Man-t-t-t-tisssa

Although I am still working through Mantissa, I must say that I find it very confusing, entertaining, and fruit salad of critical theory. I mean maybe I am just stupid, but when people mention theories from months ago, I am lost and am not sure I could even define Liberal Humanism without referencing notes or having to reread a chapter or two of Barry. My brain is complete mush by now; I have blinders on and the only thing I see is my senior seminar paper staring me in the face; well, I see the 40+ pages I have to collectively write before the end of November. Oh Joy!!Okay, it is a known fact that Mantissa is an allegory of the creative process and within the novel there are many references to critical theory. However, the part I grapple with most is authorship.

Although Foucault, Bathes, and many others believe the author is dead, he is very much alive in Mantissa. I am having a hard time separating the idea of the author being dead when he is staring straight back at in Mantissa. I mean really, there he is, living, breathing, and fornicating on practically every page.

Mantissa calls into question authorship and inspiration in many ways. Derrida, Barthes, and Foucault believe that the author is completely separate from his/her text. However, I feel as though Mantissa offers a different perspective. The premise of the novel is to release Miles from his writers block through divine inspiration. However, I find it quite clever Erato’s play on authorship starting on page 170.

Erato begins to tell Miles about a book she wrote under a pseudonym. The book was entitled “Men, Will They Ever Grow Up?” However, the book’s real title is revealed as Homer’s Odyssey. Now we all know that Erato did not write the novel, since Erato is a muse (a fictional character in this book and probably a fictional thing in real life) we know that she had nothing to do with it.

Erato said, “Darling, you mustn’t feel jealous just because my one clumsy little attempt at writing has become a kind of a fluke best-seller” After Erato speaks, Miles continues to rant on about how the Odyssey could only have been written by a man because of its genius.
Now, I am not going to go through a quote about two pages of dialogue, you all can go read pages 170-174. However, I think that this passage is not only sexist, it is exemplary of the author function. Does it really matter who wrote the Odyssey?

Barthes said, “To give a text an Author is to impose a limit on that text, to finish it with a final
signified, to close the writing.” Miles implication that the author does matter really strays away from theory.

Maybe I have Mantissa all wrong. I know it incorporates all of these theories; however, I feel like the absurdity of this novel discredits theory and makes it post-theory. If the author is dead, why is Miles/Fowles such a prominent figure in this novel?

I think this is all I have for now. I know there are a million and one other theories present in Mantissa... I can't wait to read other thoughts and deconstructions!

Any comments?

Crazy Lady in the Wall

Well, you see…. I took me a while to think of a topic for my paper. I have always been interested in feminism because I don’t think I understand it. However, I really feel as though I should understand it because a women. So, I am writing my paper on feminist criticism and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper.

I read Gilman’s short story in high school and was very interested in the piece. Those of you that read Yellow Wallpaper may remember how remarkably deranged it was. However, I think this piece is so interesting.

For those if you that don’t know the story I will provide a brief synopsis. Yellow Wallpaper is about a woman driven to madness. The story consists of a few journal entries in which a new mother presents signs of postpartum depression; symptoms of which her physician husband, John, dismiss. While on vacation the main character is ordered, by her husband, to remain in a room adorned with yellow wallpaper until she overcomes her “minor” depression.

While locked in the room the narrator becomes obsessed with the wallpaper and believes that it comes to life in the night. Finally, the woman believes that a female figure is trying to escape the wall paper and she must help this woman out of the paper. The story concludes with the narrator stripping the wallpaper like a crazed and psychotic woman. Her husband finds her and passes out from shock. The final image of the story is of the narrator exclaiming, “I’ve got out at last,” while walking in circles around the room.

Interesting? I happen to think so. If any of you have not read this story you can find it online. It’s a quick read!

Now, in my paper I will attempt to relate this story to feminist theory and criticism. Many of the articles I found for my annotated bibliography explained what feminism/feminist criticism is. I think these articles helped a great deal however, I think I am going to have a difficult time writing a paper I am proud of.

Some of my ideas include, but are not limited to, relating this paper to the idea of male power, domesticity, and obviously power and powerlessness. Her husband is a prime example of this power and the external hegemony. Women at this time were not supposed to be depressed and if they were they were forced not to show it. Therefore, the male patriarchy forced this woman to go mad. Also, I can relate this piece to psychoanalysis to expose the main characters struggle with her female identity (represented by the woman in the wall).

Another interesting theme in this story is the use of language. The narrator was allowed to express herself in writing and never verbally because she was silenced. Does this mean that woman’s writing represents the oppressed and does this make writing a feminine trait? Finally, I would love to relate this story to language and Saussure… I liked his stuff a lot; I will figure what I want to do with this later…

Naturally I question my topic. I am sure after I read everyone else’s ideas I will want to change my topic, but that’s to be expected. I am very fickle when it comes to choosing a topic because I want it to be REALLLLY good.

Any suggestions, comments, or concerns???

I think I may have to change my topic..... SOmething irks me about having the same topic as someone else.... Back to the drawing board.... maybe