What We Can Know
The thematic core of the novel interrogates the limits of knowledge and memory. Through Metcalfe’s pursuit to uncover the missing poem, McEwan delves into complex discussions on historical context, interpretation, and speculation. The characters grapple with the realization that much of what they perceive as “known” is inherently colored by their experiences and biases. The question posed by the novel’s title—“What can we know?”—echoes throughout as Metcalfe attempts to reconstruct not only the events surrounding the poem but also the profound relationships that influenced its creation.
Structurally, What We Can Know is bifurcated, with the first half immersing readers in a bleak future marked by societal decay while the second half transports them back to the early 21st century, casting a revealing light on Vivien Blundy’s life. This duality creates a dynamic interplay where the detached observations of the future characters stand in stark contrast to Vivien’s intimate recounting. Her narrative offers vital insights that illuminate otherwise opaque motivations, suggesting that personal experience holds a depth of truth often overlooked by historical revisionism.
The characters function as vehicles for broader inquiries. Thomas’s academic pursuits become a lens through which McEwan critiques the literary establishment, reflecting on how scholarly ambition and personal desires intersect. The romance between Thomas and Rose, his colleague, adds emotional stakes to the plot as it unfolds against the backdrop of a dangerous world. This relationship further complicates the story, blending the academic realm with the personal, thereby emphasizing how deeply intertwined literature and life can be. In other words, a great tale for lit. majors.
McEwan’s choice to depict a future ravaged by climate emergencies and civil unrest serves as a cautionary commentary on contemporary inaction toward environmental issues. Through Metcalfe’s longing for a forgotten literary past, the novel critiques both the love affair with nostalgia and the reckless pursuit of cultural artifacts in a world teetering on the edge of collapse. The characters’ obsession with Blundy’s poem represents a yearning for cultural continuity.
This work also ventures into philosophy, questioning the nature of truth and the processes by which it is constructed. As characters interpret the significance of Blundy’s poem, the narrative showcases the multiplicity of perspectives, suggesting that knowledge is fluid. The missing poem, often seen as the pinnacle of artistic achievement, becomes a metaphor for unattainable truths.
Additionally, What We Can Know serves as a meta-commentary on the act of reading and the expectations surrounding literary criticism (making this post meta meta commentary, I suppose?). McEwan probes the metaphysical questions embraced by literature, asserting that the pursuit of knowledge through texts often neglects the emotional and experiential aspects of storytelling.