House of Leaves: House - 3; General Public - 0

[changeling67]

Samples of the multi dimensional walls have been taken, showing that the test tubes contain all three rock classifications. Personally, I think the house has taken the concept of metamorphic' rock to the next level. However, it appears to be a vacuum; a type of well-crafted, multi-chambered/hallwayed black hole. I HAD wondered if this was going to turn into an inside out Jumanji, but to no avail.  Occasionally, the text is plagued with xxxxx's - seemingly Truant's editing but could be reminiscent of Truant mirroring Karen's separately guilty past - both have exes abound.

Truant seeming has his own dreamlike labyrinth in the shape of a boat; 'a vessel [...] endlessly descending into dead ends, turning around to find other ways which in the end lead me only to still more dead ends' (p.403).  Yup, pal - but at least you have the luxury of waking up.  After reading various old manuscripts, Truant starts to replace 's' with 'f' - rather than amusing, I find that more irritating than trying to read upside down, with a mirror, or trying to find the reason for the minced up DIY catalogue/dialogue from a few days back.

There is a nice comparison to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'Ancient Mariner', Dante and even the Bible's 'Jonah and the Whale' (as opposed to Moby Dick).  The plot thickens as Karen returns to the house. Mwa hahahahaha!

Death Toll: house - 3; General Public - 0

After the unfortunate demise of several people (death as a result of, or influenced by the house), Navidson has revisited the place.  No longer with Karen, he feels obsessed about the house and why he is still drawn to it. Why has he returned? To 'territorialise' (p.385)? Is it to somehow linked to the unconscious and confronting Karen in some way and properly 'owning' her?

It is interesting how MZD plays with the notion that people treat their obsessions as 'God' in some way. Navidson's is his perfect shot as so (ironically) was the late Holloway's. Navidson already has suggested that 'our house is God' (p.390).  The house does tend to face people with their own fears - like a really huge Room 101. I now realise the link between Navidson and the Kevin Carter photo.  Both have the same regret over a similar incident; therefore projected guilt in not saving a child, then not being able to rescue his own - saved instead by his brother, who pays the ultimate price. Arguably, so does Navidson - forever stuck in a loop, revisiting the place that has stolen his brother and trying to resolve a cycle and rescue himself en route.

After the tribulations of the place, a real estate agent turns up (good luck with that btw - measurements are tricky), with interesting news re the previous tennants. Numerous owners in the past few years, plenty more in the last twenty.  Heart attack victims or just plain disappeared.

Strange that. Grimmauld all over again

Quote of the Day
Bearing in mind that Truant has quit all of the noxious substances, yet is in a progressively worsened state for reading the 'academic' essay, he comes across a flyer under the wiper of his car.

Wanted
50 People
We'll pay you
to lo(s)e weight!

Truant: You want to lo(s)e weight, I thought to my(s)elf, well boy do I have something for you to read.