Alyson Bernero

The Zahir was yet another example of the similarities between Borges writing and the book House of Leaves. The main character and narrator is once again Borges in this story and he once again cannot control his obsessions. The story not only focuses on his obsession with the zahir, but also his love for Villar. Like in House of Leaves the main character is torn between what is real and what he wants to believe is real. In this case, Borges' character cannot find the line between reality and what he hopes the zahir can do for him. This was definately not one of my favorite stories by Borges and I was confused throughout a lot of it.

tung kim

Many people find something out of nothing, that what I thought when I read the Zahir. A woman finds something in a coin that she is unable to let it go. Everyone I think is connected and that goes the same for objects. When things in our lives start to go all weird and we start to lose track, many people tend to find comfort different ways. And so perhaps the lady in the story holds on to that coin because she feels that she need to find reason to her existences. That just my take on it.

Julie Morvitz

I’m not sure what to think of The Zahir. It was confusing at times but it was about a man who bcomes obsessed with a coin and then finds out other people have been obsessed with it as well. In the past it hadn’t only been a coin, it had been other things as well like a tiger, a blind man, and many others. I think that anyone can decide what The Zahir is, because what it’s been in the past are very abstract things. The narrator says that The Zahir is also a form of God because they are both unforgettable and they make people mad. I think this is an interesting comparison, but there are many other things that are unforgettable and make people go crazy, but these things aren’t compared to God.
I enjoyed The House of Asterion. It is about a man who lives in a house (which is similar to a labyrinth) where its’ doors are always open and there is no lock. Although the house would allow him to leave, he feels like a prisoner beause when he walks outside people hide from him and run away because he is “unique”. Every nine years, nine men come into his house to be freed from all evil, and they all die suddenly. There are many questions I have concerning this story. Why do people flee from Asterion when they see him? Why is the number fourteen so important? How do the nine men die and why? Will Asterion’s redeemer ever come?