These are the archived discussions. To participate in active "Talk Literature" discussions go to the
homepage of ReadLiterature
Back To "Talk Literature" Archives
Posted by Lale on 15/10/2001, 12:12:28
The other day Anna and I were exchanging emails on stream-of-consciousness (the topic came up when I mentioned my ailing mother's non-stop comments of everything she observes and passes through her mind), and Anna sent me this quote:
"It's no coincidence that the style of writing known as stream of consciousness was pioneered by Irish authors. Critics have missed the point, however, regarding it as a radical, experimental reaction against literary convention. For many Irish people, the avant-garde monologue is the most commonplace form of everyday speech; and a very liberating thing, too. Like the best kind of journey, it's always liable to veer off in entirely unexpected directions and lead you into destinations you might never otherwise have considered."
I am told that this passage was from a book called "McCarthy's Bar, and was written by a bloke called Pete McCarthy (he's with the BBC)."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by Michael Sympson on 15/10/2001, 19:59:37, in reply to "Stream of consciousness"
It can be amusing like bending down, the legs spread and looking through your legs at the world upside down. It makes you appreciating NewtonÕs laws in a whole new way. But in the end all this is just another convention of conveying. Besides: how many people do actually continually verbalize their impressions? I think it must be a minority.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by Lale on 17/10/2001, 17:47:36, in reply to "Re: Stream of consciousness"
Trust me, it is annoying. And why did it have to be *me* who is bound by blood to a member of this minority?
(For the historians who will dig up these letters and try to analyze us: I love my mother.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~