Wednesday, November 13, 2013

#10

Reading Gertrude Steins work is always a challenge.  The language is non linear, and often times non narrative.  It doesn't flow like normal language, and it doesn't care to explain itself.  The sentences don't feel like they are complete, even though they are.  The text resembles a normal essay, but it is anything but.  I shouldn't enjoy this.

Yet I kinda do.  The constant contradictions within the text make the meaning of each sentence very difficult to understand, and it becomes very easy to think of each sentence as just being a conglomerate of abstract concepts.  I actually really enjoy letting the meaning of the words simply deflect away from my brain, in one ear and out the other, and just listening to the vocal rhythm of the sentences.  The text has an almost lyrical quality to it, the way it keeps talking about ideas in literal ways.  Actually interpreting what the text means is a very different story however, and i've yet to make much progress in that department.

1 comment:

  1. Yes, Stein is nothing if not enticing... In your first para. you use the word "normal" twice, which is interesting b/c it seems like a word we are tackling implicitly with most of these texts, something to think about. Also, say more! 8/10

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