Essay on Address Unknown

The theme of love throughout the story

What seems quite interesting about this topic is the impressive evolution of Martin’s personality and behaviour. He’s changing a lot throughout the story in relation to the political context, but in relation to Griselle, too.
This is what I would like to explain in my essay.

To start with the love affair between Martin and Griselle, it’s important to know that they broke up. Griselle loved Martin when they were both in San Francisco. However, Martin had to let her down because there was Elsa and their sons and it was not easy for him to deceive his wife. We can see that in the second letter : « (…) I suffered too, most gravely. What could I do? There was Elsa and my little sons » (lines 68-70) and also three lines before : « (…) you know that the decision was not easy for me ». (line 65)
Griselle suffered a lot, but now she feels better. In other words, at the beginning of the novel, we know that they had a love affair and they still have some affection for each other, despite the fact that they broke up.

As regards the personality and the behaviour of Martin, it’s necessary to develop its progression. At the beginning, Martin is a sincere person and a devoted friend. Max is like a brother to him and he often shows that he adores him. For example in letter 4 : « So we go, my friend, perhaps to become (…) which you speak so movingly » (from line 68 to 71).
Their friendship seems to be the most important thing to each other, yet it’s going to change. Indeed, due to the rise of Nazism, Martin’s opinions change and his behaviour, too. He becomes an official and a nationalist. It is to be noticed that in the fourth letter, his opinion isn’t the same. He talks about Germany in another way : « (…) the little surface scum when a big movement boils up » or « We must go with it » (lines 12-31).
He’s ready to follow the movement unlike before he approves of the fact of killing millions of Jews.