NP - More Wood and Flaubert

[Paul Mackin]

On 10/12/2012 11:03 AM, Matthew Cissell wrote:
> It would make an interesting study to compare Wood's reading of A Sentimental Education with Bourdieu's. Mr Wood is fair enough when addressing the formal aspects of fiction, its mechanics if you will, but does that surprise anyone? He studied under Kermode, he's an Oxford chap. If we agree with his categories and judgements that is likely because, to some degree, we share his orthodoxy.
>

Here's a question:  How does one account for the more conservative 
literary values associated with Oxford as compared with, say, Sussex, 
where Pynchon studies seem to be going strong?  I can't remember ever 
hearing P's name mentioned in connection with Oxbridge.  Same in America 
with the Ivy League.  It can't be a class thing, because smart poor kids 
have be going everywhere  since WWII.   It's just that tradition dies 
hard I suppose.  Or what?

P