While the Visitor knew he constantly suffered his sanity in a disconnected
world, he believed he was at times uncomfortably grounded
due to his unwillingness to be swayed by the consensus of the majority. - The Visitor pg 4.
As promised in the last blog, the blogs moving forward are all "deeper dives" into possible interpretations of The Visitor. For today's deep dive we are still on page 4 and reflecting on the narrator's assertion that the Visitor knew he was on a different page than a lot of other people.
It is important to note, that the assertion is not that the Visitor "felt" disconnected or in the minority, but rather he "knew". This distinction makes it clear the Visitor had self-awareness.
This self-awareness goes so far as to say that the Visitor was also aware (knew) he "constantly suffered his sanity" This statement could be interpreted in many different ways, except when the reader considers that the lines which follow this section clarify that the Visitor was aware he was not "insane" but rather felt quite clear not only in his unconventional minority views but took some comfort with them. He knew his outlook was different, yet he would not have changed his outlook for anything, as illustrated earlier on (pg 3) when the narrator states: The Visitor was aware of his shortcomings in not being able to see the middle between extremes; however, he would not have changed his understandings for anything.
From this we can see the Visitor has an acute awareness of his shortcomings. He is blind to aspects outside of his dualistic nature. However, he is not just aware of and comfortable of his shortcomings, he would not change his understandings for anything. In other words, he is committed to his positions and insights and awareness regardless of the impact or suffering this causes him. He constantly suffered his sanity. He knows he sees things differently, he knows his views are in the minority and he is aware this makes life difficult for him.
“Now I think I know what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they’re not listening still.
Perhaps they never will... ”
These words are actually influenced by Don Maclean's song, Starry Starry Night. For the few who followed the temporary web-site during the writing of The Visitor they would have seen various musical videos which I credited for inspiration. As strange as it may have been to anyone following the temporary website, one of the video's was Don Maclean's song Starry Starry Night. Anyone familiar with the song would understand it is about Vincent Van Gogh. An artist who expressed the world he saw in a very unique style. The song is influenced by one of the most recognizable pieces of art in the world, Van Gogh's Starry Night. Van Gogh actually painted Starry Night while in as asylum. Yet, that piece of work has remained both timeless and universal. As such, it is an apt influence on The Visitor. The picture itself is abstract not only in style, but in the fact that the scene itself only exists in Van Gogh's eyes. It is created. Yet, his insights have been influenced.
Note the following potential influence Genesis 37:9, “And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and behold the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.”
Note the picture - The sun and the moon (imposed together) and eleven stars. Coincidence? Perhaps. What we do know about Van Gogh was he was acutely aware and worried about his sanity (which was why he checked himself into an asylum). What many do not realize is that besides being an artist trying to express something; he was also a protestant missionary. Being a protestant missionary; it is not then a far stretch to think the influence of Starry Night may be in fact derived from Genesis 37.
The other interesting point is that Van Gogh was never successful during his life and only became well known and appreciated after his death, (tragically in his case by suicide). He was considered basically a "madman who drank a lot".
Here we can see a bit of the influence on the Visitor. Someone who sees the world differently, someone who try's to share insights via art (in the case of the Visitor - poetic parables) and someone who we don't get to know until after his death. Afterall, The Visitor is a story told by the narrator after the death of the Visitor. The references of the Visitor's like of alcohol is also found throughout the book, from the drinking of the flask to references of the narrator having spent evenings with the Visitor drinking wine. The fact that people thought he was a bit of a madman is easily picked up early on page 10;
The rumours of who he was were not the reality, but rumours in time became the accepted version of the truth. Depending on who you talked to he was either a mystic, an intellect or just a crazy old man with a bad temper who had chosen to become a bit of a recluse.
So here we see insights into the character of the Visitor. Someone who does not see the world as others, is aware that others see him differently, who struggles with his own sanity constantly due to seeing the world differently, and shares his insights through art (poetic parables). The fact that his words (art/poetic parables) do not reach a wider audience until after his death through the recording and telling of the story by the narrator completes some of the influence on the character of the Visitor.
As in Don Maclean's song Starry Starry Night, the Visitor is also acutely aware that people do not understand what he is saying, and aware that they very well may never understand, but yet it is important enough for him to share his view of the world that he travels outside of his recluse to share his message and understandings on the eve of his death.
The last part of the deeper dive on this blog is regarding what drives the Visitor to his suffering - being "uncomfortably grounded due to his unwillingness to be swayed by the consensus of the majority.
This central theme is played again and again throughout The Visitor. Early on page ix of the prologue this is made clear. The novel suggests that ethics and laws are merely manmade rules to protect us from ourselves, the vested interests of those in power, or the ever-changing fabricated social norms put into place by a consensus of the majority with no real regard as to what may or may not be “right”.
Another example is found on page 40 in the poetic parable regarding Laws:
The system designed is by design adversarial
It requires little of truth to succeed.
It lets guilty go free to attend innocent burials
As the majority are appeased in their greed.
The Visitor's position about right and wrong and truth are clearly differentiated from what the majority may declare as right and wrong and true. To the Visitor, it is about individual accountability, and he shows little regard for human law to dictate appropriate action or inaction. This is patently clear in the following stanzas.
And following a law which is inherently wrong
Does little to lessen your crime.
And no matter how good and no matter how strong
We all must account in due time.
And while you say punishment equals the crime
And justify - In fact, fear, and Love
A greater law will judge each in their time
And restore a fair balance; which no man’s above
These two stanzas together explain how the Visitor is "grounded and unwilling to be swayed by the consensus of the majority. Regardless of what human laws allow, or don't allow, we are not excused from our own actions and that each one of us is accountable.
This should not be surprising. Again, on page ix of the prologue the author makes this distinction clear to the reader; It is never about being ‘right’; but rather, about uncovering the ‘truth’. And in the mind of the Visitor, the truth is not created by any majority consensus, but rather the truth "is what it is" and requires no defense.
Dishonesty appears as anything but
To shield it from what it’s concealing.
The truth will not change - no matter what,
No apologies and always unyielding.
And there my friends are some of the insights into the character development of the Visitor. He is not in step with the majority and does not cling to what others, even the majority may espouse as "right". He rather is grounded in what he sees as "truth". He is aware that others see him as a bit "mad" or "crazy" and he is also aware that people cannot really understand what he is trying to share (or that he is even an instrument capable of sharing what he sees to be true). However, he would not change this for anything. He is grounded and unyielding regardless of the cost or the judgement. And that is Faith.
Until next time, Journey In Love
Michael Paul