The Unity that Emerges from Opposition

The passage “In the poem…a little bit unlike ourselves”(Mulisch 38) emphasizes an interesting contrast between light and darkness.  The woman in the jail cell explains to Anton that light and dark are distinct concepts, but exist within one another. They intrude, invade. Perhaps she is trying to communicate that good only exists or survives because of the evil. Without evil, the powerful presence of good would go unrecognized, seemingly unimportant. They must work together and collaborate. Light can only rise from darkness. Good illuminates the horrific. One must actually be dark in order to understand or fight off the darkness, just as the Jews had to become savage or uncivilized to fight the Nazis, and similar to how people must know their opponents before they can defeat them. It’s quite fascinating how juxtaposing concepts exist in unity, it’s ironic actually. Anton has witnessed his share of tragedy and corruption. In this passage, he actually resides in the darkness. But where is the light? Has it arrived yet? Anton lives in a world where beauty and darkness collide, they mesh. He may soon discover this beauty, or maybe there is some beauty in his awful past experiences that has not been “brought to light” yet.