Monday, May 6, 2013
Parallel Lines Touching
Yes, Joyce is confusing, and the worst part: he does it on purpose! He digresses and elaborates. One moment he speaks plain English and the next he whisks away into some lurid purple passage. Whether it is a short story like Araby or a novel of epic proportions like Ulysses Joyce proves himself to be at once deep yet an able conversationalist. "-O, I never said such a thing! -O, but you did! -O, but I didn't! -Didn't she say that? -Yes, I heard her. -O, there's a... fib!" (202) This exchange demonstrates Joyce's familiarity with common vernacular. A few paragraphs later he throws the reader into the depths of the protagonist's heart. "Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and eyes burned with anguish and anger." (203). This juxtaposition emphasizes the complexity of the human experience.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Maybe one of the things we like about literature is that we like to think that our thoughts are as grand and meaningful as the text is, despite the common appearance of our words and conversations.
ReplyDeleteGreat point, Leah! Good focus, Briggs, on some specific features (everyday language, dialogue, interior thoughts). I think this would need to be a bit more developed before the connect you are stating is very clear, but you are off to a good start. (By the way, when you said "lurid" I think you actually meant flowery or fancy. "Lurid" has connotations you probably didn't mean)
ReplyDeleteActually I did mean lurid but I can see how without going into greater detail it might have been confusing. At times the passages can be quite intimidating, even terrifying to approach with intenseness of the imagery. That's what I was going for with the word. If I am still using it wrong I would definitely appreciate you letting me know.
ReplyDelete