Awkward...

Throughout Waiting for the Barbarians there is an odd sexual tension. The magistrate himself is just generally an awkward man, with creepy lustful thoughts. His relationship with the blind slave-girl is full of unanswered sexual tension. She even attempts to come on to the magistrate but nothing comes of her efforts. The sexual tension is more or less put to rest when the girl and the magistrate are finally together on their way to bring her home, but still there lingers a weird sexual vibe throughout the book. The lack of specific names of people or groups in the book gives more emphasis on the actions in the book and aside from the brutal torture and imagery, the theme of awkward sexual tension prevails.