Subject
VN and debunking the postmodern myth (fwd)
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Date
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From: jansy mello <jansy@zaz.com.br>
From: Robert Rabiee <costanza2000@yahoo.com>
Can it possibly be time to debunk the foolish myth of the "postmodern"
novel? (...) I had, of course, never been a proponent of postmodernism; but
one does feel a bit of apprehension when going about the destruction of such
a deeply entrenched lie, an idea believed by so many. And how, precisely,
do we go about its destruction?
.....................................................
Obs: Why shoud we set ourselves " to go about the destruction... of the
myth of the postmodern novel" ? Why not let it rest in peace "as a sort of
passing fad"?
(Boyd's reference to it as a sort of passing fad, an academic expression of
fashionable value alone, was a revelation to me).
........................................................
... there IS a universal truth within each text: that is, the truth of the
language itself. By virtue of the fact that we use the language, we accept
the universality of symbols - as Kristeva would have it (...)
.........................................................
obs: Could you explain further what you mean when you locate a universal
truth within each text?
You mentioned " the truth of language itself", as an answer but I think this
statement can be misleading:
In the first place you placed this universal "within" each text and not as
what should be common to all texts.
Secondly, what could be " the truth of language" ( I´m thinking about
Kristeva and language as metaphorical and about Lacan´s use of the
"signifier" ) ?
Also, to what language are you referring to? Verbal language alone?
................................................................
... we inherently recognize the existence and sancticy of this thing called
language. Given, it is a human construct - but to us solidly secular folk,
every concept (love, hate, God, justice, etc.) is.
....................................................................
Obs: why do you write about language as " a human construct" and in the
same breath that you refer to "concepts" as being also constructs?
....................................................................
... Roland Barthes here; in "The Pleasures of the Text," when he asserts
that PLEASURE is a universal, culturally-immune trait.
......................................................................
obs: as I see it, pleasure is an experience, it lies not in language but it
may arise through its use at certain times.
......................................................................
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. (...) Just a few ideas for possible debate.
.........................................................................
obs: I think it is a very a good idea to stimulate a debate about so many
important items. I don´t think that I measure up to Nabokov-L academic
standards but I´d like to hear more about the issues you´ve raised.
Nevertheless, one should reach an agreement about our terminology and the
references we are using in the first place.
All the best,
Rob Rabiee
All the best,
Jansy Mello
From: Robert Rabiee <costanza2000@yahoo.com>
Can it possibly be time to debunk the foolish myth of the "postmodern"
novel? (...) I had, of course, never been a proponent of postmodernism; but
one does feel a bit of apprehension when going about the destruction of such
a deeply entrenched lie, an idea believed by so many. And how, precisely,
do we go about its destruction?
.....................................................
Obs: Why shoud we set ourselves " to go about the destruction... of the
myth of the postmodern novel" ? Why not let it rest in peace "as a sort of
passing fad"?
(Boyd's reference to it as a sort of passing fad, an academic expression of
fashionable value alone, was a revelation to me).
........................................................
... there IS a universal truth within each text: that is, the truth of the
language itself. By virtue of the fact that we use the language, we accept
the universality of symbols - as Kristeva would have it (...)
.........................................................
obs: Could you explain further what you mean when you locate a universal
truth within each text?
You mentioned " the truth of language itself", as an answer but I think this
statement can be misleading:
In the first place you placed this universal "within" each text and not as
what should be common to all texts.
Secondly, what could be " the truth of language" ( I´m thinking about
Kristeva and language as metaphorical and about Lacan´s use of the
"signifier" ) ?
Also, to what language are you referring to? Verbal language alone?
................................................................
... we inherently recognize the existence and sancticy of this thing called
language. Given, it is a human construct - but to us solidly secular folk,
every concept (love, hate, God, justice, etc.) is.
....................................................................
Obs: why do you write about language as " a human construct" and in the
same breath that you refer to "concepts" as being also constructs?
....................................................................
... Roland Barthes here; in "The Pleasures of the Text," when he asserts
that PLEASURE is a universal, culturally-immune trait.
......................................................................
obs: as I see it, pleasure is an experience, it lies not in language but it
may arise through its use at certain times.
......................................................................
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. (...) Just a few ideas for possible debate.
.........................................................................
obs: I think it is a very a good idea to stimulate a debate about so many
important items. I don´t think that I measure up to Nabokov-L academic
standards but I´d like to hear more about the issues you´ve raised.
Nevertheless, one should reach an agreement about our terminology and the
references we are using in the first place.
All the best,
Rob Rabiee
All the best,
Jansy Mello