Analysis of Love Enter

In this section I am going to analyse the space references found in the hypertext Love Enter. There are many examples of space references in this text of Paul Kafka and it is visible in the long list of space references I have done. Evidently, most of the references are adverbs, adverbial phrases, prepositional phrases, and to lesser extent, names of places such as cities or countries. The action takes place in several places of two big cities: Paris and New Orleans. Within them we can find other concrete physical spaces like a hospital, apartments, streets, shops, etc.

On the one hand, I want to analyse the space references separately, that is, chapter by chapter. I will do a linguistic analysis.

In Call we can observe some space references like there, in the room, both sides of the delivery hall, toward the Resident’s Room, corridors, New Orleans, in the hospital, etc. Reading the chapter, one can notice that the action takes place in a hospital of New Orleans. So the space references have been chosen from a certain point of view. There are many technique words because this space, a hospital, requires specific words. Paul Kafka uses space references characteristic to the hospitals.

In Boutique Mademoiselle there are more space references than in call: in front, a hat store, under the table, Boutique Mademoiselle, there, into the apartment, in the living room, in the kitchen, at a party, through the room, balcony windows, down the hall, in your bedroom… With them we can observe and distinguish several spaces: a hat store (Boutique Mademoiselle) and Margot and Bou’s apartment. Both spaces located in Paris.

In the following chapter, Behind Einstein, we can also find many names of places: Europe, Israel, Egypt, Genoa, Lucerne, France, Paris, in the Triangulum galaxy, in their orbits, at Germaine’s table, on her door, from her doorway, in the attic room and so on. They are in Madame Lagache’s house glancing books. So the action here takes place in Madame Lagache’s house in Paris. She investigates healing, astrology and history. For this reason, we find space references related to astrology (for example: in the Triangulum galaxy, in their orbits) and history (Israel, Genoa, Lucerne). It is curious how Dan uses the pronoun ‘’her’’ when he tells about the Madame Lagache’s house (ex. on her door, from her doorway) and he does not do the same when he is telling about the apartment of Margot and Bou (in the living room, in the kitchen). I think that with the use of the pronoun ‘’her’’ Kafka tries to show distancing between the characters. Madame Lagache’s house is an unknown space to Dan. Whereas, Margot and Bou’s apartment is a space more familiar, more warm, more friendly (there is closeness between them). Thanks to the different spaces, how they are described by the main character, Dan, we can deduce the feelings’ Dan towards the rest of the characters.

Window Glass is the longest chapter. Among the space references someone can find the following ones: in the declined empire chair, toward the courtyard, into the kitchen, along the wall, at the library, Versailles, in Newton, New York, Belgium in front of Giorgio’s, under the linden tree, etc. The space in this chapter is the Margot and Bou’s apartment in Paris. The characters tell with more detail their lives and experiences and within them are mentioned other spaces. These spaces chosen by the author are various depending on the character and his/her last experience, situation and context. For example, New York is the place where Bou was taken by her mother in order to see a famous rider when she was little; Margot would live in Newton whether she had continued her relation with the jazz band director, etc. All spaces are closely linked with their experiences.

I will finish my analysis chapter by chapter with the last one, Ghost Muscle. Again, the space described is a hospital. Examples of space references are: through the narrow window, New Orleans, in the corner, out, at the wrong angle, Charity Hospital, etc. Dan is describing a labor and logically, the references here are referred to the hospital’s room in New Orleans.

http://paisajesperfectos.blogspot.com/2008/07/torre-eiffel.html

On the other hand, I want to analyse other points of view. It is curious how Paul Kafka tells us the story: it is an epistolary narration (related in first person by Dan Shoenfeld) with the insertion of some dialogues. Throughout the letters, the e-mails which Dan sends to Bou, we can know his story. I emphasize two cities as far space aspects: Paris and New Orleans. Dan talks about Paris and New Orleans in a different way. There are different connotations towards the two cities. Paris is the space, the place where Dan fell in love, he could practice ballet without being called gay, he could talk about anything… We can say that he felt free there. Whereas, in New Orleans all is routine, a hectic days, stress… So, if you are in a place where you have good, nice experiences, you will have certain connotations (positive in this case) toward this place. By the contrast, if your experiences are not good, the connotations will not be so positives.

Become obvious also the different mentality between both spaces. We can extract this thanks to the characters’ way of thinking: Paris, played by Margot and Bou who have an open-minded (they are lesbian), they speak openly about sex, Margot had an affair with a married man, etc. By the contrast, in the other space, New Orleans happen the opposite: Dan’s father thinks his son is gay because he practices ballet five days a week, Beck can not understand how Dan is able to fall in love of two women… It is interesting how the ballet can cause points of view so different: Bou envies Dan’ way of dance and I think when you envy someone is because you wish to be like him/her; but Dan’ father considers him like a gay, a deviant conduct.

We should take account of Paris and New Orleans come from different continents: Europe and America. Throughout the actions of the characters, related by Dan in his letters, one can observe the mentality and ideology which the author wants to transmit us of both spaces.

Dan related with precision and with great attention to detail some spaces such as the Margot and Bou’s apartment, Madame Lagache’s house, that is, in spite of the fact the time passed he remembers perfectly all.

The spaces are chosen by the author conscientiously. They are closely linked with the context and situations of the characters. For example, in the third chapter, (Behind Einstein) when Madame Lagache asks to Dan if he is jew. At first, he thinks whether being jew can affect to his opportunities of keeping the apartment. This fact is intimately related to historical space and time referents due to the events which took place with the jews in occident Europe: in Spain with Reyes Católicos (1492) and in the Third Reich of Germany (1933-1945).

I think Paul Kafka has brilliantly fit the different spaces with each character and his/her context.

http://www.usatourist.com/photos/louisiana/neworleans2b.jpg

[Index] [First Paper] [Second Paper] [Introduction] [Conclusion] [Opinion] [Bibliography]

Academic year 2008/2009
© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés López
© Emma Corbín García
emcorgar@alumni.uv.es
Universitat de València Press