The Limits of Alterity: On Ben Lerner's Leaving the Atocha Station.

This article examines Ben Lerner's novel, Leaving the Atocha Station, focusing on the protagonist's struggle with detachment and self-doubt. The author of the article becomes captivated by the character and develops a quasi-obsession, even traveling to Madrid in search of him. The article delves into the reader's role in interpreting the text and the concept of alterity, or the desire to immerse oneself in otherness. It also explores the intersection of visual phenomenology and reading, particularly in relation to the Stendhal Syndrome. The article concludes by analyzing the role of imagery and language in the reading experience. [Extracted from the article]