T. S. Eliot's "Ash Wednesday" and The Crying of Lot 49

[David Morris]

>From: "m." <di645 at freenet.carleton.ca>
>in the intro of Slow Learner when he wrote:
>"The problem here is like the problem with "Entropy": beginning with 
>something abstract - thermodynamic coinage or the data in a guidebook - and 
>only then going on to try to develop plot and characters. This is simply, 
>as we say in the profession, ass backwards. Without some grounding in human 
>reality, you are apt to be left only with another apprentice exercise, 
>which is what this uncomfortably resembles."
>
>He is conscious that he has violated that rule with the story "Entropy"...
>so is he violating the rule with most if not all of his works?

Yes, I believe he is.  In ALL of his works.  I think his "without some 
grounding in human reality" phrase is the key to understanding what he 
meant.  He doesn't deny that he is doing things "ass backwards,"  but he 
doesn't want it to show.  So his task is to hide his trail by applying 
"human reality" to his structure, and he succeeds to a greater and lesser 
degree in each of his works.  GR is his best IMHO.

David Morris


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