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Re: VN and debunking the postmodern myth (fwd)
From
Date
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From: Andrew Brown <as-brown@comcast.net>
Following this discussion, it occurs to me to ask, does the question of the
non-academic lay reader ever enter the considerations of the scholar and the
academic?
I'm curious. I made the decision many years ago, as an undergrad, not to
pursue an academic career, even though I loved literature more than
anything. I've enjoyed life as a non academic writer, in many disciplines
and mediums, and have never lost my love of literature, but have always
followed theory from a distance, and never considered it an influence on my
thought or my reading.
When academics study theory and create theory, do they feel that their work
has any application, or receive any attention, in the vastly larger non
academic reading world?
I ask this honestly and not sarcastically. I offer my participation here
(primarily as a reader) on the Nabokov List and the Finnegans Wake List as
bona fides of some sort to my role as an active, engaged, enthusiastic
appreciator of literature.
Please let me know what you think.
Andrew Brown
----- Original Message -----
From: "Galya Diment" <galya@u.washington.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 11:25 AM
Subject: Re: VN and debunking the postmodern myth (fwd)
> From: Jason Stuart <jts0803odon@yahoo.com>
>
>
> >Can it possibly be time to debunk the foolish myth of the
> "postmodern" novel? And how, precisely, do we go about its destruction?
>
> These things usually take care of themselves, though I don't think
anything really needs to be destroyed. The people I've talked to and worked
with recently (I'm an undergrad senior too--just got Boyd's book as a
Christmas present! Whatta coinkeedink) are a little tired of jargony,
obscure writing. And the French. But that's just a perspective; it doesn't
entail the death of theory. Characterizing postmodernism as a "lie" is
likely to get you into the same ideological slum where Will and Greenblatt
had their little turf war a decade ago, so be careful--that's my advice.
>
> Still, I don't think appraising VN with an eye to the postmodern is
necessarily without value; reading anything with your theory glasses on
probably would've provoked--well, any author. Sure, maybe not Sontag or
Dworkin, but you get my drift.
>
>
> >These are just a few ideas that came to me. I'd be
> interested in hearing other opiniosn on this idea,
> from some of you established academics. I am, after
> all, little more than a plucky undergraduate senior
> with too much time and a passion for Nabokov.
>
> Hope you don't mind the unestablished view. For my part--and I say this
as someone on the brink of an academic career, so bear in mind it might
change if I get desperate--I refuse to use phrases like "[verb]ing the
body," "...after Auschwitz," and anything that involves excessive, arbitrary
use of sl/ashes and (paren(t)heses) to (de)note sub/text. But it's one
man's lonely battle. Or something. Have a look at Crews' "Postmodern Pooh"
for a laugh.
>
> Enjoy,
>
> JS
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now
Following this discussion, it occurs to me to ask, does the question of the
non-academic lay reader ever enter the considerations of the scholar and the
academic?
I'm curious. I made the decision many years ago, as an undergrad, not to
pursue an academic career, even though I loved literature more than
anything. I've enjoyed life as a non academic writer, in many disciplines
and mediums, and have never lost my love of literature, but have always
followed theory from a distance, and never considered it an influence on my
thought or my reading.
When academics study theory and create theory, do they feel that their work
has any application, or receive any attention, in the vastly larger non
academic reading world?
I ask this honestly and not sarcastically. I offer my participation here
(primarily as a reader) on the Nabokov List and the Finnegans Wake List as
bona fides of some sort to my role as an active, engaged, enthusiastic
appreciator of literature.
Please let me know what you think.
Andrew Brown
----- Original Message -----
From: "Galya Diment" <galya@u.washington.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 11:25 AM
Subject: Re: VN and debunking the postmodern myth (fwd)
> From: Jason Stuart <jts0803odon@yahoo.com>
>
>
> >Can it possibly be time to debunk the foolish myth of the
> "postmodern" novel? And how, precisely, do we go about its destruction?
>
> These things usually take care of themselves, though I don't think
anything really needs to be destroyed. The people I've talked to and worked
with recently (I'm an undergrad senior too--just got Boyd's book as a
Christmas present! Whatta coinkeedink) are a little tired of jargony,
obscure writing. And the French. But that's just a perspective; it doesn't
entail the death of theory. Characterizing postmodernism as a "lie" is
likely to get you into the same ideological slum where Will and Greenblatt
had their little turf war a decade ago, so be careful--that's my advice.
>
> Still, I don't think appraising VN with an eye to the postmodern is
necessarily without value; reading anything with your theory glasses on
probably would've provoked--well, any author. Sure, maybe not Sontag or
Dworkin, but you get my drift.
>
>
> >These are just a few ideas that came to me. I'd be
> interested in hearing other opiniosn on this idea,
> from some of you established academics. I am, after
> all, little more than a plucky undergraduate senior
> with too much time and a passion for Nabokov.
>
> Hope you don't mind the unestablished view. For my part--and I say this
as someone on the brink of an academic career, so bear in mind it might
change if I get desperate--I refuse to use phrases like "[verb]ing the
body," "...after Auschwitz," and anything that involves excessive, arbitrary
use of sl/ashes and (paren(t)heses) to (de)note sub/text. But it's one
man's lonely battle. Or something. Have a look at Crews' "Postmodern Pooh"
for a laugh.
>
> Enjoy,
>
> JS
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now