I was actually appalled by the first paragraph of this essay, the idea that there are such real restrictions on what one can read or write about publicly at serious educational institutions. I am privileged, I guess, to have done my degrees and written my theses in the late 70s and early 80s. There were lots of prudes and would-be censors about, but one could still win respect—and good scholarships—by reading and writing and speaking outrageously.
The guidelines were something like: Of course, we respect every writer's freedom of expression, but you should always consider whether your words would "harm" someone in the audience.
I too came of age at a time when audacity was king. I can't shake that ideal out of my system.
To be accurate, The Road doesn't feature actual baby eating, though those involved are in the "pre-dinner" stage: the baby is roasted, and spinning on a spit.
Lots of non-baby cannibalism in other literature. Shakespeare (who only wrote about half the play), in Titus Andronicus, certainly is among the most notorious in the scene where a murdered relative is baked into a pie and fed to an innocent array of others at a meal.
Fascinating that you linked O'Connor and West. I recently reread O'Connor's Wise Blood, and thought how similar was the doomed lead with the corresponding unfortunate in The Day of the Locust.
"Just one?" made me laugh out loud. I have moved my one, long unread, Flannery O'Connor book from the shelf to the coffee table. It's not The Violent Bear it Away, but it will be an overdue start. Many thanks.
And, of course, there's Jonathan Swift....
I was actually appalled by the first paragraph of this essay, the idea that there are such real restrictions on what one can read or write about publicly at serious educational institutions. I am privileged, I guess, to have done my degrees and written my theses in the late 70s and early 80s. There were lots of prudes and would-be censors about, but one could still win respect—and good scholarships—by reading and writing and speaking outrageously.
The guidelines were something like: Of course, we respect every writer's freedom of expression, but you should always consider whether your words would "harm" someone in the audience.
I too came of age at a time when audacity was king. I can't shake that ideal out of my system.
Of course, Jonathan Swift. I mentioned him, then took it out.
To be accurate, The Road doesn't feature actual baby eating, though those involved are in the "pre-dinner" stage: the baby is roasted, and spinning on a spit.
Lots of non-baby cannibalism in other literature. Shakespeare (who only wrote about half the play), in Titus Andronicus, certainly is among the most notorious in the scene where a murdered relative is baked into a pie and fed to an innocent array of others at a meal.
Brian, You're right. Thanks. Pre-dinner is a nice phrase in the context. Actually, it's been left on the spit too long. "Charred" is the word he uses.
I didn't mean to limit the "devil's syntax" to baby eaiting. The West, O'Connor, and Cohen references all deal with other sorts of human mischief.
Fascinating that you linked O'Connor and West. I recently reread O'Connor's Wise Blood, and thought how similar was the doomed lead with the corresponding unfortunate in The Day of the Locust.
Oh Doug. Leave it to you to make this subject absolutely compelling and timely.
Thank you, Sarah.
"Just one?" made me laugh out loud. I have moved my one, long unread, Flannery O'Connor book from the shelf to the coffee table. It's not The Violent Bear it Away, but it will be an overdue start. Many thanks.
Ah, she's very funny. People often don't notice.
Speaking of audacity, do you do reviews these days? I have my seventh book of fiction, Dog on Fire, coming out in March.
Well, I’ll take it as a VCFA lecture, a good strong dose of Glover on a gloomy November morning. I certainly needed it.