Wednesday 28 April 2010

The Last Blog

Well as usual I cannot believe that we are actually done with this semester in about two days (today doesn't count because it already started!). I also feel that I seem to always say the same thing in each of my last blogs for any Dr. Sexson class, it was amazing.

For me it is not just what I learn from Dr. Sexson, which is always more then I can say, but also from my fellow students. Rarely do you have a class in which the student's thoughts and not just the professors are used to build and add to the community of knowledge that the class can offer to you. I always seem to take away so much that can be used in other classes to come.

I also love that I usually leave a Dr. Sexson class and have my massive list of movies and books to enjoy over the break that lies ahead. Dr. Sexson's classes really do not end but are continued on throughout your time at MSU and beyond. Even my mother is, I am sure, tired of how much I call her and tell her what happened in class today. Rarely does that happen on a daily basis when you leave class and you are still excited over what you just learned.

I have to say that Emergent Lit was one of my favorite classes this semester, and mostly because I wasn't sure what to expect. The idea of low and high brow was kind of illusive to me and I was not sure how this could be interesting, but then again I can't believe I doubted Dr. Sexson! I loved this class and all the themes we covered. I am continually amazed on how much Dr. Sexson's classes cram into one semester. I think I won't remember much of what we went over, but then I am in another class and it comes back to me and I am in lecture all over again!

AS many of you have guessed that are new to Dr. Sexson's classes, he does have a kind of "posse" if you will. There is a group of us English majors that just follow him around throughout our college career, and never look back! I hope most of you are now addicted and take his classes as they arise. I am sorry to say that I cannot take anything next semester because I already took those classes, but perhaps in the spring when I am trying to take that one last class I discovered I needed to graduate!

So thank you Dr. Sexson and thank you to my fellow classmates for the past semester. I am always a little sad leaving these classes, but I know there are more to come. Hope everyone has a great summer break, and I know I plan to sleep for the first full week of it! Oh and most likely reread The Following Story at least a few more times!

Cheers!

R

P.S. I know I forgot to post my Finnegans Wake page and I was planning to do it this morning. Well I forgot it at home, so sorry about that! If any one wants to see it for some reason just ask!

Monday 26 April 2010

Dr. Strabo at Your Service



While doing research for another paper over the weekend I stumbled upon this fun fact.

Herman Mussert=Dr. Strabo= Strabo=Greek Geographer and Historian

I know, another connection to The Following Story. I will stop now.

Life: A Dreamed Illusion

“Dreams are closed systems, in which everything fits to perfection”, or so Herman Mussert believes in Cees Nooteboom’s work The Following Story (Nooteboom 64). Nooteboom’s novel encompasses many of the themes from the semesters class, but none as intriguing as the ideas of the world as dream and illusion and life as fiction and language. Nooteboom though does not stop there in his use of universal literary themes, but combines them to create what seems to be a new theme, that is to say, life as dream and illusion.
Nooteboom’s work follows Herman Mussert during the two seconds in which he experiences a “mysterious mental maneuver”, and passes “from one state of being to another” (Nabokov 104). Easy, you know, does it, Herman. Within this two second lifetime the reader is told “the following story”, and hears of the memories that haunt Herman as he faces what lies ahead. While Nooteboom establishes a new theme for literature, he also frames it within the power of memory and time to present to the reader a way of understanding both Herman’s, and ultimately our own, final journey to the “world” that is to come.
Throughout the journey Nooteboom often writes about Herman seeing himself
asleep in Amsterdam. It is through these “visions” that he comes to understand that he is dead, and no longer in the reality that included his home, but in a different reality made up of dreams. He writes, “My dreams have always borne a disturbing resemblance to life, as if even in sleep I could not come up with something new, but now it was the other way around, now at last my life resembled a dream” (Nooteboom 63-4). Although Herman uses the words that his “life resembled a dream”, in this case it is no longer his life but his death that has become the dream in which he finds himself (64). In turn he writes that, “…the people I saw in broad daylight were captives in the domain of sleep”, a time in which all are in limbo between their waking and dreaming realities, an allusion to Herman’s own limbo between states of being (Nooteboom 31).
Although Herman believes he is in a state of dream and illusion he is in fact dead, and what he believes to be a dream is his new reality as he evolves into his next state of being. “The world would continue to enact its masques of day and night as if to remind us of something, and we, who were already elsewhere, would observe this”, this “elsewhere” he writes of is that place of transition, that place that the two fleeting seconds of what is left of one reality moves into another (Nooteboom 105). Herman’s life is no longer important in this metamorphosis, but instead it is his death that becomes the new reality that he must come to accept.
As he shares “the following story”, a memory of another time, he recalls the events of his past which were important to him. He consciously realizes the importance of some of these events, but in the end comes to realize the importance of others in his last moments.
As a former Classics teacher in life, he reconfirms his understanding of the literal translation of “Dies” to be “time” (Nooteboom 68). For Herman death seems to lead to the “dying” away of time, and with death time is no longer important. This is where, like Herman’s dreams, “everything fits to perfection” and time is no longer needed to understand the world and reality in which he finds himself (Nooteboom 64). He writes of this new timeless sensibility as, “What sort of time can this be in which time stands still?” (Nooteboom 59).
Time and memory play an important role in Herman’s own realization that he is no longer among the living. With this realization comes the epiphany that time is not important, and that it is the memories that he recalls at the last moments to share that matter. He writes at the end that, “You had taught me something about infinity, about how an immeasurable space of memories can be stored in the most minute time span…” (Nooteboom 115). Time is unimportant in what comes next as Herman experiences his journey, but what he remembers is. It is those memories in the “most minute time span” that change him in those last moments (115).
Time in Nooteboom’s work emerges as a human construct, and it is this perception that entraps Herman within his sense of reality. When time “dies” away is when Herman is able to overcome the “now”, and accept the new reality in which he
finds himself. In surmounting time and moving ahead he realizes how this connects him to the others that share with him this journey into another state of being. He writes, “They had to be equally old, but ‘old’ was no longer a category to which their lives could be assigned. They had overcome time, they were transparent, released, they were far ahead of us” (Nooteboom 80). In “overcoming time” Herman and those on the boat are able to move “ahead” and pass from one reality into another and not question the idea of “here” and “now” (80).
“Time”, Herman writes, “ is the system that must prevent everything from happening at once”, but then time is an illusion that we all collectively agree to acknowledge (Nooteboom 33). It is this time that Herman must overcome. Not the “time” that is required for the “mysterious mental maneuver” to move from “one state of being to another”, but the time that entraps him, so that he can be released from the limbo in which he finds himself (Nabokov 104).
Inherent in the process of overcoming time the realization emerges that memories themselves are timeless, and have import beyond their chronological placement. These moments which he comes to identify as important are those meant to be shared. Herman writes that this is a universal experience, yet at the same time personal and unique, and in the telling, intended for a single listener. He writes, “…while we saw no one but her, the narrator saw someone who inspired him to find the words to express the inner reality of his story” (Nooteboom 104). Each set of stories is unique to the teller, and to the listener, unseen by others.
By seeing the person that will “inspire” them to tell of their story, each passenger is creating the reality and world around them they wish to see. Through this creation of a new reality, or ideal reality, they are able then to make that metamorphosis from one state to another. Herman writes of each of their stories as both a beginning and an end. Each story while unique, is about the shared experience of a life lived. As T.S. Eliot writes in the Four Quartets, “in my beginning is my end”, and what is perceived as an ending is in fact a beginning (Eliot 23).
Herman, and we, come to realize the paradox that is life. Life is our preparation for what is to come through death, and what we consider important is in fact the small number of memories that we carry with us to share. In Herman’s journey he is able to overcome time through remembrance, and he comes to know that it is his life that is the illusion and death that is his true reality. Herman’s two second lifetime is that “mysterious mental maneuver” that we all must accomplish to pass out of limbo from one state of being to another (Nabokov 104). To quote another thinker from another time, Goethe wrote, “That life is the childhood of our immortality.”

Thursday 22 April 2010

The Four Quartets and Film



The above clip matches the quote from Little Gidding on the first full page that I read. While reading that section I always seemed to be reminded of the idea of cyclical time, both of the seasons and life itself. The cycles of life and death seem present throughout Eliot's Four Quartets, but no where is it more perfectly seen than in the changing of the seasons. The change of seasons for me seemed to symbolize an awakening/rebirth both of nature and ourselves on our return. Since our theme was dolce domum, or home sweet home, then like the seasons we are always returning to where we began but each time anew. Eliot writes that "we will arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." This awakening,or knowing, is mirrored in the changing of the seasons, a new life created from "death." Not a literal death but death of our old surroundings into the strangely familiar ones we encounter on our return. This is the way man and nature are eternally connected in this shared rebirth through our journeys. The place is strangely familiar when we return, and Eliot writes that "the soul's sap's quiver" which is our recognition of something familiar in "home." He also writes that it is not spring in times covenant, in that it is not a literal changing of the seasons, but a returning to and awakening even if we are in our darkest hour. It is the "pentecostal fire" that burns within us that leads us to "home" and a rebirth in our surroundings. In the recognition of this strangely familiar place when "we arrive where we started and know the place for the first time" we see the idea of cyclical time in our journey "home."



The above clip is from American Psycho and goes with the quote I read from the first 12 lines of page 53. This follows along with what I wrote about above in relation to the seasons and returning "home." When we arrive to the strangely familiar place and know it for the first time, it is not only our surroundings that are changed but our sense of self as well. This is seen in the clip in that there is a focus on self, but no recognition of self, Bateman is just not there. This new self that emerges when we reach "home" is both ourselves and not because we have changed through our journey back. On our journey we can be aware of different selves, but when we finally reach home we must fully recognize the self now present. This is a recognition of a strangely familiar self. Eliot writes of this new self on arrival "home" as "knowing myself yet being someone other." For me this quote shows that it is not only our "home" that is altered after our journey but also ourselves, and when we return we must recognize this new self that we encounter. We must become no longer an entity but a human being and this is done through the recognition of self.

Wednesday 21 April 2010

Group Presentations

As usual the group presentations in a Sexson class are amazing and always revealing of those we have class with and yet rarely talk to. From the first day I was enthralled and amazed by what emerged from the minds of my fellow classmates.

Group Four was great with their imagined journey into the world as myth and dream. I loved that with in the journey that Jon follows the "war" that is meant to be stopped was only a play. It made the skit more interesting in that Jon's journey was a dream and the play was all an illusion as well. Plus Jon's and Bizz's "walking" on their journey and all the images was amazing as well. I enjoyed this group and felt the idea of a play within a dream was a great demonstration of theme and what we had seen in class from others works. I also enjoyed that they drew from many of the novels and films we saw in class.

Group Two and their film about the 20 minute lifetime was AMAZING! I think we all were intellectually intimidated. First of all Zach's impression of Dr. Sexson was great, and set the mood for the entire presentation. As Bizz said in her blog you really cannot get the image of a pregnant image of Kyle out of your mind. I like that the 20 minute lifetime was not only established for "student 1" but as a class we experienced it as well through Zach's role as the professor. Also Thomas did an amazing job on the film structure as well. It was beautifully done, funny and educational all that Sexson requires for a successful presentation. Out of all the novels and films we had in class for the idea of the 20 minute lifetime, this did a great job of tying them all together.

Group Three was life as fiction and language and was another film. I loved the idea of the support group for the characters in out novels and their realization as their lives as fiction. Each person did a great job of portraying their character and making each of their own realizations of their life individual and interesting. It was nice to have a presentation that took the characters and let them realize their roles in another realm of reality. In most of the works we read we as the reader see this but rarely does the character themselves mention it. It was also great to see a support group for these people so that they can ultimately find help. Also a great cameo appearance by Dr. Sexson.

Group One had the myth of the eternal return and their relation of the idea to "natural processes" also know as farting was intriguing. Also I must say educational since I did not know all those facts about methane gas, although I am not sure I will ever need all those facts and formulas. Also Jennylynn's outfit was amazing! I think I have those glasses as well, but I try not to wear them in public! I like the application of a high brow theme throughout literature and film that returns as low brow in out everyday lives. It was interesting to see the low brow emerge in something other then literature or film. Very enlightening.

Group Five was us and the theme was dolce domum. We were taking lines from The Four Quartets (high brow) and matching them with clips from films we knew (low brow). It was meant to be a continuous reading of the Four Quartets with examples of more modern connections. There will be a blog to follow this that will explain the connections between my clips, quotes and the theme our group was to focus on.

Group Six was the myth of the eternal return as well. I liked the idea of connecting the power and cycles of the sun to the stages of Vico and how each group views the sun as different in relations to themselves. I was also amazed like the rest of the class that they wrote all their own lines. It came out really well and their speeches seemed to me to be a mixture of both low and high brow. Everyone seemed to enjoy their part and the idea came across really well I thought. Also James return as the sun out of the bags was great as well.

So it must be stated once again that every time I take a Sexson class I am amazed by the projects that emerge from the minds of my fellow students. Also I am excited to hear about papers starting today, because after the group presentations things just seem to get better. More than any other class I always take more away from both Sexson's classes, both from the students and the professor. It truly is a complete learning experience!

Friday 9 April 2010

Nooteboom and Chaucer


Not sure if someone already mentioned this, but...

Pilgrims?

Storytelling?

Just saying!

That's what "emerged" while reviewing last night. Good luck to you all today!

(Above is just the Knight's Tale for no other reason except I think it is beautiful.)

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Who is it? Oh you!

In our discussion of The Following Story on Monday Dr. Sexson brought up the instances that Herman, and Nooteboom, reach across the boundary between reader and author/character and pull us into the story. After having read The Following Story for the third time, don’t worry I plan to read it again before I present my paper, and thinking about all the suggestions for who the “you” could be in the work, I got to thinking about it more myself.

After reading it several times I believe that the “you” is not only the obvious reaching out of Herman to the reader, but also Herman talking to Lisa d’India more importantly. Nooteboom writes earlier on in the work the following lines, “I’m glad the others have gone and that I need tell only you my story, even though you yourself are in it.” We as readers are the “you” and yet at the same time Lisa d’India is there as well contained in that little three letter word.

The importance of her connection to the “you” at the end is established when Herman first mentions that she is Crito to his Socrates. The philosopher and the beloved pupil. This role is first taken on by Lisa d’India in the class in which Herman enacts the death of Socrates. Nooteboom writes, “I stand still in the corner nearest the blackboard and look at Crito, my dearest pupil. She is sitting pale-faced and upright at her desk.”

Throughout the work Lisa d’India and the reader are all wrapped into one, the "you", to exemplify the importance of the “relationship/bond” that Herman and Lisa share. Not sexual but intellectual. It is only within the last page that the separation between Lisa and us, the reader, becomes distinct.

“You needn’t not beckon me any longer, I’m coming. None of the others will hear my story, none of them will see that the woman sitting there waiting for me has the features of my dearest Crito, the girl who was my pupil, so young that one could speak about immortality with her. And then I told her, then I told you-the following story”

Like Crito and Socrates, Lisa is there to close Herman’s eyes as death takes hold. In the end we also realize as readers that we are on this journey with him, we are on the boat to nowhere too, stuck between two worlds. His tale is a preview for what all of us will face at some point in time. We will all be on that boat telling our story to the one that means the most to us.

“…an immeasurable space of memories can be stored in the most minute time span…” and this is what we will share at the end. The memories that haunt us the most and come back to us in that instant of déjà vu to share with those that are awaiting our arrival.

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Turning by Dr. Lynda Sexson

If you click on them they will get bigger so you can read them.