Following the Chimeric Star

Following the Chimeric Star

Original cover of the 1988 edition
Author	Tomass Sídlaŕ
Original title	Nach tí Chimérissën Stérnaie
Country	Walneria
Language	Walnerian
Genre	Psychological fiction
Publication date	12 May 1988
Published in English	7 November 1992

Following the Chimeric Star (Walnerian: Nach tí Chimérissën Stérnaie) is a 1988 novel written by the Walnerian screenwriter and journalist Tomass Sídlaŕ. It is written using the first-person narrative mixed with few moments, where the third person omniscient subjective is used. It is set in the "present day", as no year is mentioned and the book is kept vague to make it feel like it may be happening at any time.

Characters

The main character is the 19-year-old Petŕ Junek, a student, who is seeking a refuge from the stress with a female character referred to only as a "Star" (with a capital S). Star is a young woman which is described only in metaphors, at least through the eyes of Petŕ. Minor characters of the story are Petŕ's father (who remains unnamed), Petŕ's teacher (who also remains unnamed) and Petŕ's group of two friends (which are referred to only by nicknames Kurys and Globi, however, Kurys's surname was mentioned to be "Kuriáss").

Personalities

• Petŕ - Melancholic introverted 19-year-old, who struggles with school and has the tendency to give up a fight before it even begins
• Star - Female 19-year-old, described as spontaneus and highly likeable, however, she has the tendency to be highly responsible and extroverted
• Petŕ's father - Strict and conservative parent, who projects his own ideals onto Petŕ, even though Petŕ does not share his worldview
• Petŕ's teacher - Strict but fair old male, who seeks to push his students through the final exam, even though he realizes that some do not have the required skills
• Kurys & Grobi - Highly spontaneus extroverted 20-year-olds who share a hedonistic worldview

Plot summary

The plot of Following the Chimeric Star begins with Petŕ being told by his teacher, that he failed the Matura and is asked to come back in September (5 months from then), to try to re-take it. After that, Petŕ, being in a state of shock and not being able to comprehend the reality at hand, leaves for home. At home, he is scolded by his father, who holds a long speech about Petŕ being too lazy to work for his future, saying, that he does not deserve one. As a final note, he is grounded for a week, with everything but his study material taken away. He is also reminded, that he has a three-week-long part-time job that is supposed to show him, what manual labor means. In the evening, after eating dinner, his father locks him in a bedroom and goes downstars, being too angry to speak to him.

The book skips to him sitting in the park at night, after which a girl comes and sits next to him, she is introduced in a dialogue as a "Star". They talk for a while and he tells her, that he failed the exam and is down, she tries to lift him up and tries to relax him through the idea of a second chance in September. They proceed to leave the park and go to an unspecified place, known only by Star.

The next morning, Petŕ is tired and his father is giving him the silent treatment. TV is running a newsreel about an economic recession and father is eating a large bowl of müssli. Petŕ spends the day at his room, looking over walls and ceiling, sometimes opening one of the many books that he has been left with in order to study, however, he can not get his mind to concentrate on the subject at hand. In the evening, he is no longer locked in the room. Again, there is a cut and Petŕ is sitting next to Star on a cliff over a city, excusing himself for the delay. They speak for a little while, getting to know each other. She reveals few things about herself outside of her mentality, keeping the idea of mysterious personality.

During the next few chapters, this cycle repeats with multiple changes, such as his father slowly getting less angry and trying to normalize relation between him and his son, and his friends asking him, if he wants to sneak out for some party. Each meeting with Star creates stronger bond between Petŕ and Star. Eventually, on the seventh meeting, Petŕ asks if he could stay for longer. Star says, that she can not effect his life, it is up to him to pull himself up by the bootstraps and to get his ducks in row. She then asks, if she is distracting him from his problems, if she is "only a plaster on his wounds". Petŕ denies this and says, the he loves her. She nods and whispers, that she loves him too. They reach for a kiss, however, their lips don't touch.

Major change happens, when there is no intentional book cut and it is revealed, that Star is living only inside of Petŕ's head, as after this dialogue, he wakes up to an alarm. He feels depression over him not being a second faster.

Interpretation

It is suggested, from multiple interviews with Tomass Sídlaŕ, that the whole book is a metaphor for a clash of the percieved world, values, reasoning and priorities of a person with autism and the society's percieved world, values, reasoning and priorities at large. This idea may be backed with the fact, that Tomass Sídlaŕ has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at age 9.

Alternate interpretation is, that the book is referring to a set of ideas and feelings in the heart of a child, that is unwillingly pushed to grow up and emotionally mature by its parents at too young age, being forced to face consequences for something that is not under its control.

The character of Star, and the dream world at large, may be a metaphorical representation of the worldview that is threatened by the consensus of the society, which does not respect minority opinions and worldviews and is trying to enforce uniformity of moral values.

Reception

TBA

Circle closing

TBA