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Michael D. Sharp Email: msharp@umich.edu
Department of English Lang. and Lit. Phone: (313)
761-8776
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Fax: (313) 763-3128
On Sat, 21 Feb 1998, Bill Hagen wrote:
> Recently, Roger Dowdy echoed some others when he
wrote,
> "It was a real struggle to get through, especially
the first half (I
> threatened to stop altogether on several occasions).
It just didn't move
> quickly enough for me and I found I really didn't
care about the
> characters, who Tom was going to kill next or if he
got caught at all."
>
> I understand, even share some of this feeling. There
is a kind of "drift"
> to this character, and the plot, that is
underwhelming, espec. for all of
> us who like "the game" or a character impelled to
act. TR doesn't seem to
> know who he is, or what will come. When his New York
friends leave the
> ocean liner, and he starts to compose himself, it
seems to be a sort of
> defining moment. But what is defined? That he can, so
to speak, assume a
> new guise. Later, when he lists his talents for
Dickie, significant among
> them are forgery and impersonation--both of which
figure later. He also
> shows he can be impulsive and then clever in
covering.
>
> But, here I'm stopped: What is Ripley in this novel?
At present, halfway
> through, I have an elementary interest in how he will
continue his
> impersonation and overcome problems, but I'm still
not sure what enjoyment
> he derives from life, what really keeps him going.
When he assumes his
> impersonation, it's a repeat of the moment of the
ocean liner--it's another
> "clean slate." So he can clean himself blank
regularly? What kind of
> character is he? Proteus? There doesn't seem to be
much to hold on to....
>
> Bill Hagen
> <billha@ionet.net>
>
>
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