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All the books in the world, but one...

Started by He11blazer,

64 posts in this topic

joe_collector

joe_collector

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I finally got to read this (using IE on another PC) and found it a bit strange. I mean, he just carried the book for a few minutes, never even read it, and it clearly wasn't that important to him at the time. I just didn't see the motivation for this life-long guilt. (shrug)

 

Are we to read into it that the little Tea girl became more important to him later, potentially dating or marrying her later on, or maybe she died young, never forgiving him? Or maybe it's something that actually happened to the author, and we're purposefully not being given the necessary background?

 

Once again, no motivation and although it started extremely well, the flashback made little sense.

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He11blazer

He11blazer

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I finally got to read this (using IE on another PC) and found it a bit strange. I mean, he just carried the book for a few minutes, never even read it, and it clearly wasn't that important to him at the time. I just didn't see the motivation for this life-long guilt. (shrug)

 

Are we to read into it that the little Tea girl became more important to him later, potentially dating or marrying her later on, or maybe she died young, never forgiving him? Or maybe it's something that actually happened to the author, and we're purposefully not being given the necessary background?

 

Once again, no motivation and although it started extremely well, the flashback made little sense.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head with your speculations. I often enjoy having something unexplained like that. Like you, I imagine something along the lines of... oh... his childhood friend felt betrayed by him and their friendship never recovered, they lost touch and later in life he realised that her's was the truest friendship of his life. You know the sort of thing :)

 

In this story the details of the narrative are relatively unimportant. I think it is more about trying to convey certain feelings of nostalgia - of something beautiful and sweet from memory that is nevertheless painful to recall because it is now lost. Both the old man and the bookseller felt something similar.

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mjacobs8

mjacobs8

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I finally got to read this (using IE on another PC) and found it a bit strange. I mean, he just carried the book for a few minutes, never even read it, and it clearly wasn't that important to him at the time. I just didn't see the motivation for this life-long guilt. (shrug)

 

Are we to read into it that the little Tea girl became more important to him later, potentially dating or marrying her later on, or maybe she died young, never forgiving him? Or maybe it's something that actually happened to the author, and we're purposefully not being given the necessary background?

 

Once again, no motivation and although it started extremely well, the flashback made little sense.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head with your speculations. I often enjoy having something unexplained like that. Like you, I imagine something along the lines of... oh... his childhood friend felt betrayed by him and their friendship never recovered, they lost touch and later in life he realised that her's was the truest friendship of his life. You know the sort of thing :)

 

In this story the details of the narrative are relatively unimportant. I think it is more about trying to convey certain feelings of nostalgia - of something beautiful and sweet from memory that is nevertheless painful to recall because it is now lost. Both the old man and the bookseller felt something similar.

 

I think i'ts' all there.

 

For me, it was all about him sucumbing to peer pressure, selling out and seeking the approval of those who would matter little to him. No need to futher explain his relationship with Tea, a defining shot at indivduality was lost, ,just like the book..

 

The question asked of him by the old man was unwelcome, he shared no feeling of nostalgia, only self loathing and regret .

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He11blazer

He11blazer

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For me, it was all about him sucumbing to peer pressure, selling out and seeking the approval of those who would matter little to him. No need to futher explain his relationship with Tea, a defining shot at indivduality was lost, ,just like the book..

 

Good angle, yes I agree :)

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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For me, it was all about him sucumbing to peer pressure, selling out and seeking the approval of those who would matter little to him. No need to futher explain his relationship with Tea, a defining shot at indivduality was lost, ,just like the book..

 

Obviously that's what the flashback intends, but it still doesn't explain his motivation and guilt for losing that specific book, which he admittedly didn't really read, didn't think was that important, and only had in his hands for a few minutes. The "All the books in the world, but one" story simply didn't match the flashback.

 

More like "All the girls in the world, but one".

 

I still think this is an allegory for something that personally happened to the author, and we're purposely not being told some required information. Authors always dredge skeletons out of their personal closets, but most prefer not to dig too deep.

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joeypost

joeypost

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I finally got to read this (using IE on another PC) and found it a bit strange. I mean, he just carried the book for a few minutes, never even read it, and it clearly wasn't that important to him at the time. I just didn't see the motivation for this life-long guilt. (shrug)

 

Are we to read into it that the little Tea girl became more important to him later, potentially dating or marrying her later on, or maybe she died young, never forgiving him? Or maybe it's something that actually happened to the author, and we're purposefully not being given the necessary background?

 

Once again, no motivation and although it started extremely well, the flashback made little sense.

 

Maybe it wasn't the book that was important. It was what the book represented. Even if he did not read it he would have to realise the importance of who gave it to him, and why.

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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Even if he did not read it he would have to realise the importance of who gave it to him, and why.

 

That's why I stated the title would probably be better stated as "All the little girls in the world, but one."

 

That is, if we assume his actions cost him a good friend he still thinks about today. But getting that book back today would mean absolutely nothing, hence the total lack of motivation for the actual book.

 

He lost a friend, and a part of himself, not a book.

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joeypost

joeypost

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Even if he did not read it he would have to realise the importance of who gave it to him, and why.

 

That's why I stated the title would probably be better stated as "All the little girls, but one."

 

Ah! I missed that.

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UnRested Spectre

UnRested Spectre

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:hi: Hiyo!

 

:cry: ... oh my god! I hate you for posting that link to that read! It got me crying so badly that I rushed through my comic collection (After I already sorted it and put it alphabeticle order) for my first comic. I even after read it and crying up a bit... I went to my basement to look for my first book.

 

:pullhair: ... you have rewoken something in me that I thought long ago I have lost!

 

:angel: (Thanks for the posting!)

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Lego

Lego

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I finally got to read this (using IE on another PC) and found it a bit strange. I mean, he just carried the book for a few minutes, never even read it, and it clearly wasn't that important to him at the time. I just didn't see the motivation for this life-long guilt. (shrug)

 

Are we to read into it that the little Tea girl became more important to him later, potentially dating or marrying her later on, or maybe she died young, never forgiving him? Or maybe it's something that actually happened to the author, and we're purposefully not being given the necessary background?

 

Once again, no motivation and although it started extremely well, the flashback made little sense.

 

She (Tea) wrote and drew the book herself and gave it to him as a gift. It was a sweet gesture and he felt terrible for succumbing to the peer pressure and letting "some girl" destroy it. He even tried to retrieve it when his friend was waving it about in the air. There's really not a lot happening "between the panels"; it's a pretty simple read.

 

I think you should try giving it a closer look.

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