Originally Posted by Karen 5th October 2006


In the chapter entitled Dark Heaven on pages 302 - 303 Balashov is having a conversation with the horse Omar ( which he likens to having a conversation with himself) where he tells about his lies and that one lie "gives birth to other lies" he goes on to tell Omar "I do not think I am a good angel, and an angel must be perfect." He continues "I returned from the vision of a dark Heaven this evening saying that Christ offered me a red hot sword. This was true. But I said his face was full of sorrow, and it was a lie, Omar! Christ was laughing! He was holding out the sword with is burned hands and he was laughing at me."
What do you think Meek was trying to show us about Balashov at this point in the story?

Herestoyou

For me, I took this to mean that Balashov finally realized that his castration didn't bring him any closer to God. Religious extremism in any form doesn't make you any holier. As he admitted, he had lied to save his own skin and not think of others. So, Christ is laughing at him because his extreme act of castration didn't make him closer to God as evidenced by some of his other actions.

However, he does redeem himself in the end by taking the stand against Matula to help save his village.

Karen


Yes he does. I think he did realize that what he did, really didn't make him more perfect.

Nurseanne8


Balashov is going through a bit of soul-searching and figures out that even thought he completed the act of castration he really was not able to live the life as an "angel" without resorting to lies. Meek gives the reader a clue of the Balashov's previous skills as a horseman and swordsman on page when 219-when he describes a meeting between Matula and Balashov-Mutz relates that facing Balashov in battle would be more terrible than facing the megalomanic Matula. Meek gives the reader a clue of events to come when he describes Balashov's vision-I see the red hot sword as a representation of the sword that Balashov will use in his attack against Matula. Balashov realizes that he is turning his back on God and will not "mount the white horse" to heaven. Meek's description of the lies that Balashov recounted and his mental anguish-make me believe that Balashov's attack on Matula was possibly an act of suicide or a death wish-which can be taken at face value as heroism-but Balashov was not a hero-I feel he used the castration and membership in the sect as an "honorable cover" for his desertion from the army.

Herestoyou

Yes, I agree. I think he knew he would end up dead, you can tell from the way he says good-bye to Anna. I think he wanted to do this to make up for all that he had put Anna through and his son. Yes, I believe his castration was also to relieve the guilt of surviving the battle and as you said, a way to deal with he desertion.