Is this sad or funny? (translated book title = The Chalk Circle Man)

[scherzo♫]

On page 38, blind character, Charles Reyer, is thinking about:

"... or going up to someone at a traffic light with your white stick, and saying
'Can I help you cross the road?' ..."

I laughed out loud.

BUT, he goes on

"... What's all that about? Just to embarrass other people, of course, and then to take full advantage of your untouchable status. Pour souls, they don't dare say anything, they just stand on the pavement, feeling bad. ..."

If it happened to you, would you laugh or feel bad?

[Joshua]

Good question. Just finished that not too long ago. Reyer is a terrific character and i don't know if such a thing is directed at the reader except insofar as to ask a question like that. He's clearly conflicted, both by his blindness and his hatred of himself for being blind. This is what makes him nuanced and fascinating and is actually one of the things i loved about the story. The Author isn't heavy handed with her knowledge of the character. She doesn't moralize him or try to plumb more details out of who he is than what he's able to give and that's just... well... interesting. He's just there, in the background almost, causing a ruckus and yet he's somehow central to the whole thing.

[Anita]

I laughed while reading this because I was aware of the context and knew the character. However, if it happened in real life, I would probably be aghast and glad the speaker couldn't see my face!