Because when, previously, they had wrenched a book out of his hands, he had stared into space so disconcertingly it made the rest of us feel like putting a bag over his head. Sometimes, if he didn't have a book, to occupy Joseph's eyes I would plant a cereal-box side panel in front of him, and his eyes would slide over and attach to the words, as if they could not do anything but roam and float in the air until words and numbers anchored them back into our world.
In "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake," Aimee Bender paints a vivid picture of a character named Joseph, who appears to be adrift in his own thoughts when deprived of reading material. The narrator describes an experience where Joseph's intense gaze, seemingly lost in contemplation, makes those around him uncomfortable. This captures the idea of escapism through literature, highlighting how important books are for his mental engagement.
Furthermore, the narrator resorts to creative solutions to help Joseph regain focus, such as using a cereal-box panel to direct his attention to words. This suggests that Joseph's mind needs constant stimulation to tether it to reality, illustrating a deeper theme of connection to the world through language. Bender's writing evokes a sense of both empathy and awareness of the characters’ struggles with engagement and the impact of literature on their lives.
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