A Case Study of Henri, Essay Example

Close Reading and Reading Closely: A Case Study of Henri

Henri is a unique character because even though he comprises half of the dialogue, the narrator doesn’t feel as if he truly knows him. In the beginning of the story, the narrator mentions that even though he and Henri had been friends for a long time, he does not know his last name (Borowski 152). Furthermore, Henri appears to have a harsh personality. When he speaks of the suffering individuals around him, he does so in a detached, harsh, and opinionated manner. Henri believes that the rabbi’s reading is annoying and criticizes his religion. He follows up this insult by wishing that the rabbi would be send to the ovens (Borowski 152).

Henri’s role in the story is clear based on his interactions with others. The ordeal of Henri and the narrator indicate that their situation is dire. Henri’s desire to run for the supply train and make deals with guards for water and food demonstrates that he is willing to do whatever it takes to survive. While it’s difficult to discern either character as a protagonist due to the morbid situations they encounter, Henri appears to be more of a protagonist than the narrator. While neither character is capable of helping the people who are about to die, Henri’s nonchalance towards the situation at least makes those around him feel more comfortable. Furthermore, he is willing to go out of his way to help the narrator acquire whatever goods he may need, including food, water, and shoes, even if it means coming face to face with dying people (Borowski 162). Therefore, Henri’s strength of character makes him the protagonist. In addition, his action is what keeps the story going. In contrast, the narrator is a static and round character.

The narrator is static and round because he doesn’t contribute significantly to the development of the story. Unlike Henri, the narrator’s actions are very predictable and he seems to be led along by his friend. Although the narrator appears to be somewhat offended by Henri’s desensitization to the events going on around him, we find that the narrator has the same opinion. The narrator accepts the difficulties of life and makes no attempt to better it. On the other hand, Henri jumps into action to gather the resources he believes he needs to survive.

This story is written in the first-person, which does not create a problem for me as a reader because I believe that it is easier to understand the narrator’s thoughts and feelings as a result of this. The social context of Borowski’s story is in a concentration camp during World War II. In a sense, the setting of the story functions as a character, because even though the narrator only describes a few individuals, we can imagine the many suffering prisoners that surround the narrator and Henri. Furthermore, knowledge of the setting sets a tone that allows us to predict how these unmentioned individuals act.