Response to Rachel Sibley

Discussion: Joyce IV
Date: 10.24.05
Thread: isolation=liberation

Rachel, I felt the need to respond to your journal primarily to show you that I actually read the journals this time.

But, I also wanted to make a little comment about Steven's venture down the path of self-discovery. You know that I particularly enjoy the rules created by society. For example, I enjoy standing on cues because they are so orderly. Steven, however, would obviously be apalled by this notion because he seeks freedom from such "nets". I find an interesting illustration of his so-called "freedom" when the narrative turns into a diary. You mentioned that this shift illustrates his finding his voice. That may be true, but his voice is markedly sub-par compared to the increasingly technically gorgeous prose of the narrative part of the novel. For example, the first diary sentence is "Long talk with Cranly on the subject of my revolt." Actually, that is not a sentence according to the rules of English grammar. I understand the point this style of non-prose is trying to make, but I tend to disagree with it.

To me, Steven's revolt against everything-including-the-English-language is unneccesary. Often the rules of society are not oppressive or burdensome, but serve to free society from certain injustices or incongruities. I am not saying these rules should be accepted blindly and without question. I actually question daily the orderly instructions that I cherish. For example, I will be writing a sentence and suddenly rebelliously consider, "What if I do not capitalize the letter at the beginning of this sentence? Who do the grammar gods think they are to make me conform to such an absurd ideology?" But, then, I reconsider and realize that the capitalization of the beginning of a sentence is actually quite reasonable and logical and awesome.

I believe the point I am trying to make is two-fold. First, it may be more effort than is reasonable to reject the rules of one's culture and society. Secondly, the time Steven spends rejecting society's rules may actually distract him from his primary goal of self discovery and aesthetic actualization. The quote you concluded your entry with recommends that we choose which "patterns of thought, behavior, and emotion" we would like to follow, but does not suggest that we neglect such patterns alltogether.

Okay, I'm going to go read my etiquette book now.

Extra Credit: John Dufresne Reading

Date: 12.02.05

Not surprisingly, I was running late to John Dufresne's reading of his short story collection, so when I entered the auditorium, a court case was already in session.  Curtis had killed his girlfriend.  But, thanks to his wealthy parents and a big-shot lawyer, the guilty man walked away free.  Curtis then fell in love with another girl, but killed her when he got annoyed with her. 

Dufresne's sharp, witty, and observant prose grabbed my attention immediately.  Even without hearing the beginning of the story, I took involuntary interest in Curtis's life. 

Curtis again got off the hook because of a particularly bombastic lawyer.  Trying to start a new life, Curtis moved to Hollywood, Florida.  While at a club, he met another girl, but this time, the outcome would be different. 

So absorbed in the story and the style in which it was being told, I took a while to examine the author.  His hair was white and wild.  In fact, I am certain it was the wildest hair I have ever seen.  It was author-hair, deemed unruly by countless run-throughs by cramped fingers.

The girl Curtis met at the club had had too much to drink, so Curtis took her home and tucked her into bed.  Despite what one would expect, given his history, he had no desire to hurt the girl, or even to touch her.  In a insightful aside, Curtis explained the role of rage in his life.  Only rage can cause a sane man to kill. 

The story ended, and Dufresne took a few questions.  His dark eyes scanned the room.  'Those are the eyes from which the world is really seen,' i thought.  His insight  was somehow externally visible.  He told another sadly humorous story about a girl who was going to marry a Bulgarian immigrant on Friday, although she had only met him on Monday.  Over the phone.   

Another question period followed.  I learned that all of his stories are loosely based on reality.  He gleans stories from everywhere he goes.  He said that the stories don't come from within himself; they come from the outside world.  I particularly liked his method of writing that "is like taking notes."  He begins writing a story by piecing together aspects of place, tone, history, and character, while always paying attention to the themes.  His method shines though in his stories because he seems to achieve a keen awareness of the characters and their surroundings.  His writing helped me understand how to achieve a "sense of place" in writing.  However, the author also mentioned that paying attention to place can enrich everyday life.   Although I didn't attend this event with any high expectations, I think that I can apply some of this author's methods to my own writing and way of observing the world.