A Singular Character | Karl Ove Knausgaard

I’m going to ask you to describe this man in as much detail as you can. What’s the most distinctive feature on his face? It would be the eyes. He’s called Kristian Hadeland. Twenty years old. Narrow eyes, high cheekbones. He’s a photographer, wants to be a photographer. And he is ruthless, obsessive. He wants to be an artist for whatever price it takes. There’s something that kind of releases all of that and he’s very successful. And then the past comes haunting him and pulls him back. When I was 20, I wanted to be a writer. And I felt like, you know, I could cut off my right arm just to make it happen. And I failed, and I failed, and I failed. And that feeling is kind of the core in him. What does it mean to be without empathy? What does it give you? Well, it gives you freedom. You can do whatever you want because you don’t have to care about the consequences. And that made me feel incredibly guilty, you know? I made him up. I’m doing things in his name. But where does this come from? Where do I take it from? Am I a narcissist? Am I without empathy? It’s the questions I have to ask when I’m writing, and I think the reader has to ask them. Because you you will identify with him at some point. So if you want to explore your unpleasant side, join him.