User blog comment:ChristianWallis/A Look into Cohesive Writing and Ned the Nihilist/@comment-25226524-20161002165133

I can honestly say I've never seen anything of this caliber when breaking down a story. I'm not just saying that because you chose one of mine, but this is an incredible effort. It is difficult, sometimes, for me to hear such positive things about something I've created, but you've done it in such a way that I really enjoyed reading it. I'm thrilled that you have taken away what you have from the story, and I hope that others choose to explore the deeper parts as you have.

I'm a heavy reader of transgressive fiction, and I honestly feel like it and horror (especially combined) are the two best genres for conveying and provoking thoughts of deeper and (of course) dark themes. This particular piece was inspired by de Sade's (the father of transgressive literature, in my opinion) Philosophy in the Bedroom, which I included a quote from, and an obscure piece by Peter Sotos that I have yet to be able to find again. Peter Sotos, for anyone that doesn't know, is a writer/investigative journalist that explores the world of sexual abuse of children. Of course there were other inspirations, but those were the two main literary influences.

"I imagine that Ned does not solely embrace Nihilism’s meaninglessness because it can grant him pleasure through base enjoyment, but because he’s also actively trying to undo the meaninglessness of his own existence and the pain that he’s suffered." - Spot on. He's not nearly the hedonist or libertine that he thinks he is, but he's simply formed this view of himself as a coping mechanism. He's in constant pain and is willing to try anything to mask it or distract himself from it, even though he often brings it back to the forefront himself (a form of self-harm). He also contradicts himself often because his reality is incredibly warped. He sees women as what should be a source of comfort, love, and pleasure but has received the exact opposite from them, leading to a very extreme view of not only women, but life. I almost titled the story "Ned the Confused Nihilist". His head is basically a circus, just as life tends to be at times.

Antinatalism is the other main theme. It and nihilism are often connected by many, but they don't necessarily go together. If you'll notice, he was nothing more than a play thing to be used by his mother, and he then turns this child into fodder for her mother (as well as himself). It's just a way of questioning generally accepted morals, which is basically one of transgressive fiction's main goals. Is it ok that we bring children into the world, even when we can't get their consent? Not something many people think about or even want to, but I think it's important to make people wonder, even if it does piss them off. If people dismiss the thought I'm offering or the question I'm asking, that's fine, as long as they had to contemplate it, even if it was only for a split second.

The irony in this situation, of course, is that he's the reason the child is in such misery, but he's still blaming the mother. This is just another example of his skewed reality. Although, yes, she is initially responsible for all the pain her child will endure, he, like the mother and what I believe to likely be the majority of humans, don't stop long enough to consider whether we're contributing to the pain of others when our own pleasure is to be expanded. We have created much of the hell we live in, although not all of it. Many people think they're victims, but they're unwilling to stop the victimization of others. It's a vicious cycle.

I truly appreciate the time you have taken to dive incredibly deep into something that I've written. I'm not ashamed to say that I definitely needed this. I've been feeling the urge to put my damn head through a wall every time I try to write something. I'm really glad to hear that you have seen this piece the way you have. Whether any of it is real or not, I'll leave up to the reader ; )

Thanks again, my friend, for taking the time to not only read something I wrote, but also breaking it down at such an impressive level.