An Introverted Perspective

As I was reading A Scanner Darkly, I developed quite a likeable disposition toward Bob Arctor (a.k.a. Fred), which is more than I can say about the other characters we encountered in the other novels so far. I connected with Arctor because of his want to not be bothered by all the matters and people in the world, only doing so because it is part of his job. For instance, after he receives his assignment to spy on himself from Hank, he goes home and just lays down, trying to find quiet moments where no one can bother him or tell him what to do, before he succumbs to the work.

In less dramatic circumstances, that is my natural response to undesirable tasks. Some of my more pleasant memories are coming home or getting back to my dorm room after getting through a rather unpleasant day where I thought I either embarrassed myself or I got annoyed at a superior, much like Arctor/Fred was annoyed at Hank. After all, no matter how unpleasant the outside world may be, there is always a place that is reserved just for me and no one else.

Arctor's behavior is the mark of a true introvert, which allows him time for self-reflection and reflection on others. In these times, we not only get a deeper understanding of his views, but we also receive hints on how he may react to solve his issues. It'll be interesting to see if his character continues to progress from just another jaded man to a game-changing character. (And yes, it is nearly 1:40 in the morning, so please ignore the probably incoherent mess of ideas established in the last two sentences. Consider them talking points to develop much further.)