Both Sarah and Little Bee lost flesh and blood on the beach; Sarah - her finger - and Little Bee - her sister. Although the blows occur in very different places with equally varying emotional damage, they are derived from the same blade. Symbolically, the characters posses an identical scar from which the flesh was sliced, their wounds mirror images of each other. Chris Cleaver writes a beautiful and poignant scene in which the two characters join together at the wound to form a whole.
"I held tight to her arm and I placed the palm of her left hand on the back of my left hand. I arranged my fingers underneath hers so that the only one of my fingers you could see was the one that was missing from Sarah's hand. I saw how it could be I saw how we could make a life again." (pg 148).
It carries the beauty of sympathy and empathy yet unveils the gravity of their fragility. Sarah is incapable of surviving in a quotidian sense, and Little Bee cannot survive at all. Combined, these characters have the abilities and the means to live full lives unburdened by the past. However, it is through each other that they make this possible because they have a common suffering. I wonder about the characters in Auster's Sunset Park and how they might have coped if they found others who were familiar with the prickly details of their horrors. Although Mile's parents suffered the same loss of Bobby, neither carried the burden witnessing the event. I suppose the wisdom to be distilled from these two novels is that distancing one's self from others, like Miles, does not equate to independence and maturity. It is recognizing when one is stuck and in need of assistance, and then actively seeks guidance that marks adulthood, like Little Bee.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
A Dose of Honey
Little Bee. I feel ashamed because little Bug has it right. "Horror in your country is a something you take a dose of to remind yourself that you are not suffering from it" (pg. 45). This novel is just another dose of that sweet medicine to remind me that I live in a life without fear. Blood Diamond, The Invisible Children, Zeitoun have all touched me yet I've done nothing. What can we do? There are so many of these terrible stories. Bee is not special - she is a beautiful, strong, independent girl who is just like countless others. Who do we help. This feeling of helplessness overcomes me.
And here I go again, making this about me. Isn't it exactly like Americans to hear about tragedy and focus so much on how it affects them. Yes, it does affect them, but is that where their core focus should rest? The reminds me in Sunset Park where Alice notices that our generation won't shut up. We have so much to say about ourselves, but most is just prattle.
On an entirely different note, I found my self sighing with relief after the death of the nameless women. I found it right for her. Her family was murdered, and she was broken seemingly beyond repair. I do not doubt that she could have gotten through it and found people to love and help again, but I wonder if it would have been worth it to her. Our society stigmatizes suicide but Bee puts it in a beautiful new perspective. In fact, its practically impossible for the majority of our society to understand this concept since most do not live in a state of fear: that there are hardships worse than death. Death can be a haven.
And here I go again, making this about me. Isn't it exactly like Americans to hear about tragedy and focus so much on how it affects them. Yes, it does affect them, but is that where their core focus should rest? The reminds me in Sunset Park where Alice notices that our generation won't shut up. We have so much to say about ourselves, but most is just prattle.
On an entirely different note, I found my self sighing with relief after the death of the nameless women. I found it right for her. Her family was murdered, and she was broken seemingly beyond repair. I do not doubt that she could have gotten through it and found people to love and help again, but I wonder if it would have been worth it to her. Our society stigmatizes suicide but Bee puts it in a beautiful new perspective. In fact, its practically impossible for the majority of our society to understand this concept since most do not live in a state of fear: that there are hardships worse than death. Death can be a haven.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Sunset Park: A Critical Reflection
The end of the novel poses the question of whether or not Miles has grown from his seven year penitence. His test of character occurs after he assaults an officer in the heat of the eviction. Once again "his angry punching hands, his angry pushing hands" got the best of him and his disappointment in his own actions are clear(pg 307). He displays the same rashness as he did on the road with Bobby all those years ago. On the other hand, he chooses against the fugitive path to instead "face the music" with the help of his father and friends (or so we assume)(pg 306).
So has he matured, or is he the same boy?
Neither. The final passage is meant to explore a concept discussed earlier in the novel presented by Renzo. "To write an essay about the things that don't happen, the lives not lived, the wars not fought, the shadow worlds that run parallel to the world we take to be the real world, the not-said and the not-done, the not-remembered" (pg 153).
Miles' condition is altered drastically due to the circumstantial presence of Ellen. She pressures him into speaking with his father over the phone even when he obdurately resists. You might be thinking The complication with the eviction occurred. Why think of this as in the shadow world? Ah yes, so to bring meaning to this approach, we must look at a third point in the novel: Morris and Willa did not have a child between them. Willa even states in the novel how she wanted a kid which sets up the possibility of "what if". Say their was a third sibling who likely would have been at the scene of Bobby's death. Sed person might have acted like Ellen giving the full story to render Miles incapable to bottle his guilt. An early, complete confession might have enabled him to move forward in life through the support of his family and friends, the very same position he is in at the end of the novel. But of course, this possibility is "chancy at best" (pg 153). Nevertheless, the end of the novel is a strikingly congruent situation that gives light to how things might have happened for Miles had there been another member present at the scene of Bobby's death.
The text seems to suggest that dealing with tragedy is not always a measure of maturity, but rather it is up to circumstance and the presence of others that attribute to how people cope, understand and move forward from tragedy; furthermore, that running may not offer an opportunity to grow, but instead a prison where guilt can fester until the broken individual becomes "addicted to the struggle" (pg 263).
So has he matured, or is he the same boy?
Neither. The final passage is meant to explore a concept discussed earlier in the novel presented by Renzo. "To write an essay about the things that don't happen, the lives not lived, the wars not fought, the shadow worlds that run parallel to the world we take to be the real world, the not-said and the not-done, the not-remembered" (pg 153).
Miles' condition is altered drastically due to the circumstantial presence of Ellen. She pressures him into speaking with his father over the phone even when he obdurately resists. You might be thinking The complication with the eviction occurred. Why think of this as in the shadow world? Ah yes, so to bring meaning to this approach, we must look at a third point in the novel: Morris and Willa did not have a child between them. Willa even states in the novel how she wanted a kid which sets up the possibility of "what if". Say their was a third sibling who likely would have been at the scene of Bobby's death. Sed person might have acted like Ellen giving the full story to render Miles incapable to bottle his guilt. An early, complete confession might have enabled him to move forward in life through the support of his family and friends, the very same position he is in at the end of the novel. But of course, this possibility is "chancy at best" (pg 153). Nevertheless, the end of the novel is a strikingly congruent situation that gives light to how things might have happened for Miles had there been another member present at the scene of Bobby's death.
The text seems to suggest that dealing with tragedy is not always a measure of maturity, but rather it is up to circumstance and the presence of others that attribute to how people cope, understand and move forward from tragedy; furthermore, that running may not offer an opportunity to grow, but instead a prison where guilt can fester until the broken individual becomes "addicted to the struggle" (pg 263).
Sunset Park: An Initial Reflection
Everything that exists in a delicate stasis can be torn apart in an instant. Blinded by the new chapters they are on the brink of living, the tenants of Sunset Park are caught unawares of the violent eviction that suddenly materializes. I (your blogger truly) think about Linderman's acidic reaction to the finale of the book, but I find it an accurate telling of the suddenness and magnitude of tragedy from the view point of one experiencing it.
The entire book is teeming with reflection on past tragedy and how people move forward. However, it supplements this illustration with the sobering truth that tragedies will continue to happen even after you come to terms with those of the past. Just as the estranged soldiers are coping with the emotional and physical wounds of war, they must face infidelity, alcoholism, and handicaps in their "new" life.
Sunset Park ends without any resolution to the current dilemma. Personally, I feel that Ellen might find her drawings in a trash, or possibly finds solace in creating new artwork to accompany her new identity. I think Bing will serve a little time and resolve to fight the system in another petty way. Alice must have emailed herself copies of the dissertation at some point - I find it difficult to believe that she literally only has one copy in her computer. Miles might have to serve some time, but he has powerful connections, and as the nation has seen with the Bush twins there are ways to shirk consequence.
There are so many themes and ways to approach this novel, but I'm particularly interested in Auster's style of writing in telling the story. His level of vocabulary and style do not change from character to character indicating that there is a consistent author. However, the narrator speaks as if he is situated within the minds of these characters, relaying their unedited, internal thoughts. However, there is a shift when focus settles on Morris Heller. Suddenly, the reader has been transported to where the narrator exists and experiences the plot within the mind of Morris Heller. For example, "You have met with the boy twice more since your reuninon on January twenty-sixth" (pg. 274). Is this the recording of observations that Heller mentioned he would start writing? If so, why does Auster have him choose to write "you" instead of I? These are all questions requiring further scrutiny of the novel and shifts in narration from chapter to chapter.
The entire book is teeming with reflection on past tragedy and how people move forward. However, it supplements this illustration with the sobering truth that tragedies will continue to happen even after you come to terms with those of the past. Just as the estranged soldiers are coping with the emotional and physical wounds of war, they must face infidelity, alcoholism, and handicaps in their "new" life.
Sunset Park ends without any resolution to the current dilemma. Personally, I feel that Ellen might find her drawings in a trash, or possibly finds solace in creating new artwork to accompany her new identity. I think Bing will serve a little time and resolve to fight the system in another petty way. Alice must have emailed herself copies of the dissertation at some point - I find it difficult to believe that she literally only has one copy in her computer. Miles might have to serve some time, but he has powerful connections, and as the nation has seen with the Bush twins there are ways to shirk consequence.
There are so many themes and ways to approach this novel, but I'm particularly interested in Auster's style of writing in telling the story. His level of vocabulary and style do not change from character to character indicating that there is a consistent author. However, the narrator speaks as if he is situated within the minds of these characters, relaying their unedited, internal thoughts. However, there is a shift when focus settles on Morris Heller. Suddenly, the reader has been transported to where the narrator exists and experiences the plot within the mind of Morris Heller. For example, "You have met with the boy twice more since your reuninon on January twenty-sixth" (pg. 274). Is this the recording of observations that Heller mentioned he would start writing? If so, why does Auster have him choose to write "you" instead of I? These are all questions requiring further scrutiny of the novel and shifts in narration from chapter to chapter.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
From Sunset Park to Stars Hollow
What do the Gilmore Girls and Paul Aster's Sunset Park have in common? According to Juliet Linderman of Jewcy.com, the two are interchangeable. Linderman was sucked into the TV series, but after the switch from Amy Sherman-Paladino to another writer, the hit WB show (later CW) ended in an "undisputed disaster." Much to her dismay, Linderman finds Auster's recent novel just as unsavory as the last 18 episodes of the Gilmore Girls.
Linderman, who usually identifies as an exponent of Auster, believes the book is lacking in exploration of the protagonist, Miles. He is quick to recount the tragedies of past baseball stars, but his own secrets remains untold. She also found the Sunset Park tenants' infatuation with Miles to be unwarranted as he is riddled with flaws and too few redemptive qualities.
Personally, I'm not as familiar as Linderman is with those chatty girls from Stars Hollow, a name more indicative of the show itself. However, I can see Pilar making a guest appearance on the show to give that obnoxious Lory another reason to hysterically babble. My tastes aside, I find Linderman's criticism heated, possibly with the disappointment a fan faces with unmet expectations. I'm only through part I of the novel, but I think Auster does a fair job of showing "what makes Miles tick." Particularly in the memories that Miles is stripped and sized by his mother. Auster doesn't implicitly explain how this affects Miles, but his relationship with Pilar is evidence enough. Miles refuses to show Pilar himself as a result of the relationship with his mother. He has learned to never be "naked" in front of women because it will be met with calculated judgment.
Nevertheless, Linderman's criticism may come as a blow to Auster, but I find its humorous tone enjoyable, not too mention effective in communicating her point.
"Paul Auster Meets Gilmore Girls In This Review Of Sunset Park"
http://www.jewcy.com/arts-and-culture/books/paul-auster-meets-gilmore-girls-in-this-review-of-sunset-park
Linderman, who usually identifies as an exponent of Auster, believes the book is lacking in exploration of the protagonist, Miles. He is quick to recount the tragedies of past baseball stars, but his own secrets remains untold. She also found the Sunset Park tenants' infatuation with Miles to be unwarranted as he is riddled with flaws and too few redemptive qualities.
Personally, I'm not as familiar as Linderman is with those chatty girls from Stars Hollow, a name more indicative of the show itself. However, I can see Pilar making a guest appearance on the show to give that obnoxious Lory another reason to hysterically babble. My tastes aside, I find Linderman's criticism heated, possibly with the disappointment a fan faces with unmet expectations. I'm only through part I of the novel, but I think Auster does a fair job of showing "what makes Miles tick." Particularly in the memories that Miles is stripped and sized by his mother. Auster doesn't implicitly explain how this affects Miles, but his relationship with Pilar is evidence enough. Miles refuses to show Pilar himself as a result of the relationship with his mother. He has learned to never be "naked" in front of women because it will be met with calculated judgment.
Nevertheless, Linderman's criticism may come as a blow to Auster, but I find its humorous tone enjoyable, not too mention effective in communicating her point.
"Paul Auster Meets Gilmore Girls In This Review Of Sunset Park"
http://www.jewcy.com/arts-and-culture/books/paul-auster-meets-gilmore-girls-in-this-review-of-sunset-park
Thursday, January 20, 2011
I criticize because I care
Jackson Pollock comes to mind when critical theory is on the table. Many of his paintings have numbers instead of titles, because he believed that one should “look passively -- and try to receive what the painting has to offer and not bring a subject matter or preconceived idea of what they are to be looking for.” Arguably, this is an aspect of critical theory. Nevertheless, I believe that Pollock recognized how oftentimes people loose themselves in the obsession over the creator's intent. He seems to say that the message does not come from the creator, but the created. Furthermore, that the message may not even come from the painter, but derived solely from the painting. Pollock is stressing importance in the relationship between an individual and artistic.
Pollock’s approach to critical theory demonstrates how the experience is unique to the beholder which also applies to literary theory. Conventional literary criticism wrestles to illuminate the confounded influences that attribute to the creation of literature. For example, an inseparable component to literary criticism is cultural context. Not surprisingly, a literary criticism is also a product of culture as it too is a piece of literature. Even this blog post is an indicator of our own culture. All literature, including literary criticism, acts as a window peering into its point of origin.
I suspect that critical literary theory seeks to address the following:
argument
question
proposed solution
cultural context
historical context
spatial context
hidden references or dialogue between works
Critical theory is the dissection of literature, the tool that is comprised of written thoughts or ideas and can serve almost any purpose in relation to communication, to understand the interworking of verbal organ systems.
http://painting.about.com/od/colourtheory/a/Pollock_paint.htm
Pollock’s approach to critical theory demonstrates how the experience is unique to the beholder which also applies to literary theory. Conventional literary criticism wrestles to illuminate the confounded influences that attribute to the creation of literature. For example, an inseparable component to literary criticism is cultural context. Not surprisingly, a literary criticism is also a product of culture as it too is a piece of literature. Even this blog post is an indicator of our own culture. All literature, including literary criticism, acts as a window peering into its point of origin.
I suspect that critical literary theory seeks to address the following:
argument
question
proposed solution
cultural context
historical context
spatial context
hidden references or dialogue between works
Critical theory is the dissection of literature, the tool that is comprised of written thoughts or ideas and can serve almost any purpose in relation to communication, to understand the interworking of verbal organ systems.
http://painting.about.com/od/colourtheory/a/Pollock_paint.htm
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