Mr. Palomar by Italo Calvino presents a series of twenty-seven nuanced reflections on the natural world, infused with insights from the protagonist, Mr. Palomar. These reflections, though not tied by a continuous narrative, gradually lead to the protagonist's demise, offering profound glimpses into his quest for understanding. Through the lens of a third-person narrative, readers find themselves observing Mr. Palomar as he grapples with his place in the universe, making them observers of the observer.

The Thematic Index

At the book's conclusion, readers encounter a thematic index that categorizes each chapter. Calvino suggests that the chapters blend three themes, with their placement indicating the mixture's balance. The themes are visual description, narrative, and speculative meditation, labeled "1," "2," and "3," respectively. The book is divided into three main sections: "Mr. Palomar’s Vacation," "Mr. Palomar in the City," and "The Silences of Mr. Palomar," each containing three subsections of three chapters. The first chapter, "Reading a Wave," is primarily visual, while "The Infinite Lawn" combines description, story, and meditation. "The Cheese Museum" is chiefly narrative, and the concluding chapter "Learning to Be Dead" is the most contemplative.

Understanding Movement and Speculation

Should the index be seen as descriptive, it might imply that the novel exhibits a form of movement, characterized by Mr. Palomar's increasing need for abstract speculation to find universal harmony. In "Serpents and Skulls," he visits a pre-Columbian site in Mexico, where his friend narrates stories of the god Quetzalcoatl. Meanwhile, students learn that while the carvings can be described and dated, their meanings remain elusive. Mr. Palomar discerns that his friend transforms mere facts into something meaningful. He realizes that the act of translating observations into understanding is akin to weaving a tapestry of analogies, where refraining from interpretation is as impossible as abstaining from thought. For Mr. Palomar, simple observation proves inadequate in comprehending his place in the universe.

Calvino’s Playful Intent

If the index is prescriptive, Calvino might be toying with his creation through irony. In "The World Looks at the World," Mr. Palomar understands that his ego obstructs his perception of what the world wishes him to see. He resolves to view everything from an impartial perspective, adopting the world's eyes. Yet, despite his efforts, nothing alters, leading him to realize that meaning requires a sign or signal from the universe, a cue that aligns with his observation. Calvino's jest lies in Mr. Palomar's desperate search for meaning, oblivious to the author's orchestrated connections and events that suggest deeper significance.

Observations and Interpretations

The narrative begins calmly with Mr. Palomar on a beach, scrutinizing waves and attempting to understand a small section of the shoreline. Although he observes the waves, their significance remains hidden. The challenge for Mr. Palomar arises not from the waves' transformations but from needing to interpret his own identity as an observer and integrate this understanding into a broader framework. In another instance, while watching a gorilla at the Barcelona Zoo clutching a tire, Mr. Palomar empathizes with the creature's yearning for stability amid life's uncertainty. This tire becomes a metaphor for the universal quest for meaning, a pursuit that often eludes expression through words alone.

The Silence and Realization

The final section, "The Silences of Mr. Palomar," reflects Mr. Palomar's acceptance of the lesson gleaned from the gorilla. Realizing that the world does not need his words, he opts to withdraw, treating himself as if deceased. This self-imposed silence offers him an unwavering anchor—his notion of himself as unchanged by the world's challenges. By retreating into silence, he retains a semblance of himself, akin to the gorilla's tire. Embracing life's end, Mr. Palomar can finally catalog his experiences, as he once sought to catalog the universe. Unable to delineate the cosmos, he turns inward, finding purpose in documenting his own internal landscape. Yet this endeavor requires him to be both the changing observer and the static subject, a paradox that ultimately leads to his death.