Clara by Kurt Palka

Interest Level: Adult
Reading Level: Unknown

Genre: Historical Fiction

Currently on pg. 48, chapter 6

Yeah! Look at me reading a book written for adults as opposed to young adult literature. This story is set in the 1930's during the prelude to World War II. As of now, I am still trying to get all the characters straight. The jump back from present day to the 1930's was a bit hard to follow but I think I am caught up.

On page 18, Clara, a college student in Vienna, listens to a lecture on Thrownness (a philosophy referring to the circumstances that characterize a person's existence that are beyond the person's control) given by German philosopher Martin Heidegger. At some point in the lecture, Heidegger shares that "At the moment of birth, ... Life is an involuntary leap into existence, and by the time you are conscious, you know that all this is rather pointless and will end in oblivion. There is no other possibility. So why not just wait and enjoy the fall. There must be something interesting along the way. The view, perhaps. The flowers passing, designs in the rock-face as you fall. A kiss from some stranger. ... Knowing that may help. Help with what? Well, with making a game out of it. A game. Something to take your mind off the inherent randomness and pointlessness of the entire thing itself. A project, a coming-to-yourself, being in control of yourself as you plunge, which is the only way to survive. We must live as if life mattered, so to speak." I am unsure if I find this statement comforting or just interesting.