Marek Hlasko - "The First Step in the Clouds" 
Author: Marek Hlasko
Title: "The first step in the Clouds"
Number of pages: 190 "For me it is obvious that the product is a time of war, hunger and terror. Hence the intellectual poverty of my stories, I just can not come up with stories that do not kończyłoby with death, disaster, suicide or prison. There's no position for a strong man, what some people accuse me "
This quote is the words of Mark Hlasko. The writer spoke about his work quite restrained on the one hand modestly, on the other, truly and naturally. Intellectual misery to which it refers, is contrary to appearances, a great value. It is not a misery, which was to be feared, avoided and seen as something worse. Because that's not literary defects discussed here, but about the emotional poverty of the world, faced by the heroes of his stories. The value is derived from the knowledge they have, consciousness, life lesson.
Distance from the idealistic socialist-realist fiction and show the world the way it really is, with all its filth, evil and injustice are the main ideas behind Mark Hłasce. So we meet in his stories of ordinary people, simple workers, the average family. Because although the quotation cited above refers to the entire oeuvre Mark Hlasko, is confirmed also in the collection of sixteen short stories contained in the volume "The First Step in the Clouds." And although not all of them result in death, suicide, or prison, all binding the same, thick thread of melancholy.
Each story has its main character, but he has both its advantages and disadvantages as, sins and dreams. Often, however, must measure up with the environment, dominated by cold and nihilism. The relationship between the protagonists of stories seem to be completely inert, based on bad emotions, giving rise to understatement and misunderstanding. A writer without unnecessary comments presents a picture of the social lowlands, where there is hopelessness and cynicism. Reality and the accompanying aura events striker is also not pleasant. Setting appears before the eyes of the reader as a very unfriendly, dirty, soaked with depression.
I liked the story. Despite the fact that end as quickly as it begins, and often brutally separate us from the characters, is a condensation of what he wants to show us and maybe also teach the author. Mark Hlasko his writing is very calm, composed and simple. These three components are connected with each other but in a way that makes the story reads smoothly, with attention and full understanding. That which cuts through all of them are incredible calm, the proverbial calm before the storm. There are moments of opposition, however, when one can not ask the question what drives people advancing in a specific manner. Because usually the word 'yes' hides immoral conduct, rejecting, detrimental to the fundamental value of respect for the other person.
the title story, "The first step in the Clouds", which brutally trampled the intimacy of two lovers is, it shows as still existing in some people vulgarity and rudeness can destroy the dreams. How cruel can be the reality and behavior that are impossible to understand, but it is impossible to avoid them. Marek Hlasko and intellectual poverty of the stories you definitely do not forget about itself, acting in a really worthwhile reading in everyday life.
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