Re: intelligence of the author vs. intelligence of the characters

> Will Hochman wrote:Kim, S:AI is an innovative story that is about story
>writing. I use
>it in my creative writing classes...the dear tyger letter alone is
>worth it for my students. As a critic, I see the story as breaking
>out of standard forms and conventions of fiction in some pretty
>interesting ways, not the least of which is achieving an almost dual
>narration between Buddy and JDS. I would also defend the story in the
>way it handles the beautiful paradox set up by Kafka and Kierkegaard.
>Characters are impossible and imperfect and yet the whole story
>brings Seymour to life in ways that make me love him deeply and in
>ways that make it easy for me to revisit this story. I respect your
>opinion Kim and I really enjoy your posts on this list, but I
>respectfully disagree about your evaluation of S:AI. will
>--
>Will Hochman

I am sent reeling to know S:AI is actually taught in a creative writing
class. Now, don't let little old (the latter more accurate) me tell you how
to teach, but Tristram Shandy did all what S:AI tries to do and avoids being
a fifth as pretentious during the story. No, anyone who isn't hoodwinked by
Salinger's mystique knows his best work ended with RHTRBC. Some would say
after Nine Stories, and I wouldn't put up much of a fight against that
argument either. At least someone like Hemingway had the "ego" to finish
what he started. Through The Torrents, into the Summer and over the Sea, he
may have felt marred by some of the critics, but he didn't retreat into a
cowardly submission like ol JD.
Papa, there's a writer who handled a paradox or two.
Here's one for you chipper schoolboys and girls: A writer writes to
communicate, so why do some prefer to compose, run, and then hide?
"I love writing. But I write for myself" Yeah, Jerome. I read Hapworth. It's
not on the scale of Amerika, so you can keep what else is there...

-John

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Received on Sun Sep 1 20:04:45 2002