"On my birthday, the minotaur is still propped on it, but now he’s lying at Theseus’s feet. It’s already the arm of a corpse. He’s given up the struggle, he’s acquiesced in his death."
This quote comes from a conversation between Hans and Katharina as they analyze Picasso's drawings. The artwork depicts the mythological scene of Theseus slaying the Minotaur. Thus, Hans draws a parallel between art and the existential struggles in their lives. This discussion symbolizes the power dynamics and inevitable defeat experienced by the characters. The Minotaur's resignation to death mirrors the characters' struggles against societal and personal constraints. Hans’s reflection on the Minotaur's death demonstrates the characters' submission to their fates. The quote exemplifies the novel’s themes of struggle and resignation. The Minotaur as a symbol of brute strength falls not because of a lack of power but due to an acceptance of his demise. This mirrors the characters’ inner conflicts and the sense of inevitability in their lives.
"Katharina secretly said the Lord’s Prayer to herself in bed for eight weeks, sweet was the hope that there might be a God. But God never replied once in all that time, and she stopped praying to Him."
Katharina attends a vigil at the Gethsemanekirche, which she realizes is an opposition event against the regime. This event triggers memories of her childhood and early encounters with faith. The vigil represents a form of silent resistance among the people as they search for hope amid political oppression. Katharina's recollection of her lost faith parallels her current disillusionment with religion and the state. The scene underscores the examination of faith and the search for meaning in a repressive society. Katharina's childhood hope for divine intervention and the subsequent abandonment of faith reflect her disillusionment with power and belief systems. The vigil as an act of collective resistance juxtaposes her journey from faith to skepticism. This moment encapsulates the critique of both religious and political structures since humans yearn for something to believe in.
"If there is no sense of sin, then there is nothing to forgive either, and we could get by without a merciful Savior."
The statement follows Katharina’s attendance at a performance that she finds unfulfilling. Her thoughts meander from the opera house to reflections on religion and forgiveness. The temporary stage represents the transient nature of the societal and political performances around her. Katharina's contemplation of sin ties into the novel's examination of the quest for redemption in an imperfect world. It delves into the theme of authenticity versus performance. Katharina’s dissatisfaction with the opera performance symbolizes her disillusionment with societal expectations. Her subsequent reflection on forgiveness underscores the philosophical inquiry into the nature of morality. The rejection of the need for a savior reflects a desire for self-reliance, criticizing the systems that impose guilt or promise redemption.
