In Black Hole, the central characters are on the cusp of adulthood, prone to emotional turmoil and indecision. They make mistakes, and the consequences of those mistakes often seem gravely inescapable, like ‘the end of the world’. Chris makes the mistake of having unprotected sex with Rob, and once Chris realizes she has “the bug”, she feels profoundly isolated and ashamed. Then, when she gets caught cutting class and her parents become stricter and impose a curfew, Chris is completely overwhelmed. This small series of mistakes makes Chris feel like a complete failure with no hope of redemption. She runs away from home with Rob to escape the situation, and the note she leaves for her parents mentions plans to go to California even though Chris only moves into the nearby woods with the other “burnout, sick kids”. Does this tendency to spiral out of control instead of moving past mistakes make these adolescents more susceptible to disease? Do they themselves contribute to the devastating effects of the disease?
This book does not confront the disease’s origin the way many of our previously discussed literature does. The disease itself is otherworldly, and it has a similarly nebulous origin. No blame is placed on a specific group of people for spreading or bringing the disease. The disease seems to come from a void, perhaps extraterrestrial. The title references a phenomenon that exists in only outer space, and the people affected by the disease congregate around a place they call “Planet Xeno”. This place is buried in the woods, and the fact that so many characters take comfort in/seek natural spaces might be further evidence that the disease affects humans but originated from something distinctly inhuman.
Apart from its grotesque outward symptoms, the disease is very bizarre in that not a single person shares the same symptom with others. Rob has an additional mouth on his chest that utters strange sound and words against his will; Chris, although having contracted the disease from Rob, has a different symptom, her back and foot cut open. Eliza has a tail, and Keith discovers tadpole-like bumps around his ribs. The guys who hang out in the “pit,” secluded from the town due to their deformed appearance, all look hideous but in their own unique way. At the end of the novel is a page from yearbook, where each student features unique symptom.
These symptoms have only one thing in common: mutation from what is considered “normal.” The disease that ostensibly distinguishes the ill from the sound degrades a popular, straight-A student into a social outcast.Why is it significant that the characters suffer from their own unique symptoms that make them socially isolated? Are these differences random, or does each mutation affect each character for specific reasons? What is Burns trying to convey by portraying a yearbook page in which everyone suffers from the disease, looking apparently different from one another? How can we relate it to the nature of adolescence?
Last but not least, It would be impossible to discuss Black Hole without bringing up its use of imagery. Images are often repeated and juxtaposed, acting as a method of foreshadowing or emphasizing the main theme of the novel: a black hole.
The novel begins with a puzzling account of a Biology class in which Keith looks into a dissected frog’s back:
“I was looking at a hole… a black hole and as I looked, the hole opened up.. and I could feel myself falling forward, tumbling down into nothingness”
With this are parallel images of a frog’s dissected back, the cut in Chris’s foot, Chris’s back, and a hand covering genitals. With the story of the frog’s back acting as a starting point of the novel, the other three “black holes” are further elaborated upon and explained as the novel progresses. Interestingly, these are all images that Keith directly witnesses during his own narrative. These images seem to foreshadow all the major relationships developed during the novel: Keith helped Chris when she cut her foot in the woods; Chris’s mutation was caused by her sexual relations to Rob; the hand over genitals is an image from Eliza and Keith’s affair.
If all these are black holes, what message is the novel conveying? What is the significance of having a hand covering the genitals, as opposed to leaving it uncovered? What about the usage of a frog in particular?
Another recurring image is the black hole itself. In the very first black hole depicted in the Biology class scene, all the major images central to the novel’s plot are included: the snake, gun, tadpoles, the frog, bones, alcohol, drugs, water, etc. But why is Burns providing us with so many hints? It is remarkable to think that the whole novel was thoroughly thought out from the beginning.
Looking forward to the discussion tomorrow,
Annie, Joohee, Mina
Hi! Thanks for the wonderful post, truly insightful. I wanted to meditate I little bit further on the fact that symptoms of the “bug” seem to vary across characters. For one, as I mentioned in class, I find it truly fascinating that Keith’s tadpoles seem to be a direct reference to two parts in the novel, the biology class (his dissection of the frog appears to have physically influenced him) and Chris’s childhood obsession with catching tadpoles, consequently forgetting to feed them and then having to dispose of them in the field (sort of what she did to Keith by ignoring him, in a way she forgets to “nurture” him). There is also an interesting connection between Keith’s and Eliza’s deformities, the juxtaposition of the frog, connected to water, and the lizard, connected to drier ecosystems, seems significant (here, we are also able to discover some evidence which suggests that the disease influences the behavior of the characters, if you recall, in one of the final scenes Eliza is enjoying the heat of the sun while drawing, whereas Keith thinks it’s too hot). Thus, though Keith does not end up with Chris, he remains permanently attached to her though his symptoms.
When considering Chris’s symptoms, the shedding of her skin seems a particularly important instance of the symbolic nature of the symptoms. Throughout the novel, Chris continues to shed her skin, as you mention in your post, transforming from a straight-A student to a homeless, deformed outcast of the society. It appears that her need to tear off her physical form is accompanied by a parallel tendency to tear away from her previous life, to which there is no going back, as becomes evident from her visits to her best friend’s house. This fact is also reference in her dreams, when she pulls out a scroll from the wound in her leg that depicts a snake, the stereotypical animal that sheds its skin.
Rob’s mouth is harder to decipher. It seems that his mouth serves as a physical outlet for his inner thoughts, things that his real mouth cannot utter. The mouth acquires its own voice when Rob is asleep, ruining his relationship with Lisa, and telling Chris “it cannot last,” which turns out to be true. In that, the mouth seems to be the outlet of Rob’s inner thoughts, perhaps pushing him towards honesty, a department that he obviously lacks in, as becomes obvious from his inability to make sure that Chris is aware of his condition before they have sex for the first time. Other characters also seem to be confronted with an exaggerated/symbolic connection to their past, like Rick, who is described to be “ugly” prior to the disease, and only becomes uglier with the symptoms.
Dave’s deformity is harder to get a handle on… What do you think? What’s the significance of his cleft lip? Also, what do you think is the significance of the fact that so many of the deformities are animal-like (Keith’s tadpoles, Liza’s fin-hands, Dave’s cat-like cleft lip, Eliza’s tail, etc.)? Finally, what do you think is the significance of dreams in the novel? It seems like we get some serious foreshadowing and symbolism through this device. Thanks for such an awesome post!
Vlad, thanks for the insightful comment! I especially liked how you pointed out the significance of the natural habitats of the animals the characters of Black Hole seem to resemble. Keith’s symptoms resembling that of an amphibian, this does seem to draw onto his natural tendency towards Chris (snake- water) but also emphasises his ambi-valence (har har) in which he settles for Eliza instead. To continue the thread of frogs, perhaps the childhood scene in which Chris abandons the tadpoles also alludes to her rejection of Keith. By the way, what is up with that dead frog-like figure (is it a doll?) found in the woods later in the novel?
Another interesting feature your comment reminded me of was how it’s Chris’s foot in particular that is injured and provides the scroll. Could there be significance in the fact that Chris is a snake, and snakes are Biblically (and Biologically) referred to as having “lost” their legs? The idea of the scroll as ancient and prophetic seems to back this claim.
Eliza’s lizard-like character also seems to symbolize her solitary, pensive & artistic personality. Her tail growing back seems to signify her being able to overcome and escape the bad situations she experiences. As for the other characters, I honestly think there isn’t enough mentioned about them to analyze their symptoms in depth. Maybe an even closer reading of the book will reveal even slighter hints mentioned throughout. I wouldn’t put it past Burns.
As you have stated, an examination of the recurring “black hole” imagery is necessary in order to discuss and further understand the graphic novel. The four black holes referred to in your post (the dissected frog, cut foot, cut back, and covered genitals) are the main manifestations of this notion of the “black hole”. In looking at this idea it is interesting to find other, less explicit, representations of the “black hole” in the novel.
One the very last page of the novel we are presented with the picture of, what we can safely presume to be, our galaxy (the Milky Way). At the centre of the galaxy we see a circle/hole of bright light. This is actually the galactic centre (the rotational centre of the Milky Way) and it is generally accepted that present at the centre of our galaxy there is a supermassive black hole. It is fitting that the final image we are presented with is that of an actual black hole. What does it all mean though? In some ways I feel as if by “zooming out” of the fairly confined perspective of troubled teens we get in the novel, Burns is suggesting that the forces that drive the actions of the characters are immense and that nothing can be done to stop them. It could also be interpreted as a reference to the idea of aliens and “Planet Xeno”. It is also important to note that the centre of the milky way is drawn as being bright, contradictory to the title, Black Hole.
Another example of a “black hole” is the forest itself. Burns depicts the forest where the diseased congregate as a dark, gloomy, filthy, and generally depressing place. In this way the forest reflects the physical aspects of the idea of a “black hole”. However the forest also acts as a magnet, drawing afflicted teenagers into its dark grasp. This reflects the nature of an actual black hole which draws in and consumes everything. We can say that the teenagers have been consumed by the darkness that is the forest. In this way the forest becomes the symbol of the disease.
Other images that exemplify the idea of the “black hole” include bullet holes, the mouth on Rob’s neck, and water.
In looking at the imagery associated with “black holes” one can’t help but notice that many of the images represent female genitalia. The mouth on Rob’s neck, the cut in Chris’s foot, the incision along the frog’s stomach, and the archway in the rocks are all examples of images that resemble the vagina. In the case of the frog, the archway, and the cut, the opening that is represented is one that reveals gruesome truths. With the dissection we are shown the frog’s repulsive innards. With the archway we are given a vision of people wallowing in filthy water. With the cut in Chris’s foot, not only are we given the vision of blood and gore, but also the scroll which in turn ties into the archway mentioned previously. Thus, in equating female genitalia to the idea of “black holes” we can posit that something as simple as a human body part can be a doorway to unimaginable horrors. Like a black hole, it draws people (namely males) in, consuming them. However, the graphic novel depicts vaginas to be places of disgusting reality. It is interesting to go through the novel again, identifying the images that can be taken to represent genitalia, and consider their significance.
– Liam
So far we have encountered escapism from the actual disease: the healthy want to avoid getting infected, either from the plague in The Decameron and Camus, or polio in Nemesis. But in Black Hole the theme of escapism is approached in a different manner, since it’s those who have already caught “the bug” who have to withdraw from the rest of society; their migration is not even due to their free will, but they feel coerced due to the contempt they encounter from the healthy.
In your post you mention that Chris fled because she felt she had “no hope of redemption”. Is this hopelessness due to the parents’ apparent ignorance of the epidemic, which represents their inability to understand what the teenagers are going through and thus help them (The emotional Black Hole)? Or does this have to do with the fact that there’s no known cure for the mutation, meaning that as long as a teenager is deformed there’s no hope of them being a normal member of society? However, if the “sick kids” manage to reverse their mutations, it’s unlikely that their everyday interactions will be restored as they were before their infection: other teenagers will remember their mistakes. The latter reflection brings up the subject of sex as a point of no return, and how some cultures believe that having intercourse is a rite of passage for becoming a man.
On the subject of escapism, there’s also the use of drugs (including alcohol), and how this provides an opportunity to escape from reality. But most of the junkies in the graphic novel are not those infected with the bug, which rely on each other’s company to overcome their predicament; instead, it’s those healthy teenagers who consume drugs. Is this a way of saying that the disease is another form of escapism, from the emotional distresses of everyday life? An interesting example to analyse is Eliza, who smoked pot until she found solace in Keith’s affection.
As you have stated, an examination of the recurring “black hole” imagery is necessary in order to discuss and further understand the graphic novel. The four black holes referred to in your post (the dissected frog, cut foot, cut back, and covered genitals) are the main manifestations of this notion of the “black hole”. In looking at this idea it is interesting to find other, less explicit, representations of the “black hole” in the novel.
One the very last page of the novel we are presented with the picture of, what we can safely presume to be, our galaxy (the Milky Way). At the centre of the galaxy we see a circle/hole of bright light. This is actually the galactic centre (the rotational centre of the Milky Way) and it is generally accepted that present at the centre of our galaxy there is a supermassive black hole. It is fitting that the final image we are presented with is that of an actual black hole. What does it all mean though? In some ways I feel as if by “zooming out” of the fairly confined perspective of troubled teens we get in the novel, Burns is suggesting that the forces that drive the actions of the characters are immense and that nothing can be done to stop them. It could also be interpreted as a reference to the idea of aliens and “Planet Xeno”. It is also important to note that the centre of the milky way is drawn as being bright, contradictory to the title, Black Hole.
Another example of a “black hole” is the forest itself. Burns depicts the forest where the diseased congregate as a dark, gloomy, filthy, and generally depressing place. In this way the forest reflects the physical aspects of the idea of a “black hole”. However the forest also acts as a magnet, drawing afflicted teenagers into its dark grasp. This reflects the nature of an actual black hole which draws in and consumes everything. We can say that the teenagers have been consumed by the darkness that is the forest. In this way the forest becomes the symbol of the disease.
Other images that exemplify the idea of the “black hole” include bullet holes, the mouth on Rob’s neck, and water.
In looking at the imagery associated with “black holes” one can’t help but notice that many of the images represent female genitalia. The mouth on Rob’s neck, the cut in Chris’s foot, the incision along the frog’s stomach, and the archway in the rocks are all examples of images that resemble the vagina. In the case of the frog, the archway, and the cut, the opening that is represented is one that reveals gruesome truths. With the dissection we are shown the frog’s repulsive innards. With the archway we are given a vision of people wallowing in filthy water. With the cut in Chris’s foot, not only are we given the vision of blood and gore, but also the scroll which in turn ties into the archway mentioned previously. Thus, in equating female genitalia to the idea of “black holes” we can posit that something as simple as a human body part can be a doorway to unimaginable horrors. Like a black hole, it draws people (namely males) in, consuming them. However, the graphic novel depicts vaginas to be places of disgusting reality. It is interesting to go through the novel again, identifying the images that can be taken to represent genitalia, and consider their significance.
– Liam