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Leviathan

Paul Auster

242 Pages
2014

Leviathan

Faber & Faber

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Leviathan - Summary

When Benjamin Sachs, a reclusive writer, dies in a mysterious explosion in northern Wisconsin, his friend Peter Aaron investigates the truth behind his death and the radical path his life had taken. Through Aaron's investigation, the novel explores themes of identity, fate, and human understanding, unraveling the complex circumstances that led to Sachs's transformation from a novelist to someone involved in a bizarre artistic project involving explosives.

Key Themes

1

The Elusive Nature of Identity

The novel explores identity's fluid nature through Sachs and Aaron. Sachs transforms from a novelist to someone with a new identity involved in explosive art, while Aaron questions his own identity as he chronicles his friend's life.

2

The Unpredictability of Fate

The novel emphasizes how chance encounters and unforeseen events can dramatically alter life's course, demonstrated through Sachs's transformation after a random encounter with a mysterious woman.

3

The Power and Peril of Storytelling

Through Aaron's narrative reconstruction of Sachs's life, the novel examines the relationship between truth, memory, and narrative, questioning the reliability of storytelling and the subjective nature of truth.

FAQ's

While 'Leviathan' can be enjoyed as a standalone novel, it shares thematic and stylistic elements with Auster's other works, particularly his New York Trilogy.

While 'Leviathan' is a work of fiction, Auster masterfully blurs the lines between reality and invention. The novel's exploration of political extremism and its consequences resonates deeply, prompting reflection on real-world events.

The title alludes to the biblical sea monster, often interpreted as a symbol of chaos and the uncontrollable forces of nature. This foreshadows the chaotic and unpredictable turns the narrative takes, mirroring the turbulent inner lives of the characters.

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