Saturday 1 April 2017

Another Pathetic Fallacy

We have frequently highlighted the pathetic fallacy in works by Poul Anderson and SM Stirling and have made some comparisons between Anderson and Stieg Larsson. I have just found a beautiful pathetic fallacy in Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tatttoo (London, 2008).

Retired industrialist Henrik Vanger has hired journalist Mikael Blomkvist to investigate the disappearnce of his great-niece decades previously. Several family members resent and resist Blomkvist's prying. When Blomkvist is discussing the matter with Vanger's lawyer, Dirch Frode:

"Blomkvist looked up at the sky, where rain clouds had begun to gather.
"'Looks like a storm is brewing,' Frode said. 'If the winds get too strong, I'll have to back you up.'" (p. 315)

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

If any of these relatives were guiltily involved in the disappearance of Henrik Vanger's great niece, I can see why they would resent/resist Blomkvist's investigation of the case.

Sean