Re: Muriel
AntiUtopia@aol.com
Sun, 28 Nov 1999 16:58:24 -0500 (EST)
In a message dated 11/28/99 3:59:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,
tim@roughdraft.org writes:
> Muriel, I think, bothers us because we are immersed in our consumer
> culture, and she is something like the high-priestess of that
> culture. She seems to be the one for whom the phrase "I want" was
> invented.
>
Yeah, there's no denying that impression -- to see much beneath the surface
requires some looking. It's interesting that you talk about reconciling the
different "Muriels," to me they're not all that disparate, but like before,
now that you mention it, yeah... I think what we have to look for is not
something so well thought out...or really, ANYTHING well thought out :)...but
rather all directed by emotion and will. I could see the same Muriel eloping
with Seymour, refusing to publish his poetry (probably knowing he wouldn't
want that), and while garbed in her High Priestess of Materialism Robe in
Bananafish defending Seymour to her mother almost right up to the point that
he kills himself -- if she's motivated by nothing else than Loving Seymour in
a rather strong willed fashion (even though she has a cream puff exterior)...
Jim