From Cover to Cover - The Visitor - Chapter 1
The blog posts starting from here will be looking at various interpretations of The Visitor. It is recommended that the reader first look inward for their own interpretations prior to looking at the following blogs so that they may be enlightened by their own introspection.
Remember, the interpretations that follow are not the only, or even necessarily the right interpretation(s).
The people walked in darkness, But have seen a brilliant light.
The Visitor - Chapter I - page 1
You cannot unsee what you have seen
Nor unhear what you have heard.
Turn around now and take your leave
Or you too will own each word.
The poetic parable above are the first words we hear recounted by the narrator. It is important for the reader to remain aware that although the visitor's words are represented in poetic parables and italics throughout the novel, that we never actually hear the visitor himself speak as the story is written after the visitors passing. We only hear the narrator's recollection of the visitor's words, or the narrator sharing the words he heard.
On the surface, this verse is easy enough to understand. Most of us have experienced the truth in this verse, although unfortunately, we typically have learned these lessons through "negative experiences".
If you have ever seen or witnessed a horrendous event, you will know what is meant by not being able to unsee what you have seen. Myself, as the author have witnessed numerous events that I had not planned or wished to see. For example, my wife Deborah and I were first on the scene at a tragic hit and run in Edmonton years ago. When we fled from our coffee from the outside patio at a Second Cup to run to the aid of the lady who had been hit by the runaway driver, we came upon the broken sprawled out body of a young women who was hit at high speed and was literally split open with her insides spilling outwards onto the pavement.
This is a vision burned within my mind. Mostly because I was helpless to do anything.
As the visitor shares (via the words of the narrator) most of our memorable moments are connected strongly to either joy and/or sorrow. Emotional responses tied to an event. In the case above, my helplessness at a moment of sorrow tied the sights, the sounds and the even the smells of the event into my memory.
Soldiers, military people, first responders and anyone who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) would understand the impact of negative events that cannot be erased from your mind.
The same concept applies to the idea that "you cannot unhear what you have heard". Again, too many people will understand this line from experience with negative events. If a loved one says something hurtful, we tend to hold onto it. Where young kids are bullied and/or embarrassed it can have a lasting impact.
The idea of the opening lines of The Visitor though are not meant to trudge people down negative experiences. Rather, this verse is a reminder and warning of the notion of responsibility and accountability which remains central within the context of The Visitor.
If you are not aware of something, than it is hard to be accountable for it. If you hurt someone's feelings unintentionally and were not aware that you had hurt their feelings you would suffer from neither guilt or remorse. In short, you would probably not even say "sorry" as you are unaware of the damage that you inflicted.
However, if you were aware that something you said or did was hurtful, and you said and did it anyway, then you are both responsible for your actions and accountable for your actions. Even though you cannot "undo" your actions.
In the context of the visitor, the warning is about "lifting of the veil". For example;
If you were not aware that anger can lead to hate, and that hate will drive away Love than you may be innocent of not understanding the destruction your own anger can have to an environment of Love. However, once you have read (or heard) the visitors words throughout the novel - that "anger" provides fertile soil for "hate", and that where there is hate, Love cannot exist; then you now have inner knowledge about the danger and damage that your anger can do.
Even though it intuitively makes sense, by having the "veil lifted" you are now responsible for the damage inflicted towards Love by your own anger. Whether your anger is justified or not, you are still responsible for the impact of your anger.
Whether you agree or not, really doesn't matter. No more than whether you agree or not with any laws in the land you live.
It is no wonder that many people feel "ignorance is bliss".
The idea of "innocence verses ignorance" has always been a topic of debate. From the "two bite rule" when it comes to dogs, to the ways the Western world and the legal system works when it comes to "pleas of insanity" leading to a dismissal of guilt.
None of that is new. Regardless of the reader's own personal belief system, going back to some of the earliest written script found within the Bible, we see a parallel concept.