Re: Richard Ford

Jean Hantman (j.hantman@worldnet.att.net)
Tue, 24 Aug 1999 11:34:25 -0400 

By the end of "Independence Day" Frank is not a time bomb, he's not
repressed and he's not a liar.
    Frank isn't at peace with himself, he's at peace with being a conflicted
self, which is the most
anyone can ask for.

Jean


-----Original Message-----
From: Laughing Man <the_laughing_man@hotmail.com>
To: bananafish@lists.nyu.edu <bananafish@lists.nyu.edu>
Date: Tuesday, August 24, 1999 8:53 AM
Subject: Richard Ford




OK, I can’t bear this silence treatment. I have a topic. It’s about Richard
Ford and his Catcher in the Rye qualities.


For some reason, I came to think about Richard Ford when reading Camille’s
classical statement:

>From: Camille Scaysbrook <c_scaysbrook@yahoo.com>

>This is a quality I've noticed in all the best writing I've ever read -
>that it seems to be what's going on *between* the lines that is the true
>success - and true meaning - of the writing. This, I think, is the one
>thing that cannot be manufactured, it comes from the elusive Something that
>separates a good artist (or piece of art) from a great one

I read an interview with Ford the other day, were the interviewer asked Ford
about his Frank Bascombe (sp?) character. The interviewer had this picture
of Bascombe as a positive guy, trying to make the best out of life. So far
so good. But the interviewer went way beyond that. To him Frank was a hero
at ease with himself. Harmony was a word almost coming out of the
interviewer’s mouth.

I could see the punch coming. Ford would obviously laugh him right in the
face. Frank Bascombe in harmony? But no, Ford was NOT trying to alter that
picture. He pretty much was in agreement. So my question to the list is: is
it only my poor English reading something between the lines that’s not
there, or is something “rotten in Denmark”?

My image of Frank Bascombe, the main character in The Sportswriter and
Independence Day, is a time bomb waiting to explode. On the surface,
everything is cool. Things are not working out the way they should, however,
and Frank’s thoughts about the “why”’s and the “what to do”’s is just like a
grown up version of the Catcher.

At least that’s what I’ve always thought. Anyone have any opinions here?

TheWonderingMan


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