Literary Masochism: Why I Read the Books I Should
As I struggle through James Joyce’s Ulysses for the second time in 20 years I have begun to wonder why I bothered once, much less twice.
Some might call me a literary masochist. I diligently read through weighty tomes year after year, trying to familiarize myself with the great writers of Literature. Rare is the time that I quail from the task.
Why? You may well ask. I have always been fascinated with the fictional landscape and by extension I am intrigued by the ways other writers find to describe the human condition. Stream of consciousness writing, such as that found in large portions of Ulysses, can be annoying, but it can also bring on a kind of meditation when the reader is in the right frame of mind.
Writers work with language and create structures that can be tortuous or flowing. A great writer might use techniques that bludgeon the casual reader, but for those who soldier on there is a thrill to navigating those difficult passages. One begins to see humor in the rhythms, the alliteration, the comparisons, the word-play and the pratfalls of the story itself. I won't pretend it is a straight-forward task. Sometimes it requires a couple read-throughs over the course of several days to achieve understanding. Sometimes understanding never comes and I have to admit defeat.
Serious writing does not always yield up a gloomy story or require that the reader have an unabridged dictionary at his/her side. Reading various writing styles stretches the reader's mind and vision like twelve tone music expands a listener's appreciation of less complex musical styles. Pushing beyond the bounds of one's expectations leads to tension in any art form and the resolution of tension is what draws a reader or listener forward through a narrative.
I don't expect to ever build a literary fire as brilliant as the great writers have done, but I hope by standing in their light I can catch a few sparks to illuminate my own attempts to transmit my ideas to paper.
Amy
Some might call me a literary masochist. I diligently read through weighty tomes year after year, trying to familiarize myself with the great writers of Literature. Rare is the time that I quail from the task.
Why? You may well ask. I have always been fascinated with the fictional landscape and by extension I am intrigued by the ways other writers find to describe the human condition. Stream of consciousness writing, such as that found in large portions of Ulysses, can be annoying, but it can also bring on a kind of meditation when the reader is in the right frame of mind.
Writers work with language and create structures that can be tortuous or flowing. A great writer might use techniques that bludgeon the casual reader, but for those who soldier on there is a thrill to navigating those difficult passages. One begins to see humor in the rhythms, the alliteration, the comparisons, the word-play and the pratfalls of the story itself. I won't pretend it is a straight-forward task. Sometimes it requires a couple read-throughs over the course of several days to achieve understanding. Sometimes understanding never comes and I have to admit defeat.
Serious writing does not always yield up a gloomy story or require that the reader have an unabridged dictionary at his/her side. Reading various writing styles stretches the reader's mind and vision like twelve tone music expands a listener's appreciation of less complex musical styles. Pushing beyond the bounds of one's expectations leads to tension in any art form and the resolution of tension is what draws a reader or listener forward through a narrative.
I don't expect to ever build a literary fire as brilliant as the great writers have done, but I hope by standing in their light I can catch a few sparks to illuminate my own attempts to transmit my ideas to paper.
Amy
posted by Seven Authors in A Private Conversation at 8:50 AM
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