In Peter Handke's narrative landscape, the art of storytelling takes an introspective turn, challenging the boundary between fiction and reality. Rather than sharing a tale of his own, Ford, a character in Handke’s work, requests a story from the narrator and his wife, Judith. Her response, "[I]t all happened," becomes the enigmatic closure of the novel. This statement suggests that the events occurred, yet their existence is confined to the realm of Handke's fiction. The reality, elusive and perhaps untellable, remains obscured beyond the characters' words.

Ford, pointing to a collection of manuscripts, remarks, "There are some good stories in there.... Simple and clear. The kind of stories we need." This comment underscores a desire for straightforward narratives. However, Handke's work stands apart, as its simplicity in language contrasts sharply with its complexity in meaning. The ambiguity embedded within his storytelling is not a flaw but a necessity; it explores the challenge of discerning the myths that humanity clings to from the underlying reality, which lurks beneath the semiotic surface.

In his earlier literary phase, Handke focused on the opaque and arbitrary nature of language, highlighting its self-reflective qualities. However, his more recent endeavors, like Short Letter, Long Farewell, reveal a shift toward uncovering a mystical truth that may lie beyond the linguistic surface. This evolution in his writing underscores a pursuit of meaning that transcends mere words. The novel's strength lies in its portrayal of the individual's self-delusion in seeking meaning and identity while simultaneously striving for a more hopeful truth. This truth, while not a myth, emerges as a necessary story—an authentic fiction that resonates deeply with the human experience.