Bunker Man | |||||
Duncan McLean | |||||
W.W. Norton Books, 297 pages | |||||
A review by Chris Donner
Janitors are potentially the most interesting and most ignored people roaming the halls of high schools
across the world. Ubiquitous and close to invisible, they scour their way through hallways and bathrooms,
apparently unconcerned with the goings on around them. But to ignore them is to drop your guard when you
are still being watched. To quote from The Breakfast Club, "I am the eyes and ears of this institution, my friend."
When Rob and the other janitors are asked to help protect and police the student body, they initially laugh
at the request. But after they are warned about a man seen lurking around the grounds, Rob's interest in this
part of his job increases. It appears that someone is living in the bunker, and Rob thinks this man may have bad intentions.
Bunker Man is first a story of obsession -- Rob's obsession, which arises out of his initial concern about the
potential depravity of the man living in the bunker. Rob's obsession with the evils of those around him takes
him gradually through a series of increasingly violent sexual encounters, first with his wife and then with a
pretty young student named Sandra Burnett. As Rob's encounters grow more and more intense, his obsession with
the bunker man and the danger Rob thinks he represents to the children also increases.
Within the twisted logic of his personal vendetta, Rob befriends the bunker man while simultaneously planning
how he will "catch him in the act" and destroy him. Rob gradually begins to see the bunker man as representing
all that is wrong with the school, real or supposed -- sexual activities, insubordination, drug use,
violence. Meanwhile, Rob continues his sexual relationship with the immature and love-starved young
Sandra Burnett, apparently oblivious to the detrimental effects his actions may have on this young life.
Although this novel was published about a year ago, I first heard of Duncan McLean through an interview with
Marty Moss-Coane on the NPR show "Fresh Air." The interview was related to McLean's most recent
book, Lone Star Swing, which had just come out. But they talked about Bunker Man and read excerpts from
it, and I knew this was a book I had to read.
Bunker Man is a masterful tale of how one man's obsession grows to the point where it overtakes and
obliterates his former personality, turning him into what he hates so strongly. The first thing you notice
is the language. Duncan McLean's writing is coarse and graphic -- not for the faint of heart -- but it is
also powerful and vividly shocking. Far from the standardized British English of the BBC, Duncan McLean also
uses a heavy Scottish dialect that takes a bit of getting used to but adds to the eerie feeling. For me,
much of the potency of the story came from this unfamiliarity.
McLean seems to have unlimited resources with the language as well. Often his bawdy humour is
irresistible. Perhaps the best example of this comes in the form of the letters Rob writes to his
supervisor, Mr. Moran. Although they increasingly reflect Rob's self-absorption, you can't help but
laugh at the bizarre content.
Rob's advice to Mr. Moran ranges from installation of a garbage-burning furnace -- which would solve
both the litter and heating problems -- to recommending the "jannies" be outfitted with leather
holsters -- "an impressive accessory, handy for holding a notebook and pencil, which could be whipped out
and used for recording details of pupils' names and crimes."
The next thing you notice about Bunker Man is the sense of uncertainty and frustration filling the
lives of the various characters. Rob Catto initially is a pretty likable guy, living a simple but happy
life with his young and attractive wife, Karen. He has a good sense of humour and a healthy cynicism
about his work and his life. But a combination of boredom and personal insecurity lead quickly to
terrible consequences.
Throughout Bunker Man the tension and ambiguity build until the reader is uncertain whether Robbie
Catto is going mad, whether he is simply an evil man, or whether there is really a serious threat to
the safety and well-being of the student body and town. And when it comes right down to it, McLean
seems to say, can we ever really know?
Chris Donner is a freelance writer and magazine editor living in Manhattan and working in Connecticut. He will read almost anything once, as it makes the train ride go faster. He is currently writing a screenplay, a novel, several short stories, a collection of poems, and a letter to his mother. The letter will probably be done first. |
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