Denamarie Ercolani

As English majors we can't shy away from books that we think are confusing and disinteresting and this was definitely confusing and disinteresting.
The 999 lines seemed everlasting and soo florid. The sporadic ideas and thoughts that ran through the author's mind is shown through the style and language. In the foreword, it is mentioned that Shade was a methodical man and would recopy his lines on cards labeled as his corrected draft or first fair copy. Without the commentary, the text holds no human reality because the lines depend entirely on the reality of the author which we would not know without the commentary presented as well.

The lines 235-237 stood out the most to me while reading this poem/novel.

Life is a message scribbled in the dark.
Anonymous.
Espied on a pine's bark

The passion brought from the author and intense emotion put into these few lines shows not only the overall idea and thought of the poem but also the author's aspect of life.
We never know what is going to happen in life. The darkness symbolizes our sense of wonder and expectation of life.