The Devil Tree

Like Kosinski's second novel, "Steps", this is more of a mosaic of short, linked vignettes. In this book, however, there is a central character, who is more of a symbol of current American culture as Kosinski saw it. I read the original edition of "The Devil Tree" when it was first published in 1973, and after his first three books I was somewhat disappointed. I reread it in the early 1980s when Kosinski published a "revised and expanded" version, and I found it much more satisfying. Jonathan Whalen, the main character, is the scion of a fabulously wealthy family. As the story begins, he has just come into his inheritance. From there, the story weaves back and forth between his past and his present, describing his alienation, his failed relationships, his inability to fit in. In the 1970s this was the archetype of American youth, particularly those who came from upper-class families, and Kosinski's observations may seem dated today. On another level, however, it's about anyone who doesn't fit in, like the anti-hero of Albert Camus' "The Stranger." This will not appeal to readers looking for appealing, sympathetic characters, or a straightforward narrative. Kosinski's world view is pretty bleak, although it's not as intensely apocalyptic as his next two books, "Cockpit", and "Blind Date," which are truly horrific. But Kosinski's spare, lean prose and his perceptive observations on many details of American life more than compensate for the self-absorption and anomie of his characters. It's certainly far more interesting than his limp "Pinball" and the unreadable "Hermit of 69th St." (It's worth noting that Kosinski committed suicide in 1991. The revelation that his novels had been written with the aid of uncredited editors --- Kosinski's native language was Polish, and he never completely mastered written English --- may have been a contributing factor, as was the discovery that the story of "The Painted Bird", long presented by Kosinski as autobiographical fact, was in reality pure fiction. Then again, his unrelentingly dismal world view may have been his ultimate undoing.)

The format is unusual having no chapters but rather a series of short vignetts in first and third person voices with no set sequence as to their inclusion into the framework of the story. At first I found this style to be somewhat off putting but long before the end of the work I warmed to this method of story telling. Altogether Kosinski shows us his ability to engage the reader in what turns out to be a delightful read.

In Kosinski's DEVIL TREE the reader follows the life of Jonathan Whalen, looking for a clue to where this tale is headed. But this character study leads nowhere. It is the study of an anarchistic mind. The tale has no chapters, no parts, no order, which is fine except that it also lacks any direction. The tale consisted of snippets possessing no rhyme nor reason. Bits of dreams were interlaced with grim anecdotes that the reader could only hope to be fictional. Jonathan was a terribly over-cerebral man, not unlike Kosinski himself. Jonathan was on a search to understand the substance of his past. He sought total control of his emotions but remained forever detached from these emotions. He even tried to control his periods of depression and sickness. Attending an encounter group was useless to him for all he could see , by himself & others, was role playing and dishonesty. Jonathan could suck no nourishment from life. His slant on life was, 'most people are simply searching for an activity to label their existence.' Reared under the shadow of his fabulously rich father, who he only sought to appease, this same motive colored any relationship he tried with a woman. Never able to settle for being one person, he became an "in-between-man." He could stay neither hostile nor sympathetic toward anyone. Jonathan declared, "...living is an arbitrary matter and I have every right to renounce it." Happily, there was only one Kosinski!

It seemed to me at the time I read it, that is was a journey into something, maybe depravity? And then I loaned it to someone else and while they had it I realized what that journey was in reference to me. ( all things obviously being subject to personal view based on experience and genetics ) It was about growing backwards, upside down, the definition of the tree itself. In the beginning, Whalen had the answers, he started as a complete person, and degenerated, grew backwards, almost as if he had been born a man and moved backwards into childhood confusion. He was continually losing himself, trying to lose himself. So perhaps it says that man is meant to be lost? to stay forever in childhood? he is meant to know only those things he is born with? Simplicity.

I have read most of Kosinski's works of fiction, and I must say that this is one of my favorites. It is more along the lines of Steps or The Cockpit, but it is a little more experimental in its story telling. There are different narrators, both first and third person, who tell the story of a very wealthy young man's journey through life. Like the characters in Steps and The Cockpit, Waylen is very self absorbed and often performs horrifying acts of revenge on those who get in his way. I would recommend this book to anyone.