Why It Doesn't Make Sense

“It doesn’t make any sense!” is a phrase that I have been hearing constantly since our English class was given the assignment of reading William Gibson’s All Tomorrow’s Parties. I came up with two possible reasons for this confusion:

First, this is one of those novels that does not fully explain the plot until the denouement or conclusion phase of the story. Therefore, in order to understand and enjoy the novel, the reader has to trudge through the text for a second time. This narrative strategy is a widely used method in all types or art (Pink Floyd’s The Wall ring any bells?), yet, it is irritating since not all readers have the patience and motivation (or in the case of a university student, the time) to experience it a second time. And of course, it makes the first reading absolutely painful.

Second, this novel is most likely a sequel. If you were to pick up the second Lord of the Rings book, you’ll find it contains sentences along the lines of, “Frodo remembered all too well how the Ringwraith had stabbed him at Weathertop”. This is clearly indicative of some past information in existence that is crucial to the comprehension of the plot. All Tomorrow’s Parties also possesses lines that hint at an earlier tale, such as, “That was what had gotten him into the trouble that introduced him to Chevette Washington” (84), and, thus, it is likely a sequel.

To read a book for the first time when it meant to be enjoyed the second, as well as to be missing some key background information, certainly results in confusion and annoyance from the text’s audience. I can only hope that I am completely wrong about this novel and that once I bring myself to pick it up again, it will suddenly begin to make perfect sense.