Psychological Narration
April 3, 2009 kclovinlife
I wanted to take this opportunity to get some ideas out about the direction that my final presentation could go in. After reading over my comments from the exploratory draft I know that I definitely want to focus on relationships in the novel. I mentioned psychological narration in reference to Flaubert’s novel and I think that this may be something that I can really dig into. I do not want to focus on Madame Bovary imparticular, but maybe tying that novel in. I am thinking about how the novel has to get inside of the readers brain. In order for a reader to get into the novel the narrator or author has to get into our psyche hence psychological narration. As a reader I personally view the novel as a way to make meaning of realities in my own life. Granted this is not always the case because I do like to use the novel to escape also, but let me stay on tract here. If I could refer to Webster and his definition of psychology it is: “ 2b: the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity” So I am interested in the particular relationship that the readers mind has with the novel.
Ok so now where do I go? If the reader can have a relationship with the novel the relationship has to go both ways right? The power that the novel can have over your psyche. The fact that it can change the way you feel and view things. The author has to suck his/her reader in somehow and this can be done through form, characters, or plot. In any case the reader has to be willing to let that author in. As a reader if I am not open to understanding where the author is coming from or what the POINT is than why would I waist my time.
I have just started to think about this and am not really sure where I would make my argument with this topic so if anybody has any ideas hit me up!!!
One little side note about The Keep; I think that Egan is testing the mind with this novel. I think that her use of imagination within the novel gives the reader something to connect to. I enjoy the form of the novel and do not feel as though it is “dumbed down”. I mean when are we going to get over ourselves it is a new century and new generation we better start letting go of some of the “old” and getting into the “new”.
Entry Filed under: Uncategorized
