Journal #5 Rick Davidson Symposium
Simon’s silence was neutral. The neutrality of the silence is what gives the most cause of doubt to Simon. The silence also sets up the debate by which he asks multitudes of readers to place themselves in his shoes. By remaining neutral, Simon and the Author, create a curiosity within the reader. The reader might ask, “Why didn’t he do anything, I would’ve… or … Why did do nothing… or … He is right/wrong for doing nothing”. Some readers would not hold a grudge to Simon if he decided to smother the soldier with a pillow; but that would cause others circles of readers to do so. The debate would have then been was Simon justified or is he now a murderer of a helpless man? If Simon would have granted the absolution of the soldier and forgave him in his dying moments some readers would be rejoicing; others would condemn him for assuming he could grant forgiveness to one among thousands. But by staying absolutely neutral no-one can truly blame him, after all he did nothing wrong; He didn’t succumb to an easy vengeance nor grant the wishes of a dying man simply because the man was dying. This easy neutrality Simon unknowing slipped into, I find to be a stroke of genius and what creates the book’s meaning, allows the Author to truly ask anybody from any background an absolutely unbiased question; What would YOU have done?
I am in the group of being frustrated by Simon’s inactivity. I believe under the circumstances physical vengeance is out of the question…impossible. The nurse outside the door would get suspicious if the soldier was dead after my leaving. I would have spoken words to him. Words don’t make you bleed nor leave bruises; words do however cause pain and never heal. My atheist beliefs wouldn’t have allowed me to let him die without letting him know what horrors he caused. I believe once you are dead you are no longer a human but a human’s corpse, the human that had previously occupied the corpse is gone. The only metaphor I can think of to describe my beliefs further without causing a religious debate is to think of a record. A record, the life of a body, by itself is nothing. It needs to be played by a phonograph, the body, to create anything. The song is life. You can shape and create your own song but inevitable the record can hold only so much song. Once the song is over, the record can never be played again. With the understanding of my beliefs, I would’ve allowed the soldier’s song to end without letting him know his song is horrible, vulgar, ugly and macabre. He would know his song cut short many many others songs; Songs that were beautiful and untainted by hate. I would above all else not have given his dying note a cheerful tune when he has not himself done the same for another. I would have damned him through words for his actions.
It could be argued that he was bullied and coerced into his actions but he still has no right to ask forgiveness of anybody, especially a Jew. If he sincerely believes he would have forfeited for his life had he acted out then he should’ve not shied away from becoming a martyr. I could have then easily granted forgiveness for a dying martyr standing up for the persecuted. I believe the greatest act of cowardness is going through life not acting on what you know to be right then asking for mercy for your inability to act. I would have left him with the final thought, a coward need not ask me for forgiveness when he likes not what he sees in a mirror on his deathbed; Turn back on him, and walk out of room.