Comments for Louis's Weblog http://timesnine.wordpress.com Literature Analysis Ho! Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:32:09 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Blog Post #2- Disguises Abound by Final Portfolio « Louis's Weblog http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/blog-post-2-disguises-abound/#comment-104 Final Portfolio « Louis's Weblog Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:32:09 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-104 [...] -Blog Post #2: Disguises Abound [...] [...] -Blog Post #2: Disguises Abound [...]

]]> Comment on Blog #1- A little about me before we get Infinite by Final Portfolio « Louis's Weblog http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/blog-1-a-little-about-me-before-we-get-get-infinite/#comment-103 Final Portfolio « Louis's Weblog Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:17:57 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/blog-1-a-little-about-me-before-we-get-get-infinite/#comment-103 [...] -Blog Post #1: A little about me before we get infinite [...] [...] -Blog Post #1: A little about me before we get infinite [...]

]]> Comment on Blog Post #8: Wrapping it up by kmiddleton http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/blog-post-8-wrapping-it-up/#comment-102 kmiddleton Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:26:33 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=91#comment-102 If IJ is a representation of the entertainment in the novel, does that mean that we all become (feral) infants as we read it? :) I'm taken with the idea that Hal watches the Entertainment myself. I don't know if I'd go to the wall for it, but it seems like there would be a final dramatic and sad irony that Hal would, on the one hand, survive it because of his unique relationship to it, but that it would have the opposite effect than the one that Incandenza hoped for---it drives him further into himself, rather than further out. And if Hal sees it, should we assume that Gately does to? He, out of all of the characters in the novel, seems to have built up the armature to resist the choice of pleasure=freedom that is central to free will. Sadly, we never know what happens to him. We know he digs with Hal, but then disappears... If IJ is a representation of the entertainment in the novel, does that mean that we all become (feral) infants as we read it? :)

I’m taken with the idea that Hal watches the Entertainment myself. I don’t know if I’d go to the wall for it, but it seems like there would be a final dramatic and sad irony that Hal would, on the one hand, survive it because of his unique relationship to it, but that it would have the opposite effect than the one that Incandenza hoped for—it drives him further into himself, rather than further out. And if Hal sees it, should we assume that Gately does to? He, out of all of the characters in the novel, seems to have built up the armature to resist the choice of pleasure=freedom that is central to free will. Sadly, we never know what happens to him. We know he digs with Hal, but then disappears…

]]> Comment on Blog Post#5: Irish Luggage everywhere by bhkite http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/blog-post5-irish-luggage-everywhere/#comment-101 bhkite Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:49:30 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=72#comment-101 Louis, I like the distinction you make between Lenz and the other residents. There’s so much abuse and violence around many of the residents’ lives that I hadn’t thought of Lenz as the first person who outwardly manifests his internal anger. Still, I don’t believe that AA aided him in becoming a monster. I think Lenz is naturally a vile individual. He’s a lowlife criminal who came up with the idea to inflict pain on creatures that didn’t stand a chance. Honestly, if Lenz wasn’t in rehab, he’d acted just as low. His whole nature can be summed up by how he only steps back into the fight when Gately, Green, and those two crazy chicks had the situation under control. Hopefully, he’ll get caught hiding out and end up in jail. Beth Louis,
I like the distinction you make between Lenz and the other residents. There’s so much abuse and violence around many of the residents’ lives that I hadn’t thought of Lenz as the first person who outwardly manifests his internal anger.

Still, I don’t believe that AA aided him in becoming a monster. I think Lenz is naturally a vile individual. He’s a lowlife criminal who came up with the idea to inflict pain on creatures that didn’t stand a chance. Honestly, if Lenz wasn’t in rehab, he’d acted just as low.

His whole nature can be summed up by how he only steps back into the fight when Gately, Green, and those two crazy chicks had the situation under control. Hopefully, he’ll get caught hiding out and end up in jail.

Beth

]]> Comment on Blog Post#5: Irish Luggage everywhere by randoni09 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/blog-post5-irish-luggage-everywhere/#comment-100 randoni09 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:07:14 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=72#comment-100 Louis- We're singing the same song on our old pal Lenz. Taking things a bit further, I wonder how many people believe that there is more treachery in harming animals over human beings. Might have something to do with our desensitization to human suffering and, as you point out, the fact that animals are innocent bystanders. Reading this section, I was almost hoping Lenz would become a serial killer so he'd leave the poor animals alone. Randy Louis-
We’re singing the same song on our old pal Lenz. Taking things a bit further, I wonder how many people believe that there is more treachery in harming animals over human beings. Might have something to do with our desensitization to human suffering and, as you point out, the fact that animals are innocent bystanders. Reading this section, I was almost hoping Lenz would become a serial killer so he’d leave the poor animals alone.
Randy

]]> Comment on Blog Post #4: Why pursue happiness? by randoni09 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/blog-post-4-why-pursue-happiness/#comment-99 randoni09 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:59:14 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=65#comment-99 Louis- You made a thought-provoking insight about Clipperton offing himself after he has attained happiness. It seems to me that a correlation may be drawn with the image that comes to Joelle van Dyne as she smokes crack, that of the "Ectsacy of St. Teresa." I don't think anyone we have explicitly discussed masochism in the context of the book, but I think both examples might fit. My personal view is that the destruction of the self is an overt anti-survival statement and can not be correlated with "happiness." Louis-
You made a thought-provoking insight about Clipperton offing himself after he has attained happiness. It seems to me that a correlation may be drawn with the image that comes to Joelle van Dyne as she smokes crack, that of the “Ectsacy of St. Teresa.” I don’t think anyone we have explicitly discussed masochism in the context of the book, but I think both examples might fit. My personal view is that the destruction of the self is an overt anti-survival statement and can not be correlated with “happiness.”

]]> Comment on Blog Post #2- Disguises Abound by sean1871 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/blog-post-2-disguises-abound/#comment-98 sean1871 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:36:45 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-98 Again I am struck by how on the nose Wallace is about where technology is going. His concept of telephony feels very current. We certainly have real-life examples of similar technologies. Wallace is definitely commenting on all of us, I can't stand hearing my own voice on an answering machine. If there were a way to disguise it, I just might. I am curious what you think about the passage concerning the artifical heart that is carried in a purse. Is there a similar commentary on human nature there, or is it simply a funny passage? Again I am struck by how on the nose Wallace is about where technology is going. His concept of telephony feels very current. We certainly have real-life examples of similar technologies. Wallace is definitely commenting on all of us, I can’t stand hearing my own voice on an answering machine. If there were a way to disguise it, I just might. I am curious what you think about the passage concerning the artifical heart that is carried in a purse. Is there a similar commentary on human nature there, or is it simply a funny passage?

]]> Comment on Blog Post#3: The Science of Suicide? by kmiddleton http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/blog-post3-the-science-of-suicide/#comment-97 kmiddleton Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:17:54 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=62#comment-97 These kinds of planned suicides certainly aren't heroic in the Romantic sense, but they sure do start to resemble the Postmodern hero, who acts in the face of overwhelming events and data. In the Kate Gompert section, we're told that she's in Ennet House because she's been failed by both "ideation and intent." Himself, obviously, succeeds at both, and Joelle is well on her way there. So does the careful planning of their own suicides tell us something about these characters' abilities to process ideas and to carry through with them? In a world of stasis (e.g., the minimal mambo)? These kinds of planned suicides certainly aren’t heroic in the Romantic sense, but they sure do start to resemble the Postmodern hero, who acts in the face of overwhelming events and data. In the Kate Gompert section, we’re told that she’s in Ennet House because she’s been failed by both “ideation and intent.” Himself, obviously, succeeds at both, and Joelle is well on her way there. So does the careful planning of their own suicides tell us something about these characters’ abilities to process ideas and to carry through with them? In a world of stasis (e.g., the minimal mambo)?

]]> Comment on Blog Post #2- Disguises Abound by timesnine http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/blog-post-2-disguises-abound/#comment-96 timesnine Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:36:45 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-96 I'm thinking everything ties back into the national malaise that seems to permeate every character. There seems to be no genuinely happy character besides Mario. The rejection of the videophone technology seems tied to this. Never before had they seen themselves so clear. They immediately turned away from their new reality. The drug addicts seem to withdraw from society as well. Hide themselves off. Turning away from revealing their true, flawed, addicted visage to the masses. Hal's in the basement, Ken;s in the shadows, and Kate wishes she was dead. Generally, the people seem even more obsessed with covering reality with a false face. Nobody even appears to be a likable character. Perhaps this is simple a quality of the time. In this way, the two rejections seemed alike. A least a little. Not that this is too far from today anyway. I’m thinking everything ties back into the national malaise that seems to permeate every character. There seems to be no genuinely happy character besides Mario.

The rejection of the videophone technology seems tied to this. Never before had they seen themselves so clear. They immediately turned away from their new reality.

The drug addicts seem to withdraw from society as well. Hide themselves off. Turning away from revealing their true, flawed, addicted visage to the masses. Hal’s in the basement, Ken;s in the shadows, and Kate wishes she was dead.

Generally, the people seem even more obsessed with covering reality with a false face. Nobody even appears to be a likable character. Perhaps this is simple a quality of the time. In this way, the two rejections seemed alike. A least a little.
Not that this is too far from today anyway.

]]> Comment on Blog Post #2- Disguises Abound by kmiddleton http://timesnine.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/blog-post-2-disguises-abound/#comment-95 kmiddleton Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:20:49 +0000 http://timesnine.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-95 I imagine we're going to need to determine different kinds of, and motivations for, secrecy as we go forward. The death of the video phone is a curious reference in this case. You're right---people sense that they have to hide their "true selves," to the extent that their real faces (transmitted digitally) are the true self. I'm struck, however, by the note that they find themselves unlikeable when they see their faces. What kind of desire for secrecy is this? Is it hiding themselves from themselves? From others? This kind of secrecy seems slightly different (qualitatively) than Hal's desire for secrecy, which might be an end in itself, or a rebellion against the Moms, or his own personal indulgence to beat stress. Is there a difference between individuals need/desire for secrecy and an entire cultural rejection of a technology on the basis of what it reveals? I imagine we’re going to need to determine different kinds of, and motivations for, secrecy as we go forward. The death of the video phone is a curious reference in this case. You’re right—people sense that they have to hide their “true selves,” to the extent that their real faces (transmitted digitally) are the true self. I’m struck, however, by the note that they find themselves unlikeable when they see their faces. What kind of desire for secrecy is this? Is it hiding themselves from themselves? From others? This kind of secrecy seems slightly different (qualitatively) than Hal’s desire for secrecy, which might be an end in itself, or a rebellion against the Moms, or his own personal indulgence to beat stress.

Is there a difference between individuals need/desire for secrecy and an entire cultural rejection of a technology on the basis of what it reveals?

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