Observing Oddity

           For this week, I read over the story, "Jack" by China Mieville.

           While the story may be tilted "Jack," the narrator constantly refers to Jack as a separate character, working for him and hanging upon many of his actions or dialogues with increased personal reconciliation. Jack dominates the majority of this story, possibly as a representation for obsession, as Jack "half-a-prayer" takes central interest for our main character as he follows the career, downfall, and subsequent aftermath of Jack. Every single event and thought has something to do directly or tie with Jack, with very little or possibly no real break in the narrator's constant fixation with Jack. Even the way paragraphs are structured there is a constant repetition of Jack's name, further driving ideals of obsession.


            For a majority of the the novel,  there are more cerebral, more inner-based thought provoking conceptualizations of the events transpiring. Not many of their monologging stays upon direct observations, but instead stating what is going on, and elaborating upon that with analogy upon metaphors and other literary devices. This story starts off telling how a crook is caught and brought in by authorities, and ends up touching concepts relating to the randomness of one's luck, fate, and the self serving nature of desperate men. Like many of these "odd" stories, the base surface story is not necessarily as important or even relevant to the actual morals and world views hidden within these narratives.