The Light of Fireflies by Paul Pen is a very difficult, troubling, tragic story, odd from beginning to end. Early on a major character says there is nothing more amazing than a creature that produces its own light. And this maybe the compelling truth of the this story, this situation, and this family--but on some level it will shine true for us all--and thus makes it into my religious opinions. For this set of protagonists there seems to be no other source of light. There is darkness everywhere, seeping through everything. Lies stack on lies, love mask crimes and guilt, blame excuses torture, damaged naivete obscures beastly brutality, togetherness blocks freedom, conviviality hides lack of respect for personal boundaries, steadfastness hides slavery, gentleness overshadow meanness. Have I said it is a dark difficult story--hard to read (but also hard to not read)? It reflects to some extent in all of us, that is all of us who care to look into the basements of our souls. And if we don't care to look into our souls then we just don't see what's there anyway.
Into a this strange underworld is born one of our nameless protagonists. He is born in a basement with the understanding that there are no exits and no leaving. It's all mysterious but mystery only begins when we have questions and it takes some growing to have questions. His parents have disfiguring burn scars and his sister is so disfigured she must wear a mask so he will never be frightened by her appearance. And grandmother is blind from the fire. A brother is just mentally stunted and is in frequent idiosyncratic reverie. However this youth is a clever boy who enjoys a book on insects, his cactus and following a ray of sunshine seeping in from a crack in the ceiling as it crosses the floor. He cradles an unfertilized egg hoping to have baby chick. His blind grandmother encourages hopes by claiming to show the chick climbing about her only to say later it must have escaped the window (which is barred). He eventually collects a group of fireflies whose light becomes his inspiration, hope, strength, courage, and source of freedom.
The opening scenes show his father as a doting loving father only to have him appear as a criticizing harsh brute 10 years later. The developing youth wonders about origin of life, the behaviors he observes, and in addition to many other things, the nature of mammal offspring (a real reference to humans). Things go from bad to worse for the youth and the family. Some family members play one against the other. Confusion abounds. Truth is elusive. Naive childhood protection against suspected wrongs transforms into an unexpected battle with evil. And through it all the family is together-- held by guilt, codependency, and fear.
The bottle of fireflies--those amazing creatures that produce their own light and that had drifted in from the outside--instill the young hero with strength to go forward. In one particular sanguine episode the bottle is broken and the fireflies escape. The youth sees them swirling around but no one else sees them! Now it's clear where the light originated. Our 10 year old gallant knight is the amazing creature that produces his own light.
This nameless youth grows up in the outside world glowing in the light of the world and spreading his inner light to his child and nephew (the latter also born in the basement). But it is not necessarily a happy ending for the rest of the family. To escape your self imposed bondage and free yourself from rationalizations are difficult and with time efforts become fossilized, stifled, immobile. And one just continues to do what one has known even if wishing otherwise.
Paul Pen merritts title of author of a good book that shows us the light--even if it is dark and difficult.
