I too had a problem with Allen Fisher's provocative and interesting paper on
narrative at "Assembling Alternatives" at UNH last year. My problem has to do
with how far you can stretch a definition before it ceases to become useful. (ie
reaches the catastrophe point & snaps!) In this case, if "narrative" is not
time-based then what in hell is it? (similar arguments re "language" in the
Fiona/John C thread elsewhere: if "everything" is "language" then "language" has
no meaning as a concept)
Allen seemed to be describing cognitive processes which may include how we
respond to "narrative" among other phenomena.
Personally, I enjoy cubing my orange and eating it. That's how I respond to
Allen's poetry anyway. And Ron Silliman's.
As someone once said, time is a neat invention for preventing everything
happening at once.
Oh well, back to work: one damn thing after another.
Ken
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