Although the novel Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders,
invites readers to explore the themes of perspective, grief, reality, and race,
it ultimately serves as a story about human empathy. This is revealed
throughout the relationships that the characters foster with each other and the
way in which these relationships shape their perspectives.
Perhaps the relationship between Bevins
and Vollman provides the clearest example of an empathetic breakthrough in the
novel. After spending an indefinite amount of time together in the Bardo, the
two men come to believe that they know all there is to know about each other.
Vollman describes this by saying, “Each night passed with a devastating sameness,”
to which Bevins adds, “I had heard Mr. Vollman’s story many thousands of times,
and had, I fear, told him my own at least as many times” (124). Yet, it is not until the men’s spirits intertwine
that they begin to authentically understand and empathize with the other’s
feelings. Bevins recounts, “So many years had I known this fellow and yet had
never really known him at all” (172). This phenomenon is expanded upon further
when the multitude of Bardo spirits join within each other and find that each
is able to remember more about the joys of his earthly life and to alter his
deformities back to a normal appearance (216). In this scene, it seems that
Saunders is suggesting that empathy fuels a more complete human understanding. Therefore,
it is only through allowing oneself to fully know one’s neighbor that one can
fully know oneself.
However,
the way in which Saunders employs empathy later in the novel seems to suggest
that it is not only a path to know oneself, but also to actively better
oneself. Within the Bardo, this is demonstrated in how Bevins, Vollman, and the
Reverend evolve in their reactions to the suffering child ghosts. After leaving
young Miss Traynor to be tortured, Bevins speaks for the three of them when he
claims the act “had always, in every minute since, gnawed at us” (331). It is
clear that the ghosts have learned from their dreadful reaction to Miss Traynor’s
situation, as they show no signs of apathy when encouraging young Willie to avoid
the same fate. Additionally, both Vollman and the Reverend sacrifice their last
few moments in the Bardo attempting to free the suffering children, and they do
so without any belief in possible redemption for themselves. Furthermore,
Lincoln serves as an example of bettering oneself through empathy outside of
the Bardo. The president is able to use the grief he suffered from the loss of
his son to truly understand the magnitude of the Civil War deaths, which
he describes as “someone’s boys” (155). Out of the sympathy he feels for the
families of these fallen soldiers, Lincoln finds the confidence he needs to lead
the efforts to win and end the war. In these ways, Saunders places a great deal
of emphasis on the underlying impact of empathy.
This post strengthened my view of the novel and its emphasis that empathy and kindness were desirable traits. The empathy displayed by Vollman, Thomas, and Bevins proves to be their saving grace. Only through kindness to Willie, and their struggle to protect him long enough to see his father, were they full able to remember their lives before death and become whole again. Vollman says "The knowledge of what we were was strong within us now, and would not be denied" (pg. 329). The underlying theme that empathy is our saving grace in times of trouble was shown through their change in character between Miss Traynor's situation and Lincolns.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion that empathy for others creates a complete understanding of yourself allows the relationships to be seen in a new light. Bevins and Vollman only gained a complete understanding of each other by joining. They had to walk a mile in the other person's shoes to fully understand. Lincoln's loss of his son, discussed in the last few lines, made him understand others loss. "Those mourners came up...Sons intact. Wearing on their faces enforced sadness-masks to hide any sign of their happiness...until lately I was one of them...because it had not yet happened to me" (pg. 155). Lincoln's loss made him realize the devastation of others, but also realize that this cost had to be made to save more lives in the end.
I am interested that in your analysis you find that Saunders considers empathy a strength rather than a weakness, especially in his male characters. At one point in the novel right after Willie’s death a historical account says, “his grief…made him a weak, passive child” (50) which suggests that Lincoln’s emotions are making him unable to function. However, you point out that Lincoln’s grief at his son’s death made him more sympathetic to the plights of the other parents losing children in the war and in the end, gives him strength to move forward. Also, I would like to add that Saunders shows us Lincoln’s empathy through his son, who is described as his “small mirror” (49). For example, Willie chooses to give his life savings to the Missionary Fund before he dies and “when confronted with some little unfairness, his face would darken” (53). Children often reflect their parents and I think that Willie reflects his father’s kindness. I also completely agree that having a more complete understanding of others makes you more able to understand yourself, and I actually find this to be very evident in the case of the Reverend Thomas, who finds new hope for redemption through his deeper understanding of Willie and Abraham Lincoln’s relationship.
ReplyDeleteI am in complete agreement with the original analysis and following comments concerning Saunders' use of empathy throughout the story. I also believe empathy plays such a major role in the novel, because it runs as an effective counter for another of Saunders' primary themes: division. Moving from the individual and fictional effects of empathy in the bardo, Saunders hints at the applicability of such lessons in the real world. With the Civil War as a backdrop to the novel, the most blatant disconnect exists between Lincoln and the public. Early on unfavorable opinions first arise regarding Lincoln’s dinner party. Sloane, one of the guests, claims the party represents the idiocy that drove the nation into an unnecessary war (Saunders 12). On the following page, he comments that the party is “A piggish and excessive display, in a time of war” (Saunders 13). While the comment contains some truth, there is an obvious unwillingness to understand Lincoln’s mindset in the matter. Later in the book there are also the numerous personal attacks on Lincoln’s character and judgement due to the war’s toll on the nation (Saunders 232-235). Yet, it is interesting as you mentioned, that Lincoln was also disconnected in his empathy to the people. This is evident when he says, “One thing to pull the lever when blind to the results,” signifying his former lack of understanding to the pain being caused (Saunders 155). In this way Saunders demonstrates the theme's real world applicability both in past and modern times.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Saunders places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of empathy. One of the ways he does this is by arguing that it is impossible to accomplish anything without thinking about bettering the world and having empathy for others. All of the residents of the bardo are solely focused on the one aspect of their lives that allows them to stay and they don’t want to change this. The bachelors are an extreme example; but they didn’t want to do anything that would have a “deleterious effect upon [their] ability to stay” (261). This is the mindset of the majority of bardo residents and they consider their day to day actions “the old bore” (125). They are stuck in this unproductive in between place as long as they are wholly focused on themselves and holding on to the past. After the ghosts had a mass cohabitation of Lincoln they were surrounded with the “will, memories, complaints, [and] desires” (252) of the other bardo residents. They understood where the other ghosts had come from and in turn gained a new empathy for them. It was this new found empathy that eventually allowed the bardo residents to let go of the selfish mindset that kept them in the bardo, help Willie, and move on. Saunders argues that without this empathy and concern for others, it is impossible to accomplish one’s goals and move forward in life.
ReplyDeleteYour analysis of the importance of empathy within the novel truly epitomizes what I believe to be the overarching theme. Empathy as a route to bettering oneself seems to be Saunder's message throughout his novel and also within his piece on Trump supporters. I would like to add that I can also see the importance of empathy being displayed within many of the historical sections of the novel as well. The sections which feature the White House staff discussing Willie's death and the angered countrymen who feel as though Lincoln is not doing enough for the war show another aspect of empathy. Empathizing with someone is not necessarily always in a positive sense. The historical sections I mentioned previously show that many were in agreement about hating Lincoln and that the death of Willie was suffered by many. I believe that part of Saunders' motives for including these sections was to normalize empathy throughout the entire novel -in the bardo and the real world.
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