Man on Earth (The Slow-Moving Literary Criticism Section of THE KYIV COMMIX)
In re: “Kowalski Taken Aback” Kyiv Commix and Checkout Series Nos. 4.11-4.13
The Half Guinea, The Ferret, Steve Kowalski, The Hunched Cornish
Basically, it works like this:
1. The Half Guinea is overbearing and brutal, incapable of compassion, but not incapable of friendship – at least on his own terms.
2. The Ferret is like a helpless rat, devious to the point of sociopathy, but still pathetic and even capable of evoking sympathy – at least from Steve Kowalski.
3. Steve Kowalski is completely relatable as a human being – unlike the other three (The Half Guinea, The Ferret, and The Hunched Cornish [see point 4, below]) – in his weakness, humanity, foibles, and virtue.
4. The Hunched Cornish also has virtue, if often of a severe variety. A creature who is sensitive but also potentially dangerous, The Hunched Cornish exhibits sympathy but also violence, biblical justice, as well as ancient revenge.
4.10.25