- In the dean's office (which reminds Swenson of a high-end London brothel) where the tape is played.
- The restaurant where Swenson confesses to Sherrie.
- Watching The Blue Angel (pp. 264-266).
- The last chapter which is a sort of courtroom scene.
- The final scene w/ the deer and the bells tolling.
What final thoughts do you have about the novel?
I thought things were going to be bad for Swenson at the hearing, but not quite this bad. It was more like an inquisition then a hearing. I mean everyone including the students were out to destroy Swenson. I feel Swenson, though, was not afforded a chance to defend himself, although there's not much he can say to change the committees mind. He should have known better than to get involved with a student. Just like Professor Rath should have known better then to get involved with Lola Lola. I also feel that the ending is an "open" ending. I like to think that somehow Swenson will find redemption, and him and Sherrie can somehow work things out and get back together.
ReplyDeleteOn pages 257-261 we see things fully go downhill for Swenson. His wife has left him for good and his daughter doesn't really want to spend time with him, not that she wanted to in the first place. He also begins to see resemblance of the film Blue Angel and his own personal dilemma with Angela Argo. He started to look at himself as a clown just like Professor Rath. He highlights the most embarrassing things that occurred to Rath, like him being ridiculed by his students, becoming the clown and losing everything he had for own woman. Here, it's clear that Swenson regrets his actions but he has accepted what he has done. His way of coping with it has been getting himself drunk every afternoon.
ReplyDeleteFrom the final pages of the book, the most important part for me is the part we’re Swenson takes Sherrie to the fancy restaurant. He right away needs something to drink because he know what he is going to say is not going to be good. He tells Sherrie and she already knows, it is crazy to me how true it is for a partner to notice when something is up. He looks at a couple next to them and thinks to himself how they wouldn’t think about what’s happening to Swenson and Sherrie will happen to them. I think it is heartbreaking scene because of what he is doing to Sherrie and how hurt she is, it is something not easy and he doesn’t really notice. He tries to make excuses to make the situation better but there really is no remedy.
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