In his minimalist short story Save as Many as You Ruin, British author Simon Van Booy comments on the human concept of destiny and how a series of random lives Events can give rise to a feeling of inevitability. The story is told from the point of view of a third-person narrator who is closely related to Gerard, the main character, and who has insight into his past, his thoughts and feelings. Thus, the actual plot of the story is supported by Gerard's continuous stream of consciousness which allows the reader to always know what he is thinking. In the first part of the story, Gérard walks around New York. This serves as an introduction to Gerard's way of reasoning and, more importantly, the past events that shaped him as a person. The actual story is sparse and only begins when Gerard sees his old flame, Laurel, through a window. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Gérard is a man of great contemplative nature. His thoughts reveal that he thinks deeply about everything, associating and relating the things he has experienced. His streams of thought are associative as he moves from one idea to another, revealing a complex inner life where he is constantly aware of himself and his surroundings. At the very beginning of the story, as Gérard walks the streets of New York at nightfall, the sight of his footprints in the snow conjures up a vivid image of a Native American who once inhabited the forests and became Manhattan. Soon after, Gérard's mind wanders and he contemplates the fleeting nature of his own existence: “Gérard thinks of his own footprints and how quickly they will disappear. He expires in the world and his breath disappears (...) He wonders if his life is extraordinary. » Among other things, it is such contemplations that give the story an air of melancholy. The atmosphere is generally gloomy, because Gérard seems haunted by a slight Weltschmerz due to the death of Issy, the mother of his child, and his separation from Laurel, the only woman he has ever loved. But when his daughter, Lucy, crosses Gerard's mind, he "feels a poignant love" – a powerful image that reveals his excruciatingly strong attachment to the little girl. To compensate for his past problematic relationships with women, Gérard is confident in his devotion to his child, one of the few things in life that makes him happy. He decided to be a good single father. Additionally, the weather symbolism adds to the novella's inherent feeling of nostalgia and despondency. As Gérard wanders through the city, it is cold and the snow is falling, creating the ideal setting for a nostalgic stroll tinged with sadness. However, when Laurel and Gerard are about to leave the store, the weather has turned into a freezing snowstorm from which they have to take refuge in a taxi, which helps move the story forward. Unlike gently falling snow, a blizzard creates a sense of drama, which suits Gerard's emotional response to his reunion with Laurel. At the same time, when one is indoors and watches a snowstorm rage through a window, it can be strangely calming, inspiring a tender closeness with loved ones. Fittingly, Gerard and Laurel make love next to scented candles lit during the blizzard. Van Booy also uses the symbol of footprints throughout the story. The footprints that people leave in the sand or snow have become common symbols of the physical impact that human beings leave on Earth. Gérard is concerned..