As the novel continues we see more and more distress in the character of Liebenstein, especially revolving around his wife, Rema. We notice how much he truly loved the real Rema, as he often recalls memories of their past together. Here he accounts the first time they met: “The first time I actually spoke to Rema: she was sitting right in front of me at the Hungarian Pastry Shop, and I had leaned forward toward that hair, and I actually tapped that shoulder, but then what was I going to say if she turned around? I had no plan” (65). These actions show how differently Liebenstein acts when with Rema. Around all other people he always seems to have a plan. He often seems to over think his actions before he takes them, which is why he did what he did with Rema. Again we see how his love for Rema causes him to do things he normally would not. He recalls: "Normally people's conflation of psychoanalysis with psychiatry irritates me profoundly..but when Rema conflated the two,I was not irritated"(Galchen 66). This is funny, because he admits the affect Rema has on him. He realizes how he is not annoyed by her as he would be if another person did the same thing. Liebenstein acts so differently, clearly, because he is in love. These quotes help us understand as the novel goes on why Liebenstein acts the way he does when he thinks about Rema and her supposed disappearance.
Also we begin to see the irrational steps that Liebenstein is taking in order to try and understand his uncertainties. He tries to figure out his wife and Harvey’s disappearance, and the situation regarding “ The Royal Academy of Meteorology.” He starts overanalyzing all situations and spends a large amount of time thinking of solutions. Here he explains his “logic”: “I had not, however, abandoned my faith in experimental controls. I quickly wrote three more note cards: HERONS, WOOL PROCESSING, HEMOCHROMATOSIS. Those would be my red herrings. Maybe I’d chosen herons with that obscurely in mind” (75). This method that Liebenstein comes up with does not make much sense to us. We see how he begins to become obsessed with his research and starts to lose his logic.
2 comments:
This character Liebenstien seems very interesting. The love he feels for Rema seems very immense based on the quotes you have described. I look forward to better getting to understand him through your blog!
I lke how you said that Libenstein's love for Rema makes him irrational, because he also does seem to go out of his way for her, in enormous ways, (argentina). I think that it is true that Liebenstein is becoming crazy, and the list of red herrings is one good way to show it. Maybe his constant need to find an insane person, (Harvey), has driven him crazy himself, and maybe that is a theme that the author is trying to present.
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