[KlaraNovikoffa]

This has not been translated into English yet

M.,
Damn. That means I can't read it until I learn German and/or French. Impressive review, by the way. Very comprehensive. Jahnn sounds like a powerful author. It's no wonder he is one of your favorites. From how you describe Perrudja in your review, I, too, can see why some people might find it overwhelming. This particular statement you made stood out:
No matter how much we may retreat, we are always, to an extent, complicit in the things we don't try to stop. Running away does not absolve you of things.
This is an issue I have examined, and, ultimately, I concur with your opinion. However, it's tricky subject, and one that Hannah Arendt explores in much of her work. I think it's usually difficult to admit that we are guilty in a situation in which we don't take a necessarily active role. Perrudja's incredulity at finding out that he is master of over a "hundred million slaves" is not surprising. I would imagine he must also have a significant amount of difficulty coming to terms with the fact that he was part of a system that brought about a large number of atrocities. It's interesting to think of Perrudja as a "not-hero." If his wife considers him to be a not-hero, as opposed to a hero, whom she describes as someone who "acts upon desires and makes them come true," it would be intriguing to find out how she would define an "anti-hero," and what distinction she (and perhaps critics of this book) would make between the two terms: not-hero and anti-hero. Any thoughts on this?

yours,
Titania