Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Fellow Blogger
An angry fellow I know has started a blog, "you know what guy i hate". The name says it all. Please enjoy!
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
I Finished Things
Wow it's been a real long time, huh? Well, despite my lack of attention to this blog, there is one thing that I will not leave you hanging on: the awesome brutality of the 1,079 page book.
Yes that is right. I have returned to update you on this most important matter. (That Guy: "You're blogging?!!")
I have finished the book, and after a few re-reads of certain parts, and a first reading of a website that should help me understnad what the heck I just read, I might be able to form intelligent opinions on it. If you can't already tell, I felt the end was a bit of a letdown. It didn't end, so much as...stopped having pages. I feel like a chunk of the book is missing. And again, as if Wallace simply forgot to proofread, and thus the whole "no ending" thing got through publishing.
I should point out here that I am no English major. I barely scraped through the minimal requirements. I relied on Cliffs Notes to explain symbolism and hidden concepts to me. And my mom, the English teacher, explained a lot of things. The deepest thing I read before this was "The Cat in the Hat." And I still could not tell you what the stupid hat represents (I'm going with "phallus").
My point is, I liked Infinite Jest. I really did. It's just probable that I am not the target audience here; I never played pro tennis, never had an addiction, and was never physically malformed. The deep, heart -wrenching fictional concepts and situations contained just left me moved, sad, and confused, yet entertained. Perhaps that WAS what Wallace meant it to be.
For me, it was also about the experience of reading it, and the challenge. I am so glad I did. The reading was difficult at times, but not terrible; the characters were great, the story ridiculous and believable at the same time. It is a book I will never forget.
Now who wants to borrow it first?
Yes that is right. I have returned to update you on this most important matter. (That Guy: "You're blogging?!!")I have finished the book, and after a few re-reads of certain parts, and a first reading of a website that should help me understnad what the heck I just read, I might be able to form intelligent opinions on it. If you can't already tell, I felt the end was a bit of a letdown. It didn't end, so much as...stopped having pages. I feel like a chunk of the book is missing. And again, as if Wallace simply forgot to proofread, and thus the whole "no ending" thing got through publishing.
I should point out here that I am no English major. I barely scraped through the minimal requirements. I relied on Cliffs Notes to explain symbolism and hidden concepts to me. And my mom, the English teacher, explained a lot of things. The deepest thing I read before this was "The Cat in the Hat." And I still could not tell you what the stupid hat represents (I'm going with "phallus").
My point is, I liked Infinite Jest. I really did. It's just probable that I am not the target audience here; I never played pro tennis, never had an addiction, and was never physically malformed. The deep, heart -wrenching fictional concepts and situations contained just left me moved, sad, and confused, yet entertained. Perhaps that WAS what Wallace meant it to be.
For me, it was also about the experience of reading it, and the challenge. I am so glad I did. The reading was difficult at times, but not terrible; the characters were great, the story ridiculous and believable at the same time. It is a book I will never forget.
Now who wants to borrow it first?
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