Concept of Reincarnation in David Mitchell`s Cloud Atlas

David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas is a most distinctive work of conceptual fiction. Superficially it is a combination of six stories written in a palindromic structure, each story told using different narrative methods with protagonists varying in the time period, nationality, and sex. Arguably, the readers are not given enough time and content to be able to empathize with a character before moving on to the next one, especially with an unexpected transition of stories might create interruption and it could break the coherence of the novel. However, with each illustration of the struggles that the protagonists undergo, Mitchell portrays the strength and richness of each character, and it invokes empathy from the readers. The interconnections between the characters become evident as the novel progresses; the complexity of connections is difficult to summarise, but includes the symbolism of the comet birthmark, and from other stories implying the concept of reincarnation. The post-modernist is presented as the protagonist criticizing the authenticity of the previous narrator; the switchover of first, second and third-person narration, and the cliff-hangers keep the readers engaged in the story; tragic elements like the death of the characters provoke catharsis in readers, which allow the readers to build a better emotional connection with the characters.

Mitchell connects the sextet with the constant implication of the concept of reincarnation, the symbolism of the comet birthmark is hinted at in every story except the first story “the Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing”, which could be evidence of Ewing being the first generation. Importantly, through the depiction of each protagonist's reaction when discovering the symbolic, “coincidences happen all the time. But it is undeniably shaped like a comet”, Mitchell emphasizes the connection as their reactions mirror each other. Comet birthmarks that appear between their collarbones and shoulder blades represent more than just a common symbol; “comet” as the transient celestial object that appears after a certain time, reflects the process of reincarnation (reappearing after a certain time). Michell demonstrates the birthmarks in comet shape supporting the idea of reincarnation with his six characters.

Michell use of direct symbolism or quotation to imply the concept of reincarnation. Arys’ work named as “Eternal Recurrence” and “Matryoshka Doll Variation”; Cavendish’s assumption that “Luisa Rey is this Robert Frobisher chap reincarnated”, the connection of Frobisher and Sixsmith as Sixsmith suggests “I feel I’ve known you for years” when they first meet and the surprising mishearing of Cavendish “sick teen-squid Zachary” as Zachary is the protagonist in the later story. Those are further evidence of their reincarnation. Moreover, dreams and memories are constantly mentioned. Mitchell implies the idea of how Rey is familiar with the scenes in Frobisher’s letters, “images so vivid she can only call them memories” which could be interpreted as the evidence for the concept of reincarnation. Arys dreams about a“nightmarish cafe” which is the Papa Song restaurant that Sonmi works in. The readers might predict that Arys is reincarnated as one customer, however, “I’d been dead a long, long time” suggests otherwise. Arys’s realization of his own demise is contradictory, with his symbolic work title, Arys seems to act as the prophet in this story with the ability to see the future.

Additionally, each protagonist has access to the story of the previous narrator. Frobisher finds the diary of Ewing; Rey reads the letters between Frobisher and Sixsmith; Cavendish receives the fiction illustrating Rey’s life; Sonmi watches Cavendish’s movie and Zachry sees Sonmi’s manifesto. However, the authenticity of the stories is worth pondering. Ewing’s journal is edited by his son. Mitchell himself raises doubts of the authenticity of it, post-modernism is used. Through Frobisher, Mitchell suggests the journal is “too structured for a genuine diary” as the connection of two stories made. Ewing’s journal ends in midsentence which might be frustrating and interrupting for the readers. Mitchell, however, explains this from Frobisher’s perspective as “some forty pages later, where the binding is worn through” in which the readers would be engaged with Frobisher. Similarly, Rey’s story ends just at the climax with Rey “driven off a bridge” as Cavendish’s edition has“ran out of pages”. Mitchell’s matryoshka doll style of writing, with one story, covering another, the actual existence of the story is difficult for the readers to identify.

It is open to interpretation whether the stories are actual events that have happened, or just mere stories made by Zachry and pass to his son. Mitchell proposes the idea of “an infinite matryoshka doll of painted moments” with each shell representing a story, and Zachry's story as the outer shell encasing the orison of Sonmi contradicts the idea of reincarnation.

Cloud Atlas includes tragic elements as the protagonist undergo their struggles. Tragic elements might create catharsis in readers, the unavoidable tragic events might trigger the memories of readers' life and provoke pathos. It makes the readers feel more connected with the characters. Respect deaths of two protagonists and several other characters are presented although due to different reasons, they are all in some aspect, a victim. Like Sonmi, is the victim of the protest again Unanimity, Rafael is the victim of rape, and Sachs as the victim of Swannekke’s plan. It could also be argued that those are sacrifices, Mitchell makes their deaths act as an essential part of the protest. The concept of inevitability is mentioned by Mitchell through Rey’s conversation with Jarvis, as they discuss the possibility of changing the future, “not a function of metaphysics but...of power” as the conclusion suggesting the inexorable of future events. The inevitability of their deaths triggers sympathy of the readers, it allows the readers to connect the power of destiny to their life. Moreover, by allowing the readers to see the looming danger ahead of the protagonists with foreshadowing, as Frobisher proposes Goose poisoning Ewing“ fueling his hypochondria in order to poison him” before Ewing’s realization, Mitchell creates frustration. It makes the readers feel more empathetic with the characters and builds a stronger emotional connection.

Although there are multiple narrators, Michell creates richness in each protagonist. Mitchell uses first-person narration to illustrate Ewing’s story. Ewing is presented as a conflicted person, physically and mentally. His “Ailment” is mentioned several times which signifies the conflict of his physical health that influences him for the whole journey. Ewing's proposal of “cynicism can blind one to subtler virtues” appears to be changeable, in his journal, he challenges his own opinion constantly, as he alters his attitude to Goose (from “Bedlamite” to a “gentleman”) that leads to severe consequences. As the protagonist of the story, unlike other characters, Ewing describing himself as a “sentimentalist I may be”, shows consciousness towards racism and the violation of the natural world as the story progresses. The readers could see how racism is engrained in Ewing’s mind, even though he shows sympathy. He opposes the concept of “extirpation”, but agrees to with the idea that white people have the “mission” of“ civilizing the Black races”. The readers might not accuse Ewing of being racist, Ewing could be seen as a mere product of the society, and by portraying Ewing, Michell criticizes the rooted racism in Victorian society. The presentation of Ewing is then realistic and meaningful, with the change of Ewing from racist to a protester slavery system and the readers build a close connection with the protagonist. Apart from Ewing’s diary, “letters from Zedelghem” and “The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish” are all structured in first-person narration. The readers are allowed to look into the stories with intimacy, and it might be easier for them to build an emotional connection. Even though “Half-lives”, “an orison of Sonmi” and “Sloosha’s” (all written in third person narration), it still allows its readers to form an emotional connection and as the omniscient, they could see the situation from different perspectives.

Mitchell depicts six independent yet connected stories intertwined together, with its matryoshka doll style of writing and its unexpected division of the chapters, Cloud Atlas is one of the novels that is criticized for its complexity and incoherency, the emotional connection being interrupted with the change of the protagonists. However, Mitchell iterates the connection between the protagonists which allows the readers to better build a connection. The persistence and strength of each hero attract the readers. Even though none of the protagonists achieves their ultimate success, they all fulfill self-identification when undergoing struggles with destiny to some extent, allowing the readers to involve in the story thoroughly.

References

1. Byatt, A. (2019). Review: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2004/mar/06/fiction.asbyatt [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019].
2. Darhiv.ffzg.unizg.hr. (n.d.). Postmodern narrative strategies in David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas. [online] Available at: http://darhiv.ffzg.unizg.hr/id/eprint/5245/1/THESIS_Rado%C5%A1_Ivan_Postmodern_narrative_strategies_in_David_Mitchell%27s_Cloud_Atlas.pdf [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019].
3. Gioia, T. (2019). Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. [online] Conceptualfiction.com. Available at: http://www.conceptualfiction.com/cloud_atlas.html [Accessed 8 Jan. 2019].
4. Mitchell, D. (2004). Cloud atlas. Knopf Canada.