Jerzy Kosinski's novel Steps stands out for its experimental and unconventional approach, resonating widely and earning it numerous accolades, including the prestigious National Book Award. Resisting traditional narrative structures, the novel challenges readers to derive meaning through engagement with its disjointed events and characters. Kosinski's exploration of identity, violence, and societal constraints unfolds in a style that is as compelling as it is unsettling.

The Novel's Unorthodox Style

Written during a period when "new wave" fiction was gaining momentum, Steps embraced experimental storytelling techniques, heavily influenced by figures such as Alain Robbe-Grillet. The narrative's construction is both fragmented and vivid, compelling readers to act as participants rather than passive observers in the pursuit of meaning. Kosinski employs a minimalist prose style, characterized by short, impactful sentences and a first-person perspective that shifts to third-person only at the novel's conclusion.

Setting and Characterization

Geographical and temporal anchors are conspicuously absent in Steps, with only implicit suggestions that parts of the novel may be set in Poland or the United States. This deliberate ambiguity complements the novel’s focus on the universality of its themes. Characters are stripped down to bare essentials, presented without names or detailed personalities, serving as vessels for exploring broader philosophical inquiries. Notably, women in the narrative possess a semblance of admirable qualities, a stark contrast to their male counterparts who navigate a hostile, controlling environment.

Autobiographical Elements

Kosinski draws heavily from his own life experiences, particularly his years in Communist Poland, infusing the novel with a palpable sense of authenticity and intensity. The protagonist's journey mirrors the author's own struggles with identity and autonomy in oppressive regimes. As in Kosinski's earlier work, The Painted Bird, the narrative in Steps is a reflection of a world fractured by chaos and disillusionment, depicted through the lens of a former photographer's keen eye for detail.

Thematic Exploration

The title Steps suggests a progression or journey, yet the path remains ambiguous, traversing a landscape of experiences rather than destinations. Themes of disease, particularly tuberculosis, serve as metaphors for a sick society. The novel explores the consuming nature of human desires through graphic and unsettling imagery, such as a self-devouring octopus and the protagonist's predator-like interactions with women. These elements underscore a broader commentary on the destructive potential of unchecked passions.

Structure and Content

Steps is interspersed with thirty-five anecdotal narratives set in the past tense and fifteen italicized present-tense dialogues. The dialogues, typically with a woman, center on sexual topics, revealing the narrator's complex attitudes towards intimacy. This intertwining of past anecdotes and present conversations blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, enhancing the novel's surreal quality.

Philosophical Underpinnings

A pervasive existential despair permeates Steps, as articulated by Kosinski in his assertion that the protagonist finds fulfillment in negation. The narrative suggests that both free and politically controlled societies impose restrictions that hinder true freedom. This anticollectivist perspective aligns with the novel's detached, observational tone, which amplifies the impact of its brutal and violent imagery.

Literary Significance and Morality

Despite its portrayal of grotesque realities, Steps is infused with a moral undertone. The inclusion of an epigraph from the Bhagavad Gita hints at a desire for peace and fulfillment, contrasting sharply with the narrative's bleak depiction of human relationships. By highlighting the alienation and fragmentation prevalent in modern society, Kosinski issues a cautionary message about the potential for self-destruction inherent in a world defined by manipulative and violent interactions.