The Papers

In the previous section of the novel (pgs. 20-40) I found the commentary on the real concern of the newspapers ironically insightful. The narrator comments about how “the local press, so lavish of news about the rats, now had nothing to say. For rats dies in the street; men in their homes. And newspapers are concerned only with the street (35). This comment implies that the newspaper reports on what other people can see for themselves but not what is of real importance. This can be seen as an insight into the human condition, reflecting how humans are more drawn to things of interest and public popularity than things of real importance. This [for the most part] universal truth in relation to humans can be seen contemporarily in the overwhelming intrusion of issues of popular interest into previously news medias. For example, CNN, which originally prided itself on its “hard news”, has now become increasingly involved with popular culture. The issue is brought up again in this section of the novel; in stark contrast to the overwhelming press coverage of the dying rats, there is barely anything in the papers in relation to increased death toll of the new disease. However, the media did cover it to a small degree, as “it even founds its way into the papers, but discreetly; only a few brief references to it were made” (51). This ironic tendency of human nature to prefer popularity to importance can clearly be seen illustrated in this section of the novel.