Bolano is a new author to me, I thought I'd post the link for his short story Clara in case anyone would enjoy reading it. He's an interesting writer.

http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/featur ... ion_bolano

I've just read 'Clara' and you know what it reminded me of? "Brief Encounter" The narration by one of the main characters in details as though they were giving account in a court of law - like their life and freedom depended heavily on getting every minor detail correct and in the right order makes it in one sense easy and gripping to read and in another not so. I would have like to have seen 'Clara' on film. Possibly done in a very similar way to 'Brief Encounter'. Classically and simply.

Clara had obviously become the obbesssion of this mans life, and leaves questions unanswred. WHY did Clara grip him so tightly? What was it about her that meant he could not put her to the back of his mind and carry on with his own life instead of dragging her around in his head and heart.
Most of us do at some point in time have obsessional 'delusions' about what could be 'if only' but generally they do not last long as lust quickly wanes.

Are we to believe that he really did love clara in the truest sense of the word but felt inadequate and unable to act upon it? Did he feel he was never good enough? or was Clara not good enough for him despite his insatiable need to know every aspect of her life?

Either way, I wonder what happened to him after Clara's death from cancer?

Ahhh, but notice that the story doesn't say she died. She disappeared at the end, and the husband wants the narrator to be friends, and console him.
The whole thing is very odd.

I have a few ideas on the story, probably improbable, but I love twisty theories.
I wondered if the narrator and Clara were actually one and the same person, almost a doppleganger story. Nothing is known about the narrator's life...a son is mentioned briefly once when mentioning her son. Plus the opposing descriptions of women at the beginning and end of the story, both in dreams of his.

Oddness. I like it.

I thought about them being one and the same myself, it's very propable we're dealing with a lonely man who invented 'Clara' as his supposedly girlfriend in his own mind, as a comfort to him in some way.

I did notice that Clara's death wasn't mentioned at the end, and I naturally fell for the supposition that is suggested but not proven by words, but I didn't do it unconsciously. I guess I let myself be led down that road because it was an easy summosition at 7am in the morning - the time I read the story, I'm not sure. I do remember realizing at the time that her death was merely suggested in the background of all events.

As in 'Brief Encounter' the story is narrated by one of the main characters. The story never really happened yet we are led to believe that it did. We are given the supposition that the woman ( or in the story of 'Clara' the man ) is telling her/his story about love found in an unlikely situation and love lost at the point of truth. How many women in unhappy marriages dream of such a thing? Dream of being brave enough to give love up as an act of valor or even plain humanity to the man she is unhappily tied to at the time?

Is it not possible that Bolano is the same? Clara could well be a figmant of his imagination created by desperation and unhappiness? Maybe not even his own, but one witnessed by a friend/relative or work colleague.

The ability to put oneself into another shoes and see the world from a different perpective is a gift all authors hold on to with vigor. It's the crux of all their stories. Imamgination has to have it's roots set somewhere afterall doesn't it?

I wonder if Bolano presented the story after watching the above mentioned film? Maybe it was a favourite? maybe it's a film he remembers somewhere in his unconsciouness and created 'Clara' around that? Maybe they've never seen it at all?

I love stories with a twist too, but have to admit it depends what I have going on in my own life at the time. If it's crazy here I love things pure and simple. A beginning, a middle and a believable and plausible end. If all is normal them something to get me thinking, twisting possibilities and stretching the imagination is all good!

I haven't seen Brief Encounter, but looked it up on Amazon....wow! I have to see that. I love Trevor Howard anyhow. /yum/

I hadn't considered that it was all in his imagination. Good point, it could well be just that.

Have you read any more in the series Katherine? I'm currently reading 'pumpkin Head'

I don't see Pumpkin Head in The Art of the Story Issi. Is that what you meant?

AIE:...Oh! Gotcha! No, I haven't, but I will.

Well, I read Pumpkin Head earlier tonight. Very disturbing. I believe that may be the first thing I've read by Oates, I wonder how typical it is of her writing.

I mean, really, you could see that guy was a creep from the get-go, and letting him come out to the house, and then, good grief!, letting him IN the house. Creepiness.
I know she says she was protected in her life before, but good grief woman, listen to your vibes! And to think that she could reject him and triumph?

What do you think she meant by "crossing-over time"?
Light to dark?
Life to death?

I'll read "Clara" tonight so i will post my thoughts tomorrow

I've just finished the story (decided to read it during my late lunch break). I was wondering if the fact that Clara "dissapeared" can mean that Clara stopped being his obsession? Maybe he managed somehow to free himself? After all there appears another woman. Or maybe the fantasy was exchanged with reality - he managed to notice differences between how life is and how it appeared to be when he was young? Anyhow i guess with this type of story and ending everyone will have his own ideas

With the dream he had at the beginning about Clara, and then the dream at the end about the new unknown girl, it was almost as though he was exchanging one fantasy/personality/obsession for another. I thought of the dreams as bookends.

We never really learned anything about the narrator himself.
You're right Durga, we can interpret it in many ways, each interesting.

Meant to say Issi...I rented Brief Encounter through Amazon and, I don't think there is any question as to whether the incident happened or not, do you really think it could have been a figment of her imagination? Wishful thinking? That'd be interesting, but it isn't the impression I got from the story.
I wasn't familiar with the lead actress, but of course I know and admired Trevor Howard. He was tops.

I never thought of the story in that way until you said Katherine, it's very possible they could be one of the same and weird how the death is not mentioned at the end.

I do love these short stories, especially ones like this that are open ended and keep you guessing

I have seen a book in Waterstones that is full of many shorts which I would love to get, I'm trying to remember the name of the author. I shall post a link when it comes back to me.

Oh yeah, without doubt! Being stuck for a time in a loveless marriage, it is so easy to dream of meeting the perfect lover. Being loved the way you want to be, the way you feel you deserve to be is a thought that can occupy your mind from time to time.
Born out of a need to be wanted, to be loved for who you are, to be respected and of course to give as you want to take.
To find someone who works on your level, your soul mate and to know that this is the meaning of real love is something every man or woman dreams of at some point in their lives no matter how young or old.

I am quite sure that it is possible to dream 'A brief encounter' for a while. Like day dreaming, it serves it's purpose but at some point reality calls. When reality calls you have no choice but to take it. I think in 'BNrief Encounter' she was bored. Taken for granted she needed an outlet. A mother and a wife, everyone wanting or needing things from her she had no time to be her anymore. Feeling disregarded it would have been so easy for her to dream her lover up, engulf in the romance of dreams and then end it with going back home to children and hubby.

Her husband noticed towards the end that she had been 'elsewhere' and that he was 'glad to have her back' Maybe the early onset of the menopause gave her cause to relive what she fears is now lost forever? who knows.

Just my one little take on it

I like it Issi. But I like a different take on a story, everything you say is true, I'm going to watch it again, with all of that in mind. It did have that "perfect" air about it for sure.

When you rent from Amazon, it stays on your computer for 7 days. Not a bad deal.

LOL.. let me know how you think my take on it sits with you after you've watched it again! I'd be very interested to know

Good deal!! have to admit Amazon right now is coming up tops with me for lots of reasons too!

I will.

Amazon also provides the player to run the movie...Amazon Unbox. Downloads in just a little while, and the movie downloads FAST.