Subject: Re: Wind in the Willows
From: Jim Rovira (jrovira@drew.edu)
Date: Wed Oct 10 2001 - 20:30:40 GMT
Zazie, I'm not asking for credit from you; in my opinion, that would be
a dubious honor.
But Milne's quote elevated The Wind in the Willows virtually to the
status of "sacred text," a text that defines its readers yet resists
being defined by its readers, a text above criticism or analysis, a text
to which we must simply Submit, a text so important that refusal to
submit defines the reader without casting any light upon the text.
I don't think any work of fiction by any Brit (or anyone else, for that
matter...) deserves that status -- the claim is so overblown that I
can't take it seriously. It almost exceeds claims fundamentalists
(Christians...Muslims...? It doesn't matter) make about their own
Scriptures. I don't need to read the Wind in the Willows to know it
can't possibly live up to this standard. If I had read it I may
understand why Milne would feel this way, but I would still
disagree.
That's pretty much what Milne said, anyway. Something you might have
noticed yourself if you understood Milne's words :)
Now let me make sure I understand -- you're attacking me for a statement
I didn't even direct towards you? It's hatred, Zazie, and you can
suffer it all by yourself until you choke on it...I'm not going to
respond to you any more.
Jim
ZazieZazie@hetnet.nl wrote:
>
> Whoa!! And this from a 'scholar' who keeps on blaming me for not discussing content of
> some essay (HIS essay, I add).
>
> So let me get this straight:
> for jim it's not okay to get criticism on the style of his essay, he then immediately
> blames me for not understanding it, as if that had got any to do with, but it's okay for
> for him to disrespect a book or something said about a book HE HASN'T EVEN READ!?!?!
> At least I criticise what i've read, i advise him to do the same.
> He just lost all credit i might have given him.
>
> At 10/10/01 10:45:00, jim r. wrote:
> >I'll have to read the book, but my first response to statements like this
> >is: "What a bunch of hooey."
> >
> >"And that's when Tonstance Weader fwowed up..."
> >
> >Jim
> >
> >Paul Miller wrote:
> >>
> >> This from Milne on Wind in the Willows is priceless.
> >>
> >> "One does not argue about The Wind in the Willows. The young man gives it to
> >> the girl with whom he is in love, and, if she does not like it, asks her to
> >> return his letters. The older man tries it on his nephew, and alters his
> >> will accordingly. The book is a test of character. We can't criticize it,
> >> because it is criticizing us. But I must give you one word of warning. When
> >> you sit down to it, don't be so ridiculous as to suppose that you are
> >> sitting in judgment on my taste, or on the art of Kenneth Grahame. You are
> >> merely sitting in judgment on yourself. You may be worthy: I don't know, But
> >> it is you who are on trial."
> >>
> >> A. A. Milne
> >>
> >> Paul
> >>
> >> -
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