Axl and Beatrice are being denied a simple flame to
keep them comfortable at night. They live in a mud cave of many chambers on the
side of a hill amongst their small Briton community. Described as looking
similar to a rabbit warren, the elderly couple have the smallest room. They
seem to remember having lived in the center of the community, but now are at
the end with the room connected to the community and the outside.
Beatrice hardly ever complains, but she feels the lack
of a candle is disrespectful. Axl has intervened a couple of times when she
brings up the fact to community leaders. Why are they denied light? Does the
community feel they cannot be trusted to extinguish it before sleeping or
leaving the room? Is this the way they are to be treated in their old age? Are
they a foolish pair?
At night, when Axl and Beatrice lay down they are kept
warm by many wool blankets. A mere candle would not add heat but would allow
them to stay up a little later conversing. What is there to say, though? Axl
and Beatrice are losing their memories and have little to talk about.
It is an odd thing, but the community is also forgetting
even the smallest of events. Just last week, a little girl went missing and a
search party was organized. The girl returned on her own a couple of hours
later and her mother acted as if she was out tending the chickens and nothing
more.
The search party came back after another couple of
hours discussing some bird they saw while returning from a long forgotten
quest. They joined the community at the great fire in the center of the warren
to share the news of the wren eagle only to forget and start arguing over
whether they saw shepherds on the hill during their return.
Beatrice has a theory. She thinks the shared
forgetfulness is caused by the mist that surrounds the hill and the caves
below. When it is thicker, all memory is erased and when it is thin she can at
least remember her day and retell it to Axl.
It is because of this dishonor with the candle and the
community forgetfulness that Axl and Beatrice decide to leave the warren for
their son’s home far away. They feel they must go soon for they may forget they
have a son and even lose his name.
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro is his seventh
book taking ten years to write. This author of The Remains of the Day and
Never Let Me Go is stretching his talent by producing a never before told
fantasy with amazing twists and turns that may make forgotten memories a
blessing.
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