Haňtá’s boss, seen several times throughout the book, is actually a manifestation of Haňtá’s insecurities.
After an upsetting visit to the new press in Bubny, Haňtá returns to his own compacting station insecure and convinced he will soon be redundant. His boss awaits him, irritated and “bellowing” with “rage” over Haňtá’s long absence (72). Haňtá is too upset to “grasp everything” but is still immediately aware of “how vile [he] is” as the boss chants “nitwit, nitwit, nitwit,” prompting Haňtá to begin referring to himself as the “little...nitwit” (72). Haňtá’s boss has clearly revealed a deep insecurity of Haňtá’s. Fueled by a desire to prove himself as worthy competition to the Bubny men, Haňtá refuses to succumb to the allure of the books and ravenously guzzles milk only to be disappointed when he finds that his efforts have been to no avail as his boss has already written a letter suggesting that the higher-uppers “do with [Haňtá] as they [see] fit” (73). Haňtá’s boss has reinforced Haňtá’s sudden fear that he is ultimately useless when …show more content…
One night, after a particularly heavy day of drinking, Hanta’s boss pleads, on his knees, with Hanta to “stop pouring those pitchers of beer down [his] gullet” before it is too late. Hanta ignores his request, instead helping his boss up and reminding him of his dignity. He asks his boss for forgiveness, though he isn’t quite sure what he wants to be forgiven for, noting that it is customary of him to “even [ask] forgiveness of [himself] for being what [he is]” (47). In this case, Hanta’s boss and Hanta represent the warring sides of his brain. One side recognizes that Hanta’s alcoholism will eventually be the death of him while the other side has accepted that in order to enjoy compacting trash day in and day out, one has to be an
After an upsetting visit to the new press in Bubny, Haňtá returns to his own compacting station insecure and convinced he will soon be redundant. His boss awaits him, irritated and “bellowing” with “rage” over Haňtá’s long absence (72). Haňtá is too upset to “grasp everything” but is still immediately aware of “how vile [he] is” as the boss chants “nitwit, nitwit, nitwit,” prompting Haňtá to begin referring to himself as the “little...nitwit” (72). Haňtá’s boss has clearly revealed a deep insecurity of Haňtá’s. Fueled by a desire to prove himself as worthy competition to the Bubny men, Haňtá refuses to succumb to the allure of the books and ravenously guzzles milk only to be disappointed when he finds that his efforts have been to no avail as his boss has already written a letter suggesting that the higher-uppers “do with [Haňtá] as they [see] fit” (73). Haňtá’s boss has reinforced Haňtá’s sudden fear that he is ultimately useless when …show more content…
One night, after a particularly heavy day of drinking, Hanta’s boss pleads, on his knees, with Hanta to “stop pouring those pitchers of beer down [his] gullet” before it is too late. Hanta ignores his request, instead helping his boss up and reminding him of his dignity. He asks his boss for forgiveness, though he isn’t quite sure what he wants to be forgiven for, noting that it is customary of him to “even [ask] forgiveness of [himself] for being what [he is]” (47). In this case, Hanta’s boss and Hanta represent the warring sides of his brain. One side recognizes that Hanta’s alcoholism will eventually be the death of him while the other side has accepted that in order to enjoy compacting trash day in and day out, one has to be an