How Late It Was, How Late

The section begins with Sammy receiving three letters, one of which is his giro, a welfare or unemployment benefit. These letters symbolize his connection to the external world, particularly the bureaucratic and financial systems on which he now relies, introducing the theme of Bureaucratic Challenges for Marginalized People. Most of the section focuses on Sammy’s bureaucratic hurdles. Later, Sammy visits the DSS Central Medical to seek assistance and benefits related to his sight loss. The interactions that Sammy has with the officials show the robotic, dehumanized face of the bureaucratic machine. When he speaks honestly with one of the officers who plays football, an old passion of Sammy’s, the officer obtains information that puts Sammy in a difficult position. Afterward, Sammy is unable to take back what he said. In this situation, Sammy’s lack of control over his situation is central. His uncertainty about the details of his case and his fear of potential implications when discussing the police altercation that led to his sight loss reflect the anxiety and vulnerability that he experiences as a marginalized person within this bureaucratic maze.

Sammy’s internal struggles and anxieties are heightened by the difficulties he faces in all kinds of social situations. The Relationship Between Anxiety and Class is one of the main themes in this section. Sammy’s caution about revealing his sight loss to others in his neighborhood reflects his fear of being taken advantage of, given the potentially exploitative environment in which he lives. He does, however, feel at home in that environment. Furthermore, Sammy’s social background makes it more difficult to address his anxiety as a medical condition. In fact, his anxiety makes him more vulnerable, and he tries to balance it out by smoking and listening to country music. He also expresses a desire to develop healthy habits, such as exercising, quitting smoking, and drinking less.

This relationship is emphasized during the scene at the end of the section, when his supposed paranoia about being chased by the police turns out to be true. This reveals Sammy’s truly vulnerable situation. He is constantly in a state of alertness and anxiety and cannot even relax in the bath, reinforcing his dependence on alcohol and cigarettes as a way of coping. This time, the arrest is not preceded by a fight. Rather, the policemen are depicted as aggressors without a reason. Although Sammy experiences the period before the arrest with maximum anxiety, he meets the arrest itself with calm. This shows character development and suggests that he has experience with such situations. In addition, the scene suggests that stressful situations for a socially vulnerable person like Sammy are not only ones of direct violence or injustice. Rather, anxiety infiltrates states of waiting and tension in the novel due to the uncertainty and sense of overwhelming paranoia that they produce. Kelman hence balances violent drama with quiet tension to highlight the extent to which marginalization permeates the lives of society’s vulnerable people.

As Sammy prepares to leave for the post office, he takes the time to plan his route in mind. His mapping of the neighborhood shows his familiarity with the environment. As opposed to the flaneur experience, which involves wandering and daydreaming, Sammy’s mapping of the city shows his need to control his environment. However, as an impoverished working-class individual relying on social benefits for survival, and with a new disability to inform his relationship with the world, Sammy’s control is limited. The small moments of certainty that he experiences—for example, when he can navigate his familiar routes with the help of his white stick—are important for Sammy’s confidence. His successful arrival at the post office, where he buys tobacco and cashes in his benefits, demonstrates his determination and resourcefulness in navigating the world. This achievement serves as a testament to his resilience.

Throughout this section, Kelman explores social community as a crucial component of Becoming Accustomed to Sight Loss. As Sammy heads to the local chemist to buy sunglasses, he hopes that they will help him blend in and signal his sight loss to others. This action reflects the social condition of individuals with disabilities and the pressure to adapt to societal expectations. Sammy’s choice of sunglasses to signify his blindness underscores his awareness of societal judgments and his efforts to manage them. Upon reaching the bus stop to go to the DSS Central Medical for an appointment related to his vision loss, Sammy engages in a conversation with fellow passengers. This interaction underscores his desire to maintain a sense of normalcy and social connection despite his new disability. It highlights the importance of social interactions in his life, which serve to counterbalance the isolation that he experiences. Throughout the section, Sammy’s interactions with various individuals shed light on his relationships and his attempts to connect with others. These interactions provide depth to his character and illustrate the impact of his sight loss on his social interactions.

Sammy’s thoughts about his girlfriend, Helen, reveal his tender side. At the same time, he is completely unable to access Helen. Helen represents Sammy’s hope for normalcy and tenderness. However, the fact that she is absent, with Sammy having no idea where she might be, represents his disconnect from the normalcy that he seeks. The uncertainty of their relationship resonates with Sammy’s uncertainty about his position in the world. In a city undergoing a process of deindustrialization, where much of the population is deemed superfluous due to unemployment and an increasing sense of hopelessness, Sammy’s situation is presented as an illustrative case.