Writing Against Death in The Floating Opera
In the opening chapter of The Floating Opera, Todd Andrews makes an observation that storytelling is not his cup of tea, because digressions are impossible to contain, and that makes it hard for him to concentrate on a particular line of narration; every image he creates breeds other images, words bring about other words, there being no end to "new figures and new chases" (Barth 2). This remark suggests that Todd's existence is, indeed, confined to the reality he forges by telling his tale; this fictitious reality regenerates itself. The tone of the passage also implies that Todd enjoys not a little the unprecedented freedom this realm allows to digress at will, chasing the figures and implications of his sentences to their dens; this image reminds of modern day hypertext.
The relationship between Todd's fiction and reality is as problematic as is the authenticity of events of his Floating Opera. Charles Harris points out that the novel is largely lies posing as autobiography (44): e.g., referring to the chronology of the writing of his novel, Todd Andrews mentions having spent three years reading books on medicine, boatbuilding, philosophy, minstrelsy, marine biology, jurisprudence, pharmacology, Maryland history, and the chemistry of gases in order to make sure he understood what happened. But if we look closer we will find out that these are exactly the books the narrator would have to read to actually compose the story, not understand it. An objection, of course, could be raised that extensive reading is quite consistent with the character's thoroughness. But Todd Andrews, "perhaps the best lawyer on the Eastern Shore," as he claims to be later in the novel, would...
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...h's avant-guardiste Schecherazade, escapes death.
Works cited:
Barth, John. The Floating Opera. Garden City, NY: Doubleway & Company,1967.
Gardner, John. Grendel. New York: Knopf, 1971.
Harris, Charles. "Todd Andrews, Ontological Insecurity, and The Floating Opera." Critique: Studies in Modern Fiction. 18 (1976): 34-51.
LeClair, Thomas. "John Barth's The Floating Opera: Death and the Craft of Fiction." Texas Studies in Literature and Language: a Journal of the Humanities.14 (1973): 711-30.
Martin, Dennis M. "Desire and Disease: the Psychological Pattern of The Floating Opera." Critique: Studies in Modern Fiction. 18 (1976): 17-33.
Merrill, Robert. "John Gardner's Grendel and the Interpretation of Modern Fables." American Literature:a Journal of Literally History, Criticism, and Bibliography. 56 (1984): 162-80.
Good vs. Evil in John Gardner's Grendel? & nbsp; John Gardner's novel Grendel gives the reader a new perspective on the classic "good vs. Evil" plot. From the start of the book the reader can tell that there is something very unique about the narrator. It is evident that the narrator is a very observant being that can express himself in a very poetic manner. The story is one the reader has most likely seen before, the battle between the glorious thanes and the "evil" beast. In this case, however, the "beast" is the eyes and ears of the. reader. This, of course, forces the reader to analyze situations in the book in the same way that Grendel does. By using this viewpoint, author allows his readers to see the other side of the coin. Therefore, Throughout the course of the novel the reader is able to understand how important to Grendel in defining the human. & nbsp; Grendel's first encounter with the human beings that he literally defines is not a pleasant one. After accidentally trapping himself in a tree he is discovered by a group of thanes out on patrol. Grendel expresses absolutely no hostile intentions towards these "ridiculous" (ch. 2). pp.24) creatures that "moved by clicks." (ch.2, pp.24) The thanes do not understand what Grendel is and are very uneasy about the whole situation.
Consistent in literature throughout every era and culture, archetypes represent a recurring image, pattern, or motif mirroring a typical human experience. An idea developed by Carl Jung, archetypes in literature exist as representations reflecting vital perceptions of the human psyche expressing the manner in which individuals experience the world. Using Jung’s concept, writers of all epochs embeds archetypes in structures, characters, and images of their narratives. John Gardner, in his novel Grendel, integrates several of Jung’s archetypes into his epic tale derived from the early story Beowulf. Gardner associates Jung’s personas of the outcast, the shadow, and the mentor-pupil relationship through the identities of Grendel, the narrator of events, and the dragon.
Authors often have to choose between concentrating on either plot or social commentary when writing their novels; in John Gardener's Grendel, the plot becomes is a secondary consideration. Grendel's exploits provide the reader with a clear understanding of the strong opinions the author carries and can be seen clearly as a narrative supporting nihilism in its many forms. The reader easily perceives the blatant religious subtext in the guise of corrupt priests and the foolish faithful. The notion of the old being wise is unacceptable to Gardener along with any notion of hero idolization. Within his novel, Gardner expresses his views concerning religion, wisdom and nature.
"Unit 2: Reading & Writing About Short Fiction." ENGL200: Composition and Literature. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. 49-219. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
Grendel, as a character, has a much more complex identity than just a monster and a human. Some, such as Ruud, classify him as a mixture of three different characteristics, but alone, they tend to conflict with each other. By making the connection that Grendel represents immorality, the previous idea makes more sense, while simultaneously incorporating more aspects of the character into the analysis. In either case, Grendel represents much more than meets the eye, and provides a fascinating insight into
The classic struggle of good versus evil is taken from a different perspective in Grendel, a story in which John Gardner demonstrates that neither one can exist without the other.
Rochette-Crawley, S. (2004) James T. Farrell. The Literary Encyclopedia. April 2, 2004. Retrieved on May 13, 2009 from http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1487
Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 2189.
...." Studies In The Literary Imagination 36.2 (2003): 61-70. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 6 Dec. 2013.
Murphy, B. & Shirley J. The Literary Encyclopedia. [nl], August 31, 2004. Available at: http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2326. Access on: 22 Aug 2010.
Coakley, J. J., & Donnelly, P. (2007). Violence in Sports . Sports in society: issues & controversies (9th ed., pp. 198-199). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Many may contend that the novel’s main character, Grendel, is guilty of evil by virtue of his vile actions. However, Gardner’s description of Grendel’s resistance to evil impulses and capability of human emotions suggest that Grendel is simply responding to his environment. Furthermore, Gardner deftly accrues readers’ sympathies towards Grendel, making it difficult for the empathetic reader to condemn the monster ex officio. By forging connections between humanity and his protagonist, Gardner indicates that readers are equally as guilty of sin as Grendel. Through this implication, he insinuates that humans are unqualified to judge Grendel’s actions, and, perhaps, each other. After all, if Grendel can be called evil, can the same not be said of all of mankind? The novel’s ultimate truth seems to harken back to Tupac Shakur’s assertion that, “Only God can judge me,” (Tupac
Strehle, Susan. "John Gardner's Novels: Affirmation and the Alien." Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Dedria Bryfonski. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale Research, 1979. 218 -219.
Merrill, Robert. "John Gardner's Grendel and the Interpretation of Modern Fables." American Literature 56.2 (1984): 162-180.
TJ is not only thoughtless, he is also quite sly and knows how to get