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Depicted herein is the clash between visions of a theory, or philosophy, of progressive history and a Modernist conception of a more chaotic theory of history. See, for example, the ninth thesis of Walter Benjamin's "Theses on the Philosophy of History," which may be found here: http://pages.ucsd.edu/~rfrank/class_web/ES-200A/Week%202/benjamin_ps.pdf Here, at the critical crystallization of Stephen's thoughts on the matter, it's worth recalling that it was Haines' casual comment that "it seems history is to blame" has triggered most of Stephen's thinking in Nestor.