Reading Zia Haider Rahman's "In the Light of What We Know" #1
I caught some dramatic irony at the close of chapter 8.
In the chapter, four characters discuss the Bangladesh Liberation War / Indo-Pak War of 1971. The discussion touches upon the American reluctance to intervene in the situation (genocide) in East Pakistan / Bangladesh -- because of Kissinger's intent to use Pakistan as an intermediary in establishing a relationship with China.
After the discussion is over, the narrator says.
With this world-historical sort of dramatic irony being employed here, I was reminded of an essay by Michael Chabon on Thomas Pynchon's last novel, Bleeding Edge. Chabon made much of Pynchon's use of dramatic irony in the essay (published in NYRB), usage that Chabon contended was a first for Pynchon.
I've read Bleeding Edge, and it is nowhere as good a novel as ITLOWWK is. Still, let me describe the moment of world-historical dramatic irony as used in that one. The year is 2000, and two people are having lunch at Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top floor of one of the Twin Towers.
In the chapter, four characters discuss the Bangladesh Liberation War / Indo-Pak War of 1971. The discussion touches upon the American reluctance to intervene in the situation (genocide) in East Pakistan / Bangladesh -- because of Kissinger's intent to use Pakistan as an intermediary in establishing a relationship with China.
After the discussion is over, the narrator says.
Anyway, all this will come out, my mother concluded. It's only two decades since the way, but it will all come out, including the American role in it. They have a thirty year rule, don't they? I mean their official documents are released after thirty years, no?
She looked around for confirmation, but no one seemed to know.
So, she continues, American shenanigans in Pakistan will come out in 2001 and 2002 and then questions will be asked. These days no one needs Pakistan as an intermediary for anything.Well, that's dramatic irony. We all know what happened in 2001-02, and we all know how Pakistan's intermediation became necessary for America post that.
With this world-historical sort of dramatic irony being employed here, I was reminded of an essay by Michael Chabon on Thomas Pynchon's last novel, Bleeding Edge. Chabon made much of Pynchon's use of dramatic irony in the essay (published in NYRB), usage that Chabon contended was a first for Pynchon.
I've read Bleeding Edge, and it is nowhere as good a novel as ITLOWWK is. Still, let me describe the moment of world-historical dramatic irony as used in that one. The year is 2000, and two people are having lunch at Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top floor of one of the Twin Towers.
There happens to be a more-than-moderate wind blowing that day, making the tower sway back and forth in five-, what feel like ten-foot excursions. On days of storm, according to Horst’s co-tenant Jake Pimento, it’s like being in the crow’s nest of a very tall ship, allowing you to look down at helicopters and private planes and neighboring high-rises. “Seems kind of flimsy up here,” to Ziggy.
“Nah,” sez Jake. “Built like a battleship.”
There.
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