Character Analysis
We never get the full name of Kundera's young editor friend who shows him compassion after he's fallen out of the Communist Party's favor. Is it because he's somehow trying to protect her by keeping her somewhat anonymous? His desire to violate her seems to contradict this notion, but Kundera's world is strange—any combo of human behavior is possible.
R. offers Kundera a job writing the horoscope column for her publication. It's to be an anonymous column, and both Kundera and R. think the plan is a pretty safe bet.
And it is.
Until it isn't.
It's a nerve-wracking time for the young woman, who's never been through any kind of serious political trouble before. Kundera's response? He gets this intense desire to rape her. You might ask why (we certainly did), and you will get this answer: "It may be that the insane desire to rape R. was merely a desperate effort to grab at something in the midst of falling" (III.9.5).
There's not much that we can say in response to that, except that R.'s unfortunate fate illustrates an important point: there are no friends in a totalitarian state because when everyone's falling from grace, all bets are off. Kundera has no qualms about leaving R.'s life in pieces since his existence has been shattered, too.