So, Jacques, are you saying that readers who analyze plots
are kidding themselves; they're not really analyzing the
plot? Oscar Wilde said "Books are well-written or poorly
written," in defense of so-called "immoral books." Are you
denying that a book can be poorly written and that someone
may notice the fact? Are you arguing that all books hold the
same value? One kills time working on the stock exchange or
for world peace just as well as reading a book. Some people
read a book, notice story twists and language usage, apply it
to their own ideas and write other books. I think that's the
general academic opinion of how good books come to be
written.
Patrick King
--- Jacques Debierue <
matrxtech@yahoo.com> wrote:
> --- In
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, Patrick King
> <abrasax93@...> wrote:
> >
> > I don't get your point, Jacques. In your
own
> example,
> > obviously, both Ellington fans are
correct.
> Ellington
> > is a composer who can be appreciated by both
types
> of
> > listeners. It's seems to me you're claiming
that
> the
> > person who considers what s/he reads is less
valid
> > than a person who reads without
consideration,
> just to
> > kill time. I'm sure that's not what you mean.
What
> are
> > you driving at?
> >
>
> They're both killing time. That is what one
does
> when reading. Any generalization about
> what happens inside a reader's head is
gratuitous.
> You and I may both enjoy Jim
> Thompson, but neither can draw conclusions
about
> what's going on while the other reads.
> For that matter, I don't know what's going on
inside
> _my_ head while I'm reading. I can't
> read and simultaneously contemplate
myself
> reading...
>
> So your distinction between the "escapist" (or
let's
> say "hedonist") reader and the "serious"
> (or dedicated, or considered, or whatever
positive
> adjective you want to use) is not
> functional: you cannot even know whether
you
> yourself are being one or the other, or
> something else, while you read a book.
>
> Books are like girls, you can read the ones that
are
> best for you and not like them or even
> understand them, and the opposite is also true
(in
> fact, getting involved with the wrong
> kind of girl is a classic noir theme, the
femme
> fatale).
>
> Best,
>
> MrT
>
>
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