Tracy's Tiger

A parable, with some clever philosophy and a heavy author voice. I enjoyed this very much, but then I am very fond of Saroyan and very forgiving of author voices and parables. There are a number of moments with the psychiatrist character that are superb. There's a point at which the main character and another man are confronted together by a stream of journalists and rubber-necking folk. Many of them want to shake their hands. The other character does not shake their hands because he fears he is being mocked. Tracy shakes every hand offered to him, for he decides that he may as well, for some of them may be sincere, and the ones who are not are hopeless. This struck a chord with me. Those who are not are hopeless. This answer is a way show more to handle the voice of insecurity, the thought that everyone around you may be judging or misjudging, accusing, or mocking, speaking behind your back when you leave the room, or anything of that variety that you have every feared at any time in your life. He says he approves of you, but does he really? The answer is that you may as well shake their hands, for some of them are sincere, and the ones who are not are hopeless anyway. Someone who is not sincere is lost. They might be able to find themselves later, or in other circumstances, but in that moment they are lost, alone in their heads, and worthy of pity. When I encounter someone who is clearly not sincere, a part of me wants to spit upon them, and another part of me wants to hug them. Because being lost is worse than being mocked. show less