A Most Wanted Man III

In what I read this week, Le Carré continues the various points of view. I find his way of introducing his character’s backgrounds interesting. He sometimes tells the readers straight out, or leaves it a mystery. In the fifth chapter, the reader learns more of Issa’s background through the German police and the German intelligence. Bachman is talking to his fellow workers about what they want to do with Issa. A fellow worker finds a story connecting Issa to extremists. He says, “In 2003, an investigation was launched by organs of Russian state security into unprovoked armed attacks by militant bandits on law-enforcement officers… Under interrogation, Dombitov confessed that all makes in his cell phone belonged to a militant Salafi group committed to violent acts with the aid of… explosive devices, homemade, low quality, but highly effective” (112). This is obviously dangerous for Issa, because he may have associated with this group. If he is associated, he will be watched more carefully, and he’ll probably be arrested by the police and deported. Annabel realizes that staying at Melik’s house is unsafe for Issa, so she hides Issa at her house. She thinks, “I’m doing this for my client Magomed… I’m doing it for my client Issa. I’m doing it for life over law. I’m doing it for me” (117). When she tells herself this, she is trying to convince herself it’s the right thing to do. She obviously doesn’t want another case like Magomed.

In the last chapter that I read, Brue learns more about the Lipizzaner account through his secretary. He also meets a couple of British intelligence who know his father. Brue thinks, “So you were a British spy, they now tell me. Selling Frères down the river for a British medal. Pity you didn’t feel able to tell me yourself” (151). Brue is wondering about his father’s dealings. What his father does is illegal, and now Brue has to deal with the consequences. The chapter ends with a conversation between Brue and his wife. She asks, “Is it a woman Tommy? I had the impression you’d rather given us up these days” (162). This gives the impression that Brue is becoming enamored with Annabel. This is an interesting complication.

A Most Wanted Man II

In the next few chapters, Le Carré introduces different points of view, such as the private banker, a lawyer, the German intelligence, and the local police. What I find interesting is how Le Carré introduces the characters. He doesn’t introduce the characters’ background right away, which tends to add a sense of mystery. In the second chapter, we meet Brue, the banker, and Annabel Richter, the lawyer. Annabel’s client (Issa) needs Brue’s help to access a bank account so he can go to medical school. She tells him, “He’s [Issa] drowning. All you have to do is hold out your hand… He trusts you… All right, he doesn’t trust you. But his father did. And you’re all he’s got” (38). I find it amazing that Issa never met Brue, but Issa’s willing to risk everything to get a hold of this account. At this point in the story, the reader doesn’t know who the client is. Later, you find out that the client is Issa. In the next chapter, the reader meets Bachman, a member of the German domestic intelligence service. The German intelligence still feels disturbed because they didn’t figure out that the hijackers of 9-11 plotted their attack on German soil. Bachman wants to recruit a live source to work as an Islamic terrorist spy. Le Carré writes, “He was chaffing against the dismal failure of Western intelligence services—and the German service most off all—to recruit a single decent live source against the Islamist target” (55). He figures that Issa can be this live source. Bachman seems a little nationalistic. His disappointment in ‘the German service most of all’ suggests that he didn’t think much of the other intelligence services. He obviously thinks highly of Germany.

In the last chapter I read, the story returns to Melik’s house. Issa is finally meeting Brue, to take possession of the money. When Brue starts talking to Issa, Issa’s sad past is revealed. He says, “…Anatoly is the best friend a murderer and a rapist could possibly have, sir” (80). We find out that Issa’s Chechen mother is raped by Issa’s Russian father. She is killed after he is born. Issa hates his father for murdering and raping innocent people. Because of this Issa wants to become a doctor so he can help others. With hesitancy Brue is talked into helping Issa. Annabelle explains, “Last year I had a client called Magomed. He was a twenty-three-year-old Chechen who’d been tortured by the Russians… Magomed didn’t have Issa’s track record. He wasn’t a militant or a suspected Islamist. He wasn’t wanted by Interpol… they dragged him out of his hostel bed and put him on a plane to St. Petersburg…His screams were the last anybody has heard from him.” (89). This is the first instance of Annabel sharing something from her past. She is determined to help Issa and save him from deportation and more torture. I think it’s to help rectify the case she lost the year before. It must be frustrating to be powerless in a situation like this.

A Most Wanted Man I

The Most Wanted Man is a compelling book by John Le Carré. The first sentence introduces the whole chapter with a mysterious mood. He writes, “A Turkish heavyweight boxing champion sauntering down a Hamburg street with his mother on his arm can scarcely be blamed for failing to notice that he is being shadowed by a skinny boy in a black coat” (1). I found this start interesting because it states what the first chapter is going to be about in one sentence. Also, it reveals something about the main character to the reader. Le Carré continues to have Melik, the main character, to encounter the man three times before they actually talk. The piece of paper says, “I am a Muslim medical student. I am tired and I wish to stay in you house. Issa… When his father died Melik had proudly assumed the role of master of the house and his mother’s protector and, as a further assertion to his authority, done what his father had not succeeded in doing before his death…he had launched himself and his mother on the long, stony road to German citizenship…” (5). Even though Issa didn’t know anything about Melik and his mother, he still asked for help. Melik declined him, which is understandable. This is a time after September 11, and German authorities were looking for terrorists. With association, Melik probably would never become a citizen of Germany. I don’t know why his family left Turkey and came to Germany. It is interesting that Le Carré doesn’t spend the first few pages describing Melik’s family history. We do know some of Issa’s history, since he tells us later in the chapter.

Melik’s mother accepts Issa into their home, even though Melik doesn’t think it’s safe. Understandably, Melik is suspicious of Issa. This suspicion becomes more pronounced when Leyla, Melik’s mother, tells him that Issa has been to jail. Melik asks, “Do you know that for a fact? We’re harboring a jailbird? Do the police know that for a fact? Did he tell you?” (7). Again, Melik sees the danger of associating with Issa. He doesn’t want to be known as a terrorist himself, and he wants to be able to become a German citizen. He’s very suspicious of this unknown man. Even though Melik distrusts Issa, at the end of the chapter, there’s a sense of acceptance. Melik has a change of heart after he sees the torture marks on Issa’s body and is moved to tears. Issa comes down with a fever, and is very sick. Melik tells Leyla to move Issa into his (Melik’s) own bed. He then reflects on the situation. Le Carré writes, “Yet compared with Issa, he was untried. Issa is a man and I am still a boy. I always wanted a brother and here he is delivered to my doorstep, and I reject him. He suffered like a true defender of his beliefs while I courted cheap glory in the boxing ring” (16). Melik starts to realize that Issa is stronger and tougher than he realized. Could Issa have been in jail because he is Chechen? Did he stand up his beliefs? Issa suffers because of his mysterious past but moves towards the future with hope. Melik understands that he can learn something from Issa.