Harry lives in a world of pain, surrounded by death and destruction. His career as a photojournalist has taken him to the scene of many of the twentieth century's worst human tragedies. Harry's personal life has also been a shambles. His dead father was at odds with him for most of his life, his wife, who cheated on him, is dead, and his daughter has not spoken with him since the death of his father ten years ago. How is it possible for Harry to be happy?
The answer seems to lie in his ability to derive pleasure from those immediately around him, and more importantly in his photographer's ability to put distance between himself and his subjects. It is clear at many points in Out of This World that Harry thinks in pictures, from the way he thinks of his young fianc� Jenny ("She is always so much better than the picture in my head." p.55) to his memories of his family ("Cut to period photos of: the new 'Robert Beech' Wing of the King George Hospital" p.91) to his description of history itself ("once everything was black and white. No, I don't mean simpler, clearer -- when were they ever that? I mean, literally: monochrome." p.203) Harry applies this distancing technique to his own life so effectively that he is able to view past disasters with a cool and journalistic eye.
With this in mind, Harry's young fianc� Jenny becomes the center of his life and returns happiness to him. It is no surprise that he does not wish to photograph Jenny. Once he photographs her she will become distanced and unreal. He states very clearly that she always surpasses his mental "photographs" of her. From his detached point of view and his ability to view life from behind a camera eyepiece, Harry Beech has accomplished the impossible for a Swift character -- has has actually achieved happiness.
