Sandor Marai's Embers has been translated from Hungarian into German and then re-translated from German to English. This editorial detail gains greater significance within the context of the book. Marai writes about an aging general in Hungary who longs for the golden years of the Empire. Addressing the dramatic cultural shift of the iconoclastic 20th century, Embers is a story about adapting to progress with deep, deep roots in Hungarian culture. Because the book has been translated from German instead of its original language some of the author's specific meaning has been reduced from its impressive cultural context; however the message of the text remains ever-foreboding.
Marai's depiction of Henrik locked away in a remote castle sets the tone for the entire novel. Henrik's life is a stale one. Lacking the humility necessary to adapt, Henrik has willingly abandoned his autonomy in favor of security. He's carefully preserving his memory of the past, devoting his time and attention to holding onto those memories as if they mattered. He cannot seem to find value in the present moment, whether because he's become consumed by his grudge against Konrad or because he fears change. Most likely it's a bit of both.
The longstanding rift between Konrad and Henrik can be interpreted as an allegory of Henrik's withdrawal from society. Disliking the terms of modern society, Henrik prefers to cut ties completely, the same way he hasn't spoken to his old friend in over 40 years. Konrad's character could be any person and still represent the same thing to Henrik whose grudge against change has cost him his life. True he seems perfectly content living alone in his castle, but he hasn't done anything in years much less made any meaningful relationships. Fear and resent have driven him inward in an endless contemplation of past injustices. If Henrik wishes to understand truth, as he claims, then he must make peace with the past and allow it to remain history rather then devoting all his energy to its static preservation. This is a cautionary tale to be sure.
