The Juggler Essay

I want to believe in trustfulness and risk and a world where you can stand beneath the colorise October sky and flash your own colours through the air bid a magician (218 -221, p. 6). These beautiful lines constitute the final finding of the unforesightful story, The Juggler, written by Ursula Hegi and published in 2001. The story deals with themes such as beauty, letting go and being stuck in the historical.The short story takes situation in Coeur d Alene in the set-back weekend of October. An unnamed starting line person cashier tells the story of her daughter, Zoe and her boyfriend, Michael who grow come to visit her. It is the first time she meets Michael, who is a counsellor at the school where her daughter teaches. They go to the cinema and on a beautiful canoe trip together. Michael seems to be a very clarified guy and Zoe loves him. What separates Michael from the majority, how invariably, is the item that he is turning blind.The mother seems to have a very diff icult time discussion this, which is seen in her inner monologue I a same him (Michael) or, rather I could like him, if only he were not turning blind. Or if he were not with my daughter. I want more for Zoe. (ll. 115-117, p. 4). It also seems as if she has ambitions on behalf of her daughter I want more for Zoe. We are told that Zoes obtain left the family when she was very young. Perhaps the mothers dreams and ambitions vanished with her housebound/boyfriend. Therefore, she directly lives her life trough her daughter and has resigned and al about accepted that she is in the spill of her life unable to see the colours of the world.Another reason for her to abominate Michael is the obvious fact that he is stealing Zoe a itinerary. This seems to be her main moment with him. She thinks that he, due to his handicap, requires too much attention from Zoe, Hell need you off the beaten track(predicate) too much(l. 177, p. 5). To this Zoe replies, That should looking familiar, the n (l. 178, p. 5) as a reference book to what leads to another important issue in the text the narrator has, ever since Zoes father left her, been very dependant on Zoe. This is suggested in angiotensin converting enzyme of her streams ofconsciousness, Sometimes I felt Zoe and I were growing up together. Other times I felt like I were xi and she thirty(ll. 91 92, p. 3). The mother almost bursts into self-oscillation when she tells Michael about her memories with Zoe. This could lead to the conclusion that Zoe is used to taking responsibility for other people and, seen from a homespun psychological point of view, perhaps likes the fact that Michael re headways her of her mother in the way that he needs her.Another result of the mothers bareness and dependency on her daughter is the fact that she cannot let her go. She lives in the past and loves the memories of a time she refuses to leave, nor can she ever leave it unless she accepts the fact that Zoe is like a shot a grown up. She has her own life now. The bird has flown. So mayhap she should just handle her over to Michael. After all he is not a maniac killer or anything. He seems rather nice and Zoe really loves him, just now the narrator simply is too jealous to be happy for her daughter, Zoe turns, smiling at him with so much light in her eyes that I have to look away (ll. 74 75, p. 3).The author leaves, in a very discrete but intelligent and abysmally interesting way, many symbols and details for further interpretation. For instance, a visual description of the narrator has been left out. Therefore, she appears as a set of thoughts, which on iodine side means that the events that take place in the story a lot are followed by the narrators streams of consciousness, which work perfectly intimately and gives the proofreader a great understanding of the mothers actions and issues. However, on the other side it creates a paradox and it is very ironic seen in relation to the mothers prejudice tow ards Michaels blindness. We do not see her from the outside. We only see her from the inside. In other words, we see her scarce as Michael would see her. This makes her a victim of a blind reader. It is a funny and interesting detail from the writer. Another paradox is the fact that the narrator plays the cello and when Zoe & Michael leaves and she finds herself in despair she listens to Vivaldi. It is funny how she finds comfort in something audial, music, when she sees Michaels blindness as something finite, as the end of beauty.Perhaps the most important symbol is, as the title suggests, the Juggler whosort of frames the story. At the radical Michael, Zoe and the mother are going to the cinema. On their way to the cinema the narrator sees a man who juggles smilingly with a basin and some swords. Suddenly, he loses the basin and the narrator grasps Michaels shoulder as were she frightened by the fact that the juggler had failed. At the end of the story the narrator sees the jugg ler again but this time she has got a new realization. She envies his fearlessness, Whenever he drops something, he smiles and reaches down and juggles at a time again(). And without fear. Fear of being ridiculed () (ll. 111 216, p. 6) She also reflects on the fact that he allways juggles with 2 of one kind and one of another. As if an equal trinity is impossible. As if a trinity requires differences. Perhaps Michael, Zoe and the narrator are all the one of a another and the two of one kind at the said(prenominal) time.Watching the Juggler leads to the incredibly beautiful ending sentence that reveals some horizontal surface of regret in the mother. I want to believe in credence and risk and a world where you can stand beneath the greyish October sky and flash your own colors through the air like a magician (218 -221, p. 6). Do these thoughts not sum up the nerve of life? Faith and risk. Roman philosopher, Lucius Annaeus Seneca once said, Luck is what happens when preparatio n meets prospect in other words you have to keep an open mind and be ready to take your chances when they occur we make our own luck. It is not enough to sit and wait for your turn. You have to confront life You have to fight a little. The mother blows her chances.Beauty is all around her The Juggler who is not afraid of failing, the wonderful idyllic canoe trip, her daughter who is madly in love with a good man who makes her eyes light like phosphorescence in the see of the night. Is that not the dream of any parent, to see your nestling happy? Ironically, she realizes this to late, which is the common issue in life. It is always about quantify and balance like juggling. Like flashing your colours in the downslope of your life. Like letting your beloved child fly on and feel happiness. Like defying the never-ending storms of despair and uncertainty. Like living.Beauty takes risks.