Introduction: Doppler
by Erlend Loe, a Book Review
Doppler
by Erlend Loe is one of the quirkiest books you will ever read. Erlend Loe is bestselling Norwegian novelist born in 1969. Doppler reflects Loe’s criticism of Norwegian society.
What is Doppler by Erlend Loe About?
In the story, Andreas Doppler falls off his mountain bike and becomes unhinged. In that moment, he also experiences clarity – man’s goal for always achieving more, acquiring more wealth and possessions and losing sight of the more important things in life.
Doppler realizes that he is unhappy and doesn’t like being around others. He believes he is, “A failed man of my time. Or just a man of a failed time.” He returns home, leaves a note for his wife and family (son Gregus and daughter Nora named after the lead character in A Doll’s House
by Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian writer), then takes off into the forest.
Have you read?
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen – Book Review
While he is living in a tent in the forest, his wife sees him for conjugal visits. As time goes on, he runs out of food and sets a trap for a moose. He kills a female moose, leaving her calf motherless. Doppler and the calf form a relationship. The two converse but it’s a one way conversation since calves cannot speak. He names the calf Bongo.
Have you read?
Walden by Henry David Thoreau, Review #theclassics
He barters with a shop manager to get skimmed milk and other supplies in return for some smoked moose. While Doppler is in the shop, he bumps into his wife and she informs him that she is pregnant. Instead of being joyful, Doppler wishes that he didn’t have that one piece of information because she expects him to return home for the birth of their third child. Whenever he needs food, he sometimes go to a house nearby and steal what he needs. One day while Doppler craves sugar, he goes to the same house nearby and spots a very large Toblerone chocolate. While he is trying to steal the chocolate bar, he gets caught and the owner, Dusseldorf ties him up and returns to what he is doing.
For the past six years, Dusseldorf has been recreating a scene, where his father, a German soldier was killed during the war. He couldn’t start the project until after the death of his mother and wife. It was his way of paying tribute to a father who he never knew. Bongo is nearby and Doppler signals to his friend who bites through the rope and frees him. He is curious as to what Dusseldorf is doing, and instead of simply leaving with the chocolate he starts to enquire about what the older man is doing. The two start a conversation. Dusseldorf’s intention is to commit suicide once he is finished with his tribute project.
Life continues with Doppler and Bongo living in a tent in the forest. One day his wife visits him and informs him that she needs a break and is therefore taking a weekend trip with a friend. Doppler has to care for his young son Gregus. Gregus spends some time with his father in the forest and he has a lot of fun playing with Bongo.
One day while Gregus is staying with Doppler the boy starts suffering from withdrawal as a result of not having access to the television. The young boy starts to rebel so Doppler takes him to Dusseldorf to allow him to watch television.
As the story unfolds, a few others invade his forest and he is feeling the urge to move on to another forest. By that time Gregus is living with him. Doppler wants to meet others because he believes that there must be people out there who are very different from Norwegians. At times, Doppler by Erlend Loe borders on the absurd, and that may just be the point. Doppler has a need to be away from others, yet to survive, he steals from them.
Final Thoughts: Doppler by Erlend Loe
Doppler
by Erlend Loe is one of the books that I intended to read on the Virtual Literary World Tour, but didn’t get to. I recommend this book. Have you read Doppler by Erlend Loe, what are your thoughts?
