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October 26, 2006
Libraries, Labyrinths, and Lucifer
I found "The Library of Babel" by Borges difficult to visualize. As I went about researching labyrinths, however, I discovered the work of graphic designer/photographer Phillipe Fassier
I don't think the space Borges' describes in the Libary of Babel is a labyrinth in the classical sense. A classical labyrinth has a single path from entry to exit. Borges' description of the library (and Fassier's rendering of it) makes it a maze.
I am curious about the point of view of the narrator; he seems to possess a certain degree of omniscience in telling his story. While some of his commentary is written as historical description, some is also written as if he possesses a clear view of the whole of the library and its purpose -- somehow he is able to claim with certainty the structure of the entire library.
What if the books he finds unintelligible (and seems to claim are unintelligible to all "librarians") actually make sense to others in the library?
Posted by Michael Chladil at October 26, 2006 09:37 AM