What you say about academics stating the obvious and getting the credit has
a lot of truth in it. But what's obvious to one person isn't necessarily so
to another. That essay knocked me out because I'd never thought of that
before, and also because he had the brashness to define the 'meaning' of a
whole genre of literature. I've often toyed with similarly sweeping theories
since - such as that thrillers are really celebrations of work (the
'professional' criminal versus the professional police etc). I strongly
recommend _Mythologies_, a book full of that brashness. It includes essays
on wrestling, soap powder, and on hairstyles in the film of _Julius Caesar_.
The implication, that the critic can criticize *anything*, not just the
arts, was incredibly refreshing in its day. It has meant however that
university seminars these days tend to be about things like supermarkets and
tattooing rather than _Lear_, which is regrettable.
Best wishes
Matthew
----- Original Message -----
From: "Printmaker" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2001 11:04 AM
Subject: Re: Book Review- Moby Dick
> Matthew Francis wrote:
> >
> > Barthes wasn't really talking about stories like _Terminator_ (which I
love,
> > by the way, and the sequel even more so) - by adventure, he means the
voyage
> > to unknown places etc, where the struggle is against natural danger
rather
> > than human or technological. His example is Jules Verne, but it fits
> > Melville equally well. And of course it also fits desert island stories,
> > from _Robinson Crusoe_ to the current reality TV shows like _Survivor_.
>
> Pologies Matt
>
> Havent had chance to read this particular text yet so
> shouldnt really be commenting. What I was thinking after I
> wrote this was about primary sources in general. A scientist
> makes a discovery such as Darwin's Origin and is cited as a
> primary source, fair enuf, its something new. Joe Blow
> academic states the obvious and is forevermore cited as a
> primary source. Something wrong there. I was thinking that B
> was stating the obvious.
>
> > Don't tell me you never had any desert island fantasies, Josephine?
>
> Never really had any need - living in paradise an all. Check
> out the treehouse
> http://www.acay.com.au/~severn/dalwood.htm
>
> My next door neighbour here (and my 'adopted mum' was the
> mother of Australian poet Vicki Vidikas and the place was
> the subject of some of her poems.
>
> I dont live there anymore but pearl beach is just as yummy
>
> josephine
>
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