VV (1): Preliminary Remarks

[Thomas Eckhardt]

1. The notes are based on the assumption that although some P-listers will
know the novel almost by heart, this reading of V. may be the first for some
other people. I tried to put in as few spoilers as possible, but having
myself read V. two or three times I cannot avoid to point to and quote some
later passages that might illuminate the text at hand and bring the larger
themes of the novel into focus.

2. Also, I will discuss words that might need no explanation for an English
or US-American reader, or make comments that for somebody who is familiar
with the novel and the pertaining criticism only seem to repeat what far
more competent people have stated in better English. This is because I
believe that every reading of a major text like V. should start right from
scratch, that one should attempt to forget the preconceptions one inevitably
has and the criticism one has read and look at the "words on the page", as
the saying goes. If one then arrives at the same conclusions the critics
have reached - fine. If not - even better. This said, I have made use of
some general works of criticism, namely M.H. Abrams' "Glossary of Literary
Terms", Northrop Frye's "Anatomy of Criticism" and what I remembered of
Michail M. Bachtin's works.

3. Contradict, discuss, speculate, explain, analyze, argue, construct,
assume, state, falsify, corroborate, alchemize, support, deconstruct etc.,
but most of all, please: Have fun!

Thomas