Deal Me In Challenge: Souls Belated by Edith Wharton

Card Drawn: 9 of Diamonds.

So much for my triumphant return in May only to make an appearance 5 months later...

To those few individuals who actually follow my blog, I offer my sincere apologies. It was never my intention to go completely AWOL but I am back for now and that is what counts, right?  Whether or not I will be able to provide new material on a regular basis is anyone's guess. Nonetheless, I figured the best way to ease back into writing reviews would be start off small to reignite my passionate enthusiasm towards literature and gradually build up momentum towards more extensive reviews. The Deal Me in Challenge is a great way to get started again. There still remains a little over two months to finish reading 52 short-stories for the year and I am determined to complete this challenge! 

Let me preface this review by saying that Edith Wharton is one of those highly-acclaimed authors whose writing never appealed to me in the least with a reputation that seemed completely undeserving of merit. In fact, prior to reading Souls Belated, I was quite certain that Wharton, along with her pal Henry James, might just be the two most overrated American writers during this particular time period. Despite its short length, reading Ethan Frome remains one of the most dull and painful reading experiences in recent memory. Both House of Mirth and Age of Innocence produced similar feelings of distaste and extreme boredom, which compelled me toss them aside after the first few chapters without any remorse. Suffice it to say, I approached Wharton with much trepidation, expecting to be  disappointed once more. Consider my surprise then to discover a wonderfully complex and emotionally compelling short-story that made me question my previous assessment of Wharton altogether. I will not go so far as to proclaim a complete change of heart but my resentment towards her as a writer has certainly subsided. I might even consider tackling one of her famous novels again sometime down the road. 

Similar to the many works of Henry James, Wharton adopts an "international theme" and sets her story in Europe rather than America. Lydia and Gannet are an American couple traveling abroad from Milan and elsewhere, all the way to France. When we first meet them on the train to Paris, an undeniable tension is brewing, ready to explode at any possible moment. They find themselves caught between their own sense of morality and the pressures of societal norms--factors which begin to cause a great strain on their relationship. What makes this story fascinating is not so much the actual story but the rich underlying subtext and emotional resonance that reaches its highest point during the climax. Wharton shows complete control of tone, influencing reader response through shifting focalization and ambiguity. The ending is purposefully left open to interpretation, carefully constructed with such vivid and meticulous descriptions that is nothing short of stunning. Rarely have I come across an author who uses the ellipsis in such a lyrical and profound way.

Wharton utilizes subtle nuances, symbolism, foreshadowing and ambiguity to emphasize some of the story's larger thematic concerns. She is critical of marriage as an institution--subverting many conventions associated with the"marriage plot" and is keen to highlight the superficiality of the upper classes. Gender politics, sexuality, male hegemony, paralysis vs. consciousness and hypocrisy are also worth paying attention to in the text. Even as a harsh social critique bound up in heavy drama, spots of ironic humor shine through Wharton's comedy of manners. The title of the story is important as well and loaded with multiple meanings associated with "souls": lost souls, spiritual souls, personal souls, soul mates, death. The standard definition of "belated" referring to lateness or delay of some sort, makes sense within the context of the relationship between Lydia and Gannet. Additionally, the word can also mean "archaic" or "old-fashioned" that further emphasizes Wharton's total disregard for traditional values and norms, which no longer have a place in the so-called "modern world." I may not be completely sold on Wharton yet but this is an excellent short story that contains a great deal of complexity and cleverly defies expectations. Highly recommended.

Deal Me in Challenge: A&P by John Updike

Card Drawn: 3 of Spades.

One might think that my luck has run out for drawing another 'short-story anthology card' from the deck but lo and behold, it actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Ladies and gentleman, I am proud to announce the first 5-star short-story since embarking on this challenge. As the great J.G. Ballard once said: "There are no perfect novels but there are some perfect short-stories" and only a few come to my mind: Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants, James Joyce's The Dead, Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find, J.D. Salinger's A Perfect Day For Bananafish, maybe even Shirley's Jackson's The Lottery. I feel confident in adding A&P by John Updike to that highly exclusive list. There are bound to be others but I am still on the hunt to discover them. To my mind, A&P represents a paradigm of the form and should be an inspiration for any aspiring writer who might have literary ambitions to dabble in short-stories. Or for those who might be curious to see how a masterful short-story is done, look no further. It is so polished and constructed with such painstaking delicacy but this only becomes apparent on a closer inspection. With understated craftsmanship, Updike somehow manages to redefine the short-story, perfecting the less-is-more technique with such exquisite nuance that left me in awe.

I can't believe it took me so long to finally read something by John Updike. As a preeminent literary figure of the mid-20th century, reaching international fame during the 1960's (along with others like Saul Bellow, Norman Mailer, Truman Capote Philip Roth, Harper Lee, etc), he remained on my radar for many years and it is embarrassing to admit that I have only recently discovered his brilliant writing talents. At the end of the introduction to his Early Stories: 1953-1975, Updike sums up his primary artistic vision as thus: "My only duty was to describe reality as it had come to me--to give the mundane is beautiful due." Keeping this in mind is a helpful way to approach his works but his writing is far too elusive and complex to be pigeon-holed into this one specific category. From what I can gather so far, he does tend to examine ordinary middle-class life with a microscope, often elevating the prosaic or banal into the sublime but he also happens to be a skilled prose stylist who uses language meticulously for dramatic effect. 

So, what is this story about exactly? Well, on its surface, the story is pretty simple. It takes  place at a grocery store (hence the title, for those who may not be familiar with American grocery-store chains) in a sleepy Midwestern town, narrated by one of the young male employees who works there. His boring shift starts off like any other except on this particular day, he is roused from his complacent stupor when three girls walk in wearing only their bathing suits. I'll leave the summary at that. What follows is an acerbic and razor sharp social critique of middle-class values that is unexpectedly poignant. I could easily write an extensive essay on the sociological underpinnings of the story from a Marxist perspective or on the way Updike handles gender. Or what about the importance of Updike's specific use of language and narrative devices? There is so much to discuss and endless interpretations but I'll let the story speak for itself. That ending though...talk about pitch-perfect. Some might view it as cynical but not me: It is the absolute TRUTH of the indifferent capitalist society we live in.

After doing a bit of research, it turns out that A&P is one of Updike's most famous stories, his most widely anthologized and one that has been taught in college classrooms since it's release in 1961. It's reputation does not surprise me but it is strange that I have not heard about it until now, John Updike was never mentioned once during my 20th century lit or short-story courses during university, nor does his name carry the same amount of prestige it might have when he was at his peak. Updike seems to have all but faded from public consciousness or at least it feels that way. I am beginning to wonder if he wrote anything else that could possibly match or come close to reaching the level of excellence achieved by this short-story. I aim to find out. Nonetheless, if he is still widely read and praised for his literary virtues, this is surely being carried out on the down-low.

Another Country by James Baldwin

“We all commit our crimes. The thing is to not lie about them -- to try to understand what you have done, why you have done it. That way, you can begin to forgive yourself. That's very important. If you don't forgive yourself you'll never be able to forgive anybody else and you'll go on committing the same crimes forever.” 

An astonishing contrast exists Richard Wright's Native Son and Jame's Baldwin Another Country. While both authors attempt to reconcile their socio-political beliefs as African- Americans and artistic vision as writers, their ideologies and aesthetic approach could not be more different. Richard Wright is a polemical writer; he's far more radical, expressing a lot of anger is his novel towards the dominant white society for the racial discrimination against blacks and less optimistic about social change without violent retaliation. In comparison, Baldwin preaches peace and love (perhaps living during the 60's and adopting a bohemian life style contributed to his philosophical outlook); he is more inclined to believe that not only blacks, but all minorities, should and will achieve equal rights and freedoms by co-operation and establishing grass-roots movements, not through violent measures. 

Richard Wright would likely denounce Baldwin as a coward and an idealist; someone living in a fantasy. Baldwin's rejoinder would be that Richard Wright compromises his artistic integrity for the sake of propaganda. Their confrontation would start to get really heated; vituperative remarks would pass back and forth but it is Wright who decides to throw the first punch. However, Baldwin is a diminutive giant, and with quick reflexes he dodges the left hook with relative ease. Wright is now fuming and frustrated with himself. He clearly underestimated this Baldwin fellow, who even as a heavy smoker, still manages to move around swiftly with plenty of endurance. He is going to need help if he has any chance of taking down his opponent, so he calls up his buddy Malcolm X who shows up almost immediately. Baldwin's confidence now begins to dwindle but even outnumbered, he has too much pride to back down. I'm a lover, not a fighter, he continues to tell himself. This is a losing battle so his only option is to run but doesn't get very far before being cornered. All hope seems to be lost and he is about to receive the beating of a life-time when all of a sudden, Martin Luther King swoops in right in the knock of time to save his friend! Dr. King is the voice of reason and he settles everyone down. He tells them that they are on the same side, fighting the same fight and there is no need for this silly quarrel. This is just what they want, he goes on to say. To turn on each other, to reinforce that racial stereotype of us being no more than animals fighting over scraps of meat. How can we fight for liberty, justice, equality and freedom if we have already destroyed ourselves? Baldwin is dewy eyed and doesn't say a word. Richard Wright and Malcolm stare incredulously at Dr. King. Hours seem to pass in silence before Richard Wright finally speaks: You fight your battle Doc, we'll fight ours. He and Malcolm turn around and walk away. Martin Luther shrugs and then helps his friend up to his feet before saying: "Well, that was fun. Ok Baldwin, I'll see you at the Washington Monument tomorrow, bright and early. And try not to be late this time."

On a more serious note, it doesn't surprise me that Another Country was met with much controversy at the time of its publication and was even banned in several countries (Australia being one of them; although one would think that it would have caused more of a stir on native soil). James Baldwin is unafraid to challenge the dominant ideologies of race and sexuality in relation to the African-American experience during the height of the civil rights movement in the early 1960's. The novel is very much a product of its time, the verisimilitude of hippie culture and emerging liberalism being depicted with perhaps a little too much self-conscious exuberance, but Baldwin's social and political ideas have lost none of their importance or relevance even today. His influence on the next generation of African-American writers like Toni Morrison is immeasurable. 

His writing possesses a raw intensity, an unflinching immediacy and vivid naturalism that bravely shows the ugliness of human nature. Although it is difficult not to view this novel within a historical context; the explicit sexuality (especially of a homosexual nature), rape, violence, vulgar profanity and drug use must have been incredibly shocking for readers at the time. Even by today's standards, Baldwin's subject matter is bound to raise a few eyebrows. He doesn't hold anything back. The title of the novel is perfectly ironic: Even though these characters live in America, they might as well be unwanted foreigners because they are black, oppressed by a hegemonic white society. They are outsiders, suffering from alienation and find themselves socially estranged in their own country. Even the white characters in the novel aren't immune to the hardships brought on my discrimination especially Vivaldo and Eric who have a homosexual relationship. Everyone shares an equal misery, confusion and despair. This is a depressing novel with no happy ending for anyone. Baldwin's main purpose is two-fold: to examine the America from a primarily black perspective in its most rawest form and to show the difficulties of maintaining human relationships in a world undergoing radical social change. With this novel, James Baldwin establishes himself not only as an important African-American writer, but as a dominant figure of 20th century literature.

This Novel is part of my Classics Club Challenge.

Native Son by Richard Wright

“Violence is a personal necessity for the oppressed...It is not a strategy consciously devised. It is the deep, instinctive expression of a human being denied individuality.”

A piercing sociological and psychological character study, very few novels come to mind that are as radical or uncompromising in their depiction of the black experience in America than Richard Wright's Native Son. Taking place in Chicago during the 1930's, the story is about the trials and tribulations of a young black man named Bigger Thomas who murders two women in a brutal fashion. The violence depicted in this novel is quite shocking and unsentimental, as it should be; Richard Wright is determined to produce conflicting emotions and ideas in the reader towards the protagonist's heinous crimes.  As far as the divisive issue of race is concerned, this novel has lost none of its historical, social or political relevance--it remains as important today as it did back in Wright's day when racial tensions were at their peak during the 1930's. The novel will attempt to present two different sides of the same coin: was Bigger Thomas compelled by his own free will to commit such heinous crimes or did society influence his actions? Wright spends a great portion of the novel focusing on Bigger's conflicted state of mind (reminding me a great deal of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment), while also showing the harmful effects of racial segregation--the struggle of suppressed individuals who feel trapped, unable to achieve any sense of self-worth, powerless in their efforts to achieve equality. After being conditioned to act subservient and feel inferior to whites for so long, what course of action is left for the black man but to strike back against his oppressors?

Richard Wright was ahead of his time. An important and influential novel, it is astonishing to me that he wrote it in 1940 before the civil rights movement even took off. He's also one hell of a writer, totally fearless. His dazzling prose is captivating, raw; possessing a relentless energy and purpose. As an irreverent iconoclast, he doesn't mince words or beat around the bush; unyielding to social norms, he intends to break down racial barriers, putting forth an honest representation of what it means to be black without any contrivances. Many detractors have dismissed this novel with vehemence, putting forth the argument that it only serves as a political platform for Wright to spew forth his left-wing propaganda. Yes, he can be preachy and heavy-handed at times but one must consider the historical, social and political context of when he was writing. His family members were ex-slaves, he lived during a time of great prejudice against blacks and racial segregation was a part of everyday life. He clearly has a lot of anger for past injustices and is strongly opposed to the degrading status of blacks living in America at the time. His writing reflects a revolutionary state of mind. He holds a vendetta against the "white man" and does blame the oppression of blacks squarely on the shoulders of a hegemonic white nation. He doesn't care much for subtlety when advocating Black Nationalism, using the brute force of a sledgehammer to drive home his radical political views. Thus, many readers are bound to find Wright's writing to be far too hostile and polemical in its motives. Approaching this novel with an open mind and maintaining a sense of cultural relativism by trying to place yourself in Richard Wright's shoes, might in fact, make it easier to understand where the author is coming from. How else is a persecuted race of people supposed to stand up to racial discrimination if they don't unite together and fight back? For Wright, violence is inevitable when individual freedoms are taken away. The destructive nature of self-hatred that arises from being oppressed by a dominant white culture, the fear and shame that comes with being black, racial blindness and how the dynamics of power is intrinsically linked to race are also of key concerns in the novel.

Bigger Thomas only views his actions within the context of race, never as an act of free-will: 

"The knowledge that he had killed a white girl they loved and regarded as their symbol of beauty made him feel the equal of them, like a man who had been somehow cheated, but had now evened the score" (155).

Subservient and ruled by his dominant white superiors, Bigger is never on equal grounds because of his blackness. Going through with the murders is a liberating experience, it provides him with a sense power, a feeling of wholeness and control over his own life that he was never able to achieve before.

He feels the same way concerning rape:

"Rape was not what one did to women. Rape was what one felt when one's back was against a wall and one had to strike out, whether one wanted to or not, to keep the pack from killing one. He committed rape every time he looked into a white face" (214).

Ashamed of being black, conditioned to feel inferior, treated like property, the painful reality of living day to day without any hope of bettering himself, Bigger's only escape from the bitter reality is to harness all the hate built up inside and lash out against the hostile world. Richard Wright is keen to emphasize the paradox of Bigger's life as a black man: murder is freedom. 

One last quote to highlight Bigger's sense of black identity:

"It was when he read the newspapers or magazines, went to the movies, or walked along the streets with crowds, that he felt what he wanted: to merge himself with others and be a part of this world, to lose himself in it so he could find himself, to be allowed a chance to live like others, even though he was black" (226).

Wow, powerful stuff.

A sprawling novel like this is bound to have certain flaws in terms of narrative flow, weighed down by extraneous details and lengthy exposition but they are far from detrimental. Starting off slow before gradually picking up steam, the first two sections maintain a frantic pace that is emotionally exhausting until the major turning point. Unfortunately, the final act loses momentum with too many didactic monologues, psychological examinations and court proceedings. Despite these faults, they are redeemed by the novel's emotional intensity, boldness and stark realism. Native Son is well deserving of its status as an American classic.  

 

This novel is part of the Classics Club Challenge.

Mini Reviews #2: Mistborn - The Final Empire, Valis, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

Having been away for a prolonged period of time, it's time to play catch-up again with some more mini-reviews. Round two.

Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn #1) by Brandon Sanderson

Here I am embarking on another epic fantasy series after swearing to myself that I would avoid them after several disappointing encounters with other works in the genre. However, the first novel of the Mistborn series proved to be surprisingly entertaining with a well-conceived world and characters that don't fall into typical fantasy cliches. They are flawed and contain a lot more depth in contrast to the usual fanfare. Sanderson proves to be a very capable writer and he can certainly spin a good story full of intrigue, suspense and action but with this novel he seems to be setting the stage for the rest of the series so it feels underwhelming as a whole. I wanted more. I suppose that means the author should be complimented for writing a compelling enough story to keep me interested.
 
I also want to note that the magical system he creates here is probably one of the best I have ever come across in a fantasy novel albeit, slightly confusing at first. Even though Sanderson doesn't bring anything new to the genre in terms of story (a ragtag group of rebels plan to overthrow a Dark Lord, sound familiar?) I am still curious to see where he goes from here with the next two novels in the series. The best part of the novel for me is the final few chapters which builds up nicely to an explosive finale revealing a lot of key components that opens up the story to countless possibilities. This gives me hope that Sanderson knows what he is doing and actually has a clear idea of where the story is heading instead of other authors who tend to have no clear resolution in sight and just drag the series along. That's right, I'm looking at you Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin. 

Valis by Philip K. Dick

This novel is insane and only the brilliant mind of Philip K. Dick could have written it. Semi-autobiographical, hallucinogenic and overflowing with ideas, the story follows Dick's alter-go named Horselover Fat (Philip in Greek translates to "fond of horses" and Dick in German is "Fat") who believes that he has been touched by the hand of God or some kind of supreme being through a beam of a light that enters his brain. He embarks on a theological quest to seek the "truth" but of course, he is seen by others as a crazy person. Or maybe he is the one who is sane and everyone else is crazy. For those out there who think that science-fiction is cheesy or has nothing significant to offer, look no further than Philip K. Dick to shatter those preconceived notions. Like several of his other novels, this one is far from perfect, containing various flaws in terms of plot development and a lackluster ending but Philip K. Dick has never been renowned for his story-telling abilities. First and foremost he is a philosopher, a man of ideas. Philip K. Dick is one of those special writers dear to my heart. He possesses such a wild and creative imagination and always leaves the reader contemplating the BIG questions of existence, reality and the universe: Valis is unlike anything I have ever read before and there has been nothing ever written like it since.

 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

I seem to be in the minority here but I absolutely adored this novel. Winner of the Pulitzer prize in 2008, Junot Diaz came out of the nowhere to snatch the coveted prize much to the disbelief and outrage of the literary world. I'm not one to follow these prestigious book awards but I think the committee might have made the correct choice for once. Granted, Diaz's novel isn't groundbreaking by any stretch of the imagination but he has a unique voice, writes beautifully even when using excessive profanity (no small accomplishment) but above all, he packs such raw emotion into the story and characters. You can tell that he really loves his characters, which makes it easy to sympathize with them even though they aren't exactly the most honorable or likable individuals. The title is meant to be facetious because the protagonist's life really isn't all that wondrous--in fact, its actually quite ordinary without a happy ending, full of  sadness and heartbreak. Oscar Wao is a character that I can personally relate to, which helps to explain why this novel resonated with me on a such deep level: he's a book nerd who loves Star Wars and fantasy, shy, introverted,  an outsider, socially awkward, hopeless when it comes to women. Hey, Mr. Diaz, are you sure you didn't happen to base Oscar on me? 

Anyways, the story also doesn't just focus on Oscar himself but contains several flashbacks of his different family members living in the Dominican Republic (his mother, grandfather) and the narrative moves towards the present day when the Wao's eventually immigrate to America. At one point, Oscar's cousin even becomes a narrative voice. This now brings us to the footnotes. You see, not only is the author interested in telling his story, he also wants to provide a history lesson at the same time. Many people are bound to be annoyed by the long, detailed notes that provide a historical background concerning the tumultuous social and political landscape of the Dominican Republic as it transitioned from corrupt fascism to democracy but I actually found it quite informative. Diaz also uses playful rhetoric and humor as well within these footnotes so it's not as if one is being forced to endure a dry and tedious lecture. Furthermore, Diaz manages to touch upon some very important issues such as social displacement, the diaspora, racism, religion, cultural barriers, even the conflicts that arise with generation gaps. Funny, intelligently written, poignant. Diaz has a bright future ahead of him and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. Don't let the hype get to you, this is a great novel that stands tall on its own merits.

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

“The more you love someone, he came to think, the harder it is to tell them. It surprised him that strangers didn't stop each other on the street to say I love you.”

Dear Mr. Foer:

I am in awe of your talent. And envious. I still can't believe this is your debut novel and that you wrote it at the age of 25! Hell, not even some of my favorite authors such as Virginia Woolf, Graham Greene or John Steinbeck (to name a few) were able to burst onto the literary scene in a blaze of glory like you have here with Everything is Illuminated. They each had to work at their craft over a prolonged period of time, constantly fine-tuning their skills, experimenting with different stylistic forms in order to find their authorial voice--but you make it all seem so effortless. You're a literary wunderkind. This novel feels like the work of a mature writer in his prime, not a young man who is just beginning their writing career. What a delectable and enticing read! Completely absorbing, overflowing with creativity, a real tour-de-force. I can't recommend it enough. I'm tempted to stand on street-corners handing out copies to people but that is an expensive enterprise (unless you want to send me several hundred copies? We can discuss my promotional compensation later). In the mean time, I have given this novel away as gifts to a few friends, recommended it as a 'must read' whenever literature comes into the conversation, which unfortunately, is rare. Maybe it is time to find new friends.

I can see how many readers might find your style 'gimmicky' or 'pretentious' but it worked for me. I thought the concept was completely original and nothing short of brilliant by having two distinct narrative voices working simultaneously (am I correct to see the stylistic influence of Joyce's Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man? The way Alex's language improves progressively from crude at the beginning of the novel to sophisticated by the end is very reminiscent of Stephen Dedalus)--a meta-narrative where you, the author, Jonathan Safran Foer, is written into the story. Many might accuse you of being self-indulgent and rightfully so. However, you somehow manage to pull off this narrative feat most effectively --and might I add, with a slight touch of bravado--without having the story fall apart at the seams or coming across as a pompous show-off. No easy task.

Rarely have I come across a novel that mixes humor and sadness so harmoniously. I found myself laughing uncontrollably one moment and then struck with such profound emotion the next. My only minor quibble is that the magical realism sections felt drawn-out and went a little overboard at times with all of the stylistic flourishes but your writing is such a pleasure to read that it did not bother me too much. Most of my favorite authors are buried six feet under and I don't read a lot of 'contemporary fiction' but you good sir, deserve to be recognized as one of the more unique and accomplished writers of this generation.  

Your newly devoted fan,

~ Jason.