Through this exploration into Italo Calvino’s train of thought, I have found myself reminiscing upon the trail. Although quite appearant that the narratives have little connection to one another. As of yet, other than the convoluted publishing escapade. It is like watching television with someone else surfing the channels or trying to follow someone’s journey on the web.
I encountered the same frustration as the readers whose narrative is stringing the partial stories together. The stability of this underlying story lineates the process. I hadn’t considered finishing the stories as was mentioned in a reflection. However, subconsciously I did perveive a make-shift conclusion once I gave in to a depart from the preceding story. Which I suppose allows a an element of interactivity within the whirlwind.
It may be because of the second person narration and my initial reaction that the author was speaking to the actual reader (us, me, you ;) but it as though I am playing a character as in an adventure game. Especially at the moment when the narrator is abandoned in the office of the publisher to read “Looks down in the gathering shadow.” Even though I could not get up and explore the room myself and was thus thrust into another tale. Although in actuality we are passively reading, the reader’s internal narrative convinces us to continue. As Ludmilla states, “Reading is going toward something that is about to be, and no one yet knows what it will be….” If it has not been written, it can be anything.