"Repent Harlequin"

In the story, “Repent Harlequin,” the author examines the intangible aspect of time. The writing itself reminded me of something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, some whimsical fairy tale with gizmos and gadgets, but as I read on, I felt this particular fairy tale had a much darker and grim side. It was hard to get into the story, because as a reader I am so used to reading beginning, middle and end, so it challenged me to open my mind to the theory of starting in the middle. The theme of fighting against the norm and social constructs of society and rebelling against the life you are told to live run throughout the excerpt. I particularly liked the line on page 878, where the Ticktockman is speaking about the making of a man.

"This is what he is," said the Ticktockman with genuine softness,

"but not who he is. This time-card I'm holding in my left hand has a

name on it, but it is the name of what he is, not who he is. The cardioplate

here in my right hand is also named, but not whom named, merely

what named. Before I can exercise proper revocation, I have to know

who this what is.” Page 878

I liked this part because it addressed that what a person might do for a living is not what a person is, and that sometimes within our society we attach value to a career or money or what a person might possess and not to who that person really is, based on their soul and good deeds that that do.