Waiting for the Barbarians

Waiting for the Barbarians begins by introducing two very different characters -- Colonel Joll and the narrator, the magistrate. I found both to be portrayed very well and I especially loved the use of the sunglasses to reveal character and the different lifestyles. Not only do the sunglasses keep Colonel Joll hidden and in a veil of mystery, but they represent the technology differences between the capital and the outskirted village. The sunglasses are new to the village; they are an invention that the villagers have never seen before.
I enjoy the writing and content. I find the writing to really connect the readers with the narrator and I find the story interesting.
I found that I don't care for Colonel Joll at all. I find him intimidating and cruel, not to mention superior-feeling. The narrator I like better. I find him to be an easy-going, simple man who finds himself wrapped up in more than he expected because he has a heart. I found his sympathy for the prisoners to be appropriate and appreciated his efforts of kindness and good treatment towards the boy captive. I also found his thoughts on torture and reflections on "clean" and "unclean" men to be very interesting. They were a great representation of the different cultures and the "old school" versus "new school." He seems to be a fair and decent man, and it was very kind of him to bring the blind woman back to the village with him. However, I find the dynamic between them to be very odd and I came to view him as kind of a manipulator some of the time. In conclusion, my views and opinions on the narrator are not fully formed, but he seems decent.

About 270 words