One thing that pleased me about “Afternoon” was that it was not told from Wert’s point of view. He was quickly labeled (by me) as a character that is completely unsympathetic. It is almost as if your job as a narrator is to overlook these faults of his in order to learn more. His treatment of his wife and his disregard for the feelings and well-being of others in general made him an automatic negative presence within the story.
I admired the narrator’s personality. It made the story much easier to go through and understand. It also made Wert appear even sympathetic at times, although he mostly came off as selfish. I suppose it’s because that from personal experience I’ve learned that most people who act that way (chauvinistic, crude, or just plain jerks) do so from feelings of inadequacy or insecurity. It also makes me wonder more about the narrator’s history with Wert- they must either have a strong attachment that allows the narrator to put up with him, or the narrator must have unending patience.
The plot in itself was pleasantly intriguing, much like the Baron’s “kidnapping” journey. Trying to figure out the story of the narrator’s ex-wife and son is just as interesting. I did have some difficulty navigating the story, though. The dialogue was hard to pick apart and I would have to think about who said what more often than I usually do when reading a conventional novel. I was a little disappointed at the conclusion. I like to have an idea at the end, like a neatly wrapped lesson. Again, to compare it to the Baron, all of those endings were satisfactory, and I understood the meanings behind them (the monster is within the father himself, he’s been scarring and torturing his daughter, etc.) Afternoon seems much more vague and requires more insight on the reader’s part- I’m not sure if I like that quality about it or not. Regardless, it was an interesting read.