perspective detective

[kevin at limits.org]

On Tue, 19 Sep 2000, pynchon-l-digest wrote:
> Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 16:27:43 -0400
> From: "Terrance F. Flaherty" <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>
> Subject: Re: GRGR Re: Achebe on Conrad
> 
> Kevin wrote:
> 
> > > A great amount of _HoD_'s tensions are
> > > driven by perspective, and it is worthwhile to criticize it from
> > > perspectives not found in the book.
> 
> I really have no idea
> what this statement about perspective means. I do remember
> reading this statement before, maybe here, maybe not, but I
> still don't know what it means. 
>
Terrance--
You may have read this statement before on the p-list, or perhaps in the
papers of a dozen or more sophomores.  :)
 
Understanding that I post from work, without text or time at my hands, you
will forgive me for that great sin of math class, not showing my work.

"A great amount of _HoD_'s tensions are driven by perspective" means:

	1)  Narrative tension in _Heart of Darkness_ is driven by the
frames and layers:  narrator relating Marlowe's story as told by him on
the Thames; Marlowe relating his perspective on colonialism and Kurtz.
	2)  Thematic tension in _Heart of Darkness_ is driven by Marlowe's
perspective, and loss thereof, as he goes upstream, not to mention Kurtz's
apparent loss of all perspective, all sense of proportion, if you will, 
beyond his own created world.

"It is worthwhile to criticize it from perspectives not found in the book"
means:

	Just because a work of art is great doesn't mean you have to read/
understand/ accept it on its own terms, and in particular this book
challenges the reader to look for answers outside the society portrayed in
the book, therefore it seems reasonable, though perhaps not fruitful, to
challenge the book using terms or perspectives not found in that society.

--Kevin