A puff of air-whuff!-hits his ears, blows out the candle. He can't be bothered relighting it, because the bourbon is taking over. He'd rather stay in the dark. He can sense Oryx drifting towards him on her soft feathery wings. Any moment now she'll be with him. He sits crouched in the chair with his head down on the desk and his eyes closed, in a state of misery and peace.
In the excerpt from "Oryx and Crake," the character experiences a moment of solitude as a sudden puff of air extinguishes the candle, leaving him in darkness. He chooses to remain in this darkened state, allowing the effects of bourbon to wash over him, indicating a sense of surrender to his feelings. This choice reflects a desire to escape reality rather than confront it. His surroundings become less important as he embraces the comfort of oblivion.
As he sits, resigned and introspective, he senses the comforting presence of Oryx approaching, symbolized by her gentle, almost ethereal wings. This anticipation of her arrival suggests that she represents a deeper emotional connection or solace in his troubled state. The mixture of misery and peace within him captures a complex emotional landscape, showing the character’s struggle between despair and the fleeting comfort found in alcohol and imagined connections.
