As with Anton’s sudden and unexpected meeting with Fake Ploeg Jr. ten years later he has this fateful meeting with the man who changed his whole life in the fourth episode of the book. This man is Cor Takes, who happened to be the man who shot Fake Ploeg Sr near Anton’s house in Haarlem. The theme Fate again plays an important role throughout these pages seeing as how by chance Anton overhears Takes say ‘I shot him first in the back, then in the shoulder, and then in the stomach as I bicycled past him.’
As soon as Takes learns of who Anton is and what else he knows, his face suddenly goes pale, ‘As if the light had changed, he now turned as pale…’ This happens as the truth of the situation suddenly dawns on Takes and he becomes nervous or scared in a way. The motif of Light is important throughout this book and especially within this meeting, as light represents understanding.
As Takes and Anton proceed to leave the cluster of people, they step outside and the weather is sunny. This links to the motif of light and could possibly express the light’s understanding. Another part of Anton’s mystery filled past is about to be revealed to him.
Anton always chooses to run away from anything dealing with his past, going so far as to try to convince Takes to completely forget Anton even said anything and to just continue on with their lives. ‘Let’s get up and walk out of here and never mention it again.’ Anton tries to state that what happened twenty years ago doesn’t even bother him and he wants to take back what he said earlier. Takes is adamant though and dispels Anton’s reasoning by stating the facts and all that just happened.
Anton appears to be somewhat scared of Takes, which is why he was shivering. His thoughts on Takes is ‘… a nameless violence such as he had never known in anyone…’ He was hesitant about saying such so he decided not to. Anton's observations of Takes throughout this chance meeting helps develop Takes as a character.
The motif of Stone is also pretty dominant within this scene of the book. They're at a funeral, in a cemetery and there's various mentions of gravestones. Stones within the book represent memories and what those memories meant to various characters. As a cloud passed over the sun, the shadow covered the gravestones, the new one became slightly bleached and the old ones were more of a dominant darker gray. The cloud passed quickly though and the sun lit up the area once more.
The motif of Stone is also pretty dominant within this scene of the book. They're at a funeral, in a cemetery and there's various mentions of gravestones. Stones within the book represent memories and what those memories meant to various characters. As a cloud passed over the sun, the shadow covered the gravestones, the new one became slightly bleached and the old ones were more of a dominant darker gray. The cloud passed quickly though and the sun lit up the area once more.
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