The Exile
THE EXILE is a deliciously improbable yarn that moves from the pools and gardens of Hollywood in the 1980’s to the terror and paranoia of Nazi Germany during the war. The reader is never quite sure whether the action is real or simply taking place in the mind of David Caspian, a successful screen star. At the oddest times, Caspian seems to slip into a kind of fourth dimension to become Felix, a black marketeer and sometime actor in Berlin just before the demise of Adolf Hitler.
Caspian has just started a new film, and he is turning in the performance of a lifetime, except that it seems to be Felix who is doing the acting. Caspian is now Felix and vice versa--two separate people seem occasionally to exchange places in history. It is all a little confusing at first, but soon the reader is trying to guess at what point in the story Caspian is going to cross over and become Felix permanently.
Kotzwinkle has a good eye for detail, and the German settings of THE EXILE have a marvelous Brechtian quality about them as he takes us into the underground world of pickpockets, con artists, and dance halls, all overlaid with the somber despair of Hitler’s Germany. This is nicely juxtaposed with the rest of the book, set in Hollywood. There, life is all repartee, wit, and soft light: a world filled with greedy agents, character actors, and studio executives--all drawn with a sure and delightfully wicked pen. Kotzwinkle seems to know this territory well.
The problem with the story starts to escalate, though, and, in the end, one wonders why, if this is a tale of a man “lost in a crack in time,” the author has chosen such a peculiarly chronological narrative for his story. Is it possible that there is a film deal pending?
Ideas for Group Discussions
Intertwining Worlds
1. In what ways do the ominous presence of fascist Germany and the vibrant chaos of modern-day Los Angeles weave together? Does the absurd comedic tone of Los Angeles jar against the grim imagery of Berlin, crafting a narrative fraught with tension?
Artistic Techniques
2. What narrative tools does Kotzwinkle employ to paint his portrait of Berlin, capturing its haunting essence?
Depth and Substance
3. Is David Caspian's existence in Hollywood merely superficial? Does his soul yearn for something deeper, something of true significance?
Duality of Character
4. Are Caspian and Felix Falkenhayn distinct individuals, or do they represent facets of a singular persona?
Symbolism of Disintegration
5. Could Caspian's unraveling mind be emblematic of the actor's journey?
Symbolic Transference
6. What conceptual framework is Kotzwinkle exploring through his symbolic narrative of Caspian's and Falkenhayn's psychic exchange? Do their contrasting past and present personalities cast light on broader social issues?
Transformations Explained
7. Is there a logical rationale behind Caspian's metamorphosis into Falkenhayn?
The Enigmatic Weasel
8. What does The Weasel embody? Have individuals akin to him roamed our world?
9. What prevents Felix from heeding The Weasel's ominous warnings?
Exile and Identity
10. How many souls find themselves in exile within The Exile? What forms of exile do they confront, and what unites them in their plight?
Fulfillment of Desires
11. What aspirations of David's could Felix potentially satisfy?
The Artist's Journey
12. Do artists delve into their innermost beings to craft their art? Do they uncover truths about themselves in the process? Is this the journey David Caspian embarks on?
Sacrifice and Legacy
13. What compels David to offer his life in the heart of Nazi Germany?
Rescue and Redemption
14. Do Caspian's wife and...
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daughter require salvation in Los Angeles, and if so, from what threats must they be shielded?
Psychiatric Perspectives
15. Why does Gaillard perceive Felix, rather than David, as the anomaly? Has he faltered in his role as a psychiatrist, or does he still cling to the hope of reclaiming David?
Modern Parallels
16. Does The Weasel find any counterparts in David's contemporary world?
Psychological Representation
17. What psychological significance does The Weasel hold within the narrative?
Literary Techniques
Caspian, as envisioned by Kotzwinkle, emerges as the artist forever adrift, a perpetual wanderer in exile. Much like Kafka’s tormented Hunger Artist, Caspian is unable to discover the sustenance he craves beyond the consuming passion that slowly unravels him. He remains perpetually misaligned with the "real" or conventional world, dwelling outside the confines of time or perhaps ensnared within its web, eternally striving to construct a "reality" that offers the elusive aesthetic fulfillment he so desperately seeks.
The heartache of Caspian's plight stems from this relentless quest, rendering his situation profoundly unsettling. In the films he graces, he provides others with an escape from the dread of an evil or nonsensical existence. However, to breathe life into these cinematic escapes, Caspian is forced to delve deep into his own psyche, confronting malevolence and absurdity unshielded by any mental safeguards. While this journey enriches his art, imbuing it with profound depth and vastness, it also exacts a heavy toll, ultimately consuming the artist himself.
