Thomas Pynchon exploits history for his own selfish ends
robinlandseadel at comcast.net
robinlandseadel at comcast.net
Thu Sep 25 11:36:02 CDT 2008
Tim Strzechowski:
"By the way, I'm still NOT ready to read all of Proust ..."
For G-d's sake, read the Lydia Davis translation of "Swann's Way,"
if nothing else:
". . . .But suddenly it was as though she had appeared in the
room, and this apparition caused him such harrowing pain
that he had to put his hand on his heart. What had happened
was that the violin had risen to a series of high notes on which
it lingered as though waiting for something, holding on to them
in a prolonged expectancy, in the exaltation of already seeing
the object of its expectation approaching, and with a desperate
effort to try to endure until it arrived, to welcome it before
expiring, to keep the way open for it another moment with a last
bit of strength so that it could come through, as one holds up a
trapdoor that would otherwise fall back. And before Swann had
time to understand, and say to himself: "It's the little phrase from
the sonata by Vinteuil; don't listen!" as his memories of the time
when Odette was in love with him, which he had managed until
now to keep out of sight in the deepest part of himself, deceived
by this sudden beam of light from the time of love which they
believed had returned, had awoken and flown swiftly back up to
sing madly to him, with no pity for his present misfortune, the
forgotten refrains of happiness. . . ."
op. cit., page 358
BTW, Joyce's "Ulysses" hasn't kicked in yet, not in these quarters at least.
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