Response to The Forest

The Forest is a short story written by Andrea Barrett. It depicts an unusual encounter between a famous scientist Krzysztof Wojciechowicz and a young girl called Bianca who drops out graduate school. They meet in Constance’s institute where scientists get together and both feel awkward to join that circle. Later they talk about their past life, go to the park that Bianca discovered, then Krzysztof gets hurt. In the end, they have different choices, one is “back”, the other is “away”. This story always makes me think about a question: where does life lead us to?

       Through reading, main characters’ images are vivid not only appearance. Krzysztof, an old scientist, seems not very good at dealing with people. He is nostalgic, misses the old times, the forest in Poland, his mother, the bison. Bianca, a typist in the institute, doesn’t like scientists here. She had a desire to flee just like running in her own park. And the scientists, smart, quiet arrogant, are eager for fame. Andrea offers these information by several ways. Direct description is clear, for example, to describe Bianca, “round-cheeked”, “blond hair frizzing in all directions”, “pale hair flying in all directions”, etc. Also, conversation is a good way to reveal one’s characteristics. For instance, when Arnold talks with Bianca, he just pretends to be polite, which depicts a condescend scientist. In addition, through conversation, we can gather information about characters’ life experiences such as conversations between Krzysztof and Bianca.

       The title is The Forest, so what is the forest? In the story, Krzysztof mentions a forest in Poland while Bianca has that park. The forest is not a real forest; it is what everyone pursues in life. Krzysztof wants “back” and Bianca wants “away”, but they are still finding. They remind me of a word: loneliness. When these two persons meet, they should have some stories because they both want to jump out of most people’s idealized life. Actually, Krzysztof loves Bianca though he is too old, but Bianca doesn’t, not even regards him as an actual man. They have different directions, only have one point of intersection. The spark is instant, but the loneliness is forever. Maybe you can’t get to your own forest, also no one can enter it.