannot accept reality that he’s ugly4.6“I will go home to my mother. I will look for my face in the lake. Perhaps my beautiful face is still there.” (Blais 118)He has not attained self-knowledge on this journey in the asylum4.8“ ‘God in Heaven,’ Louise prayed, ‘have mercy!’ But her mirror did not answer.” (Blais 121)Thinks she is god-like (herself in mirror)Epilogue“My mother is waiting for me. She will open the door of her room and say, “But where were you, Patrice?” (Blais 123)Futile journey to self-knowledge, returns to startEpilogue“He disturbed the ashes as he walked. It was a world of ashes and broken mirrors.” (Blais 123)Ruins, no mirrors (no Louise) to reflect his faceEpilogue“Then, since he had nothing else in the world but the water, he plunged his head into the lake and sank after it, looking for the beautiful face.” (Blais 123)Still searching for beautiful face in waterEpilogue“In the blue of the sky which came after the blue of the water, the Beautiful Beast found his soul at last.” (Blais 123)Finds soul too late, discovery of soul sends him to his death – ironic