I reluctantly returned to Infinite Jest earlier this week. Surprise of surprises, I'm not hating it! Just as a smarty pants writer predicted, I'm getting used to DFW's odd style. The passages I soldiered through today went back and forth between Ennet House (a rehab/halfway facility) and ETA (the fancy schmancy tennis academy). Weeks ago, when I started Infinite Jest, the back and forth, tangents, end notes and the rest were so jarring and difficult. It made me question my literary analysis, not to mention reading, abilities. I had to chuckle when DFW listed the many things one discovers while in a substance abuse program."That certain persons simply will not like you no matter what you do. Then that most nonaddicted adult civilians have already absorbed and accepted this fact, often rather early on. That no matter how smart you thought you were, you are actually way less smart than that."
Touché, DFW. This bit sort of talked me down off the ledge. At 200 pages in, I've gathered that Infinite Jest tries to change your perceptions of what reading, character development, even a story, are supposed to be. Once you let go of these ideas, the novel is not as torturous. It might even get a tad enjoyable.
Aveo image from Enterprise.
6 comments:
I had no idea "The Infinite Jest" was such a challenging book... I was recommended to read it from a good friend, so now I know what to look out for. :) Sort of. Can you really ever prepare yourself for a book that throws out everything you thought reading was supposed to be? I mean, I can't even get into Jack Kerouac's stuff.
Wedding errands! Have you set a date yet?
Wedding errand! Wish I could be there to help out! Whenever you need me let me know! I'll be there with bells on!
Toast: It's SUCH a challenge. But then again, I couldn't get into Kerouac either! We haven't set a date yet but we're thinking maybe April/May of next year.
Lauren: Yup! My first wedding errand! And don't worry, the next time you're in So Cal, I'll recruit you for some wedding erranding. Ooh, can I call you L's Bells until the wedding? ;)
The book def. doesn't sounds quite so bad now that you've gotten into it more! I'm glad you're starting to enjoy it. And I'm sorry, but I think it's so silly that hybrids are more expensive to rent. What do they want from us?!!!
Piper Jacquelyn: Thanks, the book IS getting better! And I have no idea why hybrids are so dang expensive. Not fair!
Ooooh, a spring wedding! :D How exciting!
(toast)
Post a Comment