V.V.(1) Carnival and the picaresque - some remarks and questions

[Jane]

Thomas Eckhardt wrote:
> Hmmm, this sounds very true. I'll try to play the devil's advocate from a different
> angle: I know that you don't agree with McHale on some, perhaps many, points. But
> wouldn't you say that there is a difference between even a novel like Tristram Shandy,
> which seems to be based upon "the self-consciousness and awareness of the writing
> process" (and because of this certainly is one of the most important predecessors of
> some contemporary literature) and the actual collapse of ontological boundaries -  for
> example the scene in "The French Lieutenant's Woman" where the author himself suddenly
> personally intrudes into the narrative, reflects upon and finally makes some important
> decisions about the fates of the characters of his book? I have not yet read Beckett's
> novels, but as far as I know he plays some similar tricks there. Another case in point
> would be the "Captive's Tale" in M&D, of course.
> 
> The question would perhaps be whether there is a significant difference between a
> self-conscious narrative, in which nevertheless the illusion, the world the narrative
> creates, is ontologically "whole" - as it remains in TS I would argue - and a
> "meta-fiction" in which, one could say, the illusion is indeed torn apart or
> constantly put into question before our eyes by means of certain formal strategies? I
> don't know. Perhaps it is really, again, more a matter of degrees than a substantial
> difference?
> 
> Thomas

On this particular idea (McHale is an excellent source for
our discussion of this, although, as you know, his "literary
ontologicals" are not easily discussed w/o his terms and the
tradition, note btw,  that he does go directly to the
Renaissance Poet Sidney) I have no serious objection, but
let me have time to reply. I want to comment on McHale. His
books should be read by anyone that has an interest in
learning about this subject. They have been for me,
reference texts. If I were to take a course in Postmodern
fiction, I would expect to see McHale's books on the
required reading list. I will reply soon, 

Thanks again,  

T. 

PS Thanks for the Melville stuff, wonderful, wonderful...