By Laura Wallace


There are stories and books that you only read once and forget as you close the last cover. Other stories echo through your life and redefine your perception of reading henceforth. Behind the Blue Curtain is a masterpiece by Steven Millhauser featuring a young curious boy who usually goes to the theater on Saturday evenings with his father. However, he decides that it is time to go alone. This is a decision that will change his life forever.

Boys at his age are comfortable being accompanied by their father. However, the protagonist chooses a unique path where he goes alone. His desire is to understand how the world works. He is interested in insight and knowledge as opposed to material wealth. This is an outstanding trait for a boy of his age.

The author has cleverly used the first person narrative approach. The aim is to make it appear as though you are listening to a story straight from the mouth of the boy. This is different from reading a book or hearing about third parties. The style makes it easier to relate to the quest or journey of this main character. It is a journey of discovery because he feels that his father is protecting him from something dark.

The author is not straightforward on where the book is set. However, descriptions indicate that the events take place in summer. Most of these events also happen in the theater and in a period somewhere in the twentieth century. While the protagonist is a young boy, nothing in this narrative makes it sound like the flip flop boyhood narratives.

The story takes another trajectory with the appearance of a woman. The description given is that of mirrors and reflections. This is a clever style used by the author to show the similarities in the journeys of the lady and the main character. It forms part of the rich stylistics employed by the author to communicate.

Conflict is excellently displayed in a character who has to choose between living the false bubble or the enlightened reality. If the old is to go, death must occur. This happens as he falls asleep in the office of the theater janitor. Rising up or reborn is signified by his awakening in the form of a dream. This is a resolution of prevailing conflict and justification of enlightenment.

Transformation upon acquisition of knowledge is a central them running through the story. The author uses light and passage through the candelabras to signify the journey. Another commendable element is how the author describes scenes and characters to make them understandable. This book is stylistically rich and easy to relate for readers of all kind.

The mode of narration makes the story one of the best you will ever read. The curious nature of this main character also reflects in almost everyone at a certain point in life. This makes for a universal read. With well-developed characters and themes, you have a perfect narrative for both leisure reading as well as academic pursuit.




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