In Colum McCann’s novel, Twist, the intricate world of undersea cable repair becomes a powerful metaphor for the complexities of human connection in the modern age. Through the eyes of a journalist, the story explores the lives of those who mend these critical links and the deeper relationships that are frequently enough severed. this thought-provoking novel delves into themes of isolation, identity, and the search for meaning, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in the power of human connection in a technologically driven world.
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Undersea Cables, Broken Connections: A Novel’s Exploration of Modern Isolation
Cape Town, South Africa – The vast network of undersea cables that crisscross the globe, enabling instant interaction, forms the unlikely backdrop for Colum McCann’s novel, Twist. The story,as observed through the eyes of Anthony Farrell,a journalist grappling with his own personal disconnections,delves into the lives of those tasked with repairing these vital links and the deeper human connections thay represent.
The Mission: Repair and Reflection
Farrell, seeking a story of “repair,” joins the Georges Lecointe, a ship dedicated to mending ruptured undersea cables. Though, his focus quickly shifts from the technical task to the enigmatic Chief of Mission, John Conway, an Irishman whose guarded nature and complex relationships become the central mystery of the narrative.
The Rupture: The novel highlights that these cable breaks are not always sudden snaps, but often a “gradual pulling apart,” reflecting the certain severances in human relationships.
The Setting: The initial meeting between Farrell and Conway in a “stuffy colonial hotel” underscores the sense of displacement and unease that permeates the story.
Conway: A Modern Gatsby?
Farrell’s fascination with Conway evokes comparisons to F.scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. He writes elegiacally of Conway, understanding early on that he will be lost to him, describing him as having “a heart full of petrol, and when a match was put to it, it flared.” This hints at a self-destructive intensity beneath Conway’s reserved exterior.
Zanele: The Authentic Voice
Conway’s south African partner, Zanele, emerges as a pivotal figure, representing the “real South Africa” and offering insightful commentary on the broader implications of their work. Her career takes an unexpected turn when she finds celebrity through a Samuel Beckett production, marred by a violent incident.
climate change Connection: Zanele contextualizes the cable ruptures, explaining that climate change causes underwater landslides, carrying “four billion tons of waste every year” that sever the deepsea cables. She laments, “If we had any sense, we would all die of shame.”
Thematic Threads: Entanglement and Severance
the novel explores the symbolism of these undersea cables as metaphors for interpersonal ties, severances, and different kinds of entanglement. Farrell reflects on the irony that while these wires can transmit an email to his estranged son in Chile, a handwritten letter might be more effective in restoring their connection.
The Journalist’s dilemma
Farrell’s role as a journalist aboard the Georges Lecointe becomes increasingly complicated. His unlimited internet access sets him apart from the crew, who are limited to 20 minutes daily to contact their loved ones. After a “misstep in shipboard politics,” Farrell finds himself cut off from the internet, facing the crew’s suspicion that he will write “the wrong kind of article.”
the Search for Meaning
As Conway leads the mission to repair cables off the coast of Gabon and the Congo, Farrell struggles to reconcile the reality of Conway as a “corporate lackey” with his vision of a “romantic sea-explorer.” He remains convinced that there is a mystery to Conway worth pursuing, even when the crew members “close ranks and dismiss the importance of Conway’s ‘missing years.'”
Allusions and Inspirations
Twist is rich with literary allusions, invoking figures like ahab from Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick and Kurtz from Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness to portray the unfathomable Conway. Farrell also muses on Martin Sheen’s breakdown during the filming of Apocalypse Now and references Philip Roth’s novel American Pastoral.
The Unfolding Mystery
The novel deviates from conventional mystery structures,where revelations unfold through intrigue and reward. Instead, Farrell recalls a hunch about Conway, contrary to the initial evidence, that is later justified. This suggests that the writer’s instinct proves to be correct.
The Reader’s Perspective
The review concludes that while Twist is a richly allusive novel, it faces the challenge of making conway a compelling figure. The reader waits for the narrative to spring into action, “like the Georges Lecointe*’s repair engineers probing the murky depths for a rupture.”
