Nicole Krauss' The History of Love - Essay Example

These ideas are illustrated in the life of the characters in the novel, particularly Leo Gursky. In the novel, change is commonly associated with distance, and Krauss illustrates this idea in the life of Gursky. As for Gursky, the world after the war and the departure of Alma has changed considerably that he resolved to isolate himself from the rest of the world. In the statement, it seems that Gursky holds on to the thought of meeting the sender of the letter because he hopes to find a connection between himself and the world outside his own emotional confines.

The statement is also related to the line “the physical distance between two people using a string was often small; sometimes the smaller the distance, the greater the need for the string” (111). Considering the changes that occurred in his life, Gursky attempts to bridge the gap between himself and the fast pace of the changing world. The statement also shows the inevitability of sadness due to loving and losing someone. Throughout the novel, Krauss illustrates the beauty of life and loving; however, she does not fail to show the sad part of those aspects of life.

Specifically, Krauss illustrates the plight of Gursky as the effects of losing someone. Further, Krauss states the inevitability of sadness in the line: “there are two types of people in the world; those who prefer to be said among others, and those who prefer to be sad alone” (155). With this statement, Krauss seems to generalize that all people are sad; people just handle their loneliness in different ways. In relation to what Krauss states in page 233, this line supports the idea that anticipation bridges distances.

It allows people, particularly the sad ones, to establish a connection in the world and distance themselves from the deteriorating effects of isolation. In the holistic view, the statement serves as the general idea of the novel; it illustrates the idea that life is full of surprises as depicted in the lives of the characters. The beauty of the novel lies in its capacity to spur the imagination of its readers. The statement is also related to the line: “all possible feelings do not exist, there are still those that lie beyond our capacity and our imagination” (107).

With this line, Krauss puts value on imagination, particularly in the life of Gursky as he deals with the realities of life, and the illusions of his past. As what Krauss said in page 233, life is full of surprises that can alter our direction in life, particularly in relation to the people and events that we are accustomed to. With this statement, Krauss suggests that people should be open to the opportunities that may come in life, notwithstanding the fact that those opportunities have the capacity either to hurt, or please us.

Although the novel is characterized with Krauss’ prolific and metaphorical use of language, the statement emerges as the most striking line as it captures the overall significance of the novel, particularly in its broader context of live, loving, and change. At the onset of the story and throughout its unfolding, Krauss establishes the complexities of living, particularly in dealing with loss and loneliness. The structure of the novel is complex as it involves a variety of literary techniques including the use of “