Fiction Packet 3

Finally! I was so happy to find a story with enough suspense to keep me reading. "August 25th, 1983" is full of detail. It starts out by describing a clock--ironic, seeing as one of the main themes is time. There is so much hidden meaning in this story I wonder if it was intentional. The moment Borges sees his own signature, I knew that he was waiting for himself in the room (if that makes sense). The conversation he is having with himself reminds me of aspects of Psychology--the Id and the Superego. They are the devil and angel you see on cartoon character's shoulders, persuading them towards good or evil. Not only is he talking to himself, Borges is connecting with his subconscious. Whether it is a dream or not, Borges has an unbelievable opportunity to dive deep into himself--something a lot of people wish to do.

Could you imagine learning of all the failures and fun you'll have in your life? What kind of life would that be, already knowing that no matter what you do your fate is determined? I could not imagine it, and quite frankly Borges is taking it awfully well. There's a bit of denial there, but he seems generally content with his future life. In contrast, he hates his future self with a disgust so strong that he voices it. His future self responds by shooting a "likewise" back and moving on with the conversation. It astonishes me that he could be so comfortable with himself by accepting his life, but so uncomfortable that he can't stand looking at himself. 

The ending is quite confusing, but satisfying in the least. Suddenly everything disappears like it would in a dream. I question whether or not Borges is going insane, like he told himself he would. Maybe it's all a mental breakdown and he's experiencing life as a dream. Nonetheless, it satisfies the story-telling aspect of the plot. It would be interesting to see if Borges wakes up from this, or if he "wakes up" in the sense that he realizes what he experienced was real.