Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 37, Lights, Introspection, Cleanliness Summary

Chapter 37, Lights, Introspection, Cleanliness Summary

The librarian wakes up the Narrator and points at the unicorn skull on the table. It is aglow with a soft radiance. They are both surprised at the event and wonder at what it could possibly mean. The Narrator spends an inordinate amount of time focusing on small details of reality which appear to be without significance. They make small talk of their earlier lives; he had been married for several years but has been divorced for several years. In the early morning the Narrator makes the librarian a gift of the unicorn skull and tells her he will shortly be departing, probably permanently.

Chapter 37, Lights, Introspection, Cleanliness Analysis

The Narrator's introspection is peculiar and largely banal. He has no deep insights into the metaphysics of life or the meanings of existence; he simply observes small things and notes them in a catalogue of tiny facts. He enjoys the physical beauty of the librarian, for...
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