Some deep intellectual shit
Updated
Okay, so... all of us who were in class at the time will remember my brilliant fucking observation about footnote 123 on page of 110 of our hymnals. Dr. Scott says it looks like a rocket, but I maintain that when the pieces of the footnote on both pages are placed together, it looks like a key. A key to what, though?
All right, turn to page 189, very bottom (and I have to say, I loved this section of the book, because it's not very often you can read through 100 pages in 45 minutes). I quote: "In the domain of values, on the other hand, a key closes more than it opens, whereas a doorknob opens more often than it closes." So a key is more often used to symbolize a closing-off, a securing.
Back to page 110, and look at that. It's crossed out. Struck. Closed off. In fact, it's one of the first struck passages. It's also the story of the Minotaur, a word which is struck throughout the book. Hmm... so is the Minotaur being locked up, closed away? In the little story there, the answer is yes, obviously. But in the greater novel as a whole, in the house itself, is the Minotaur and his representative symbology (the unwanted child, the monster, etc.) being shut away? I'm not just making a big deal out of a rather small little footnote, because this is where we first see the story of the Minotaur, so I'd assume it's important to look at. Especially if we want to assume Johnny Truant is writing all this, and the house and its monster are allegories for his own fractured psyche.
Something to think about.
More staggeringly brilliant observations:
Have you read the inside flap of the book yet? It makes it sound like both Zampano's bundle of papers and Danielewski's first-edition internet publication are real, which probably means neither of them are. Or maybe it's using fact to augment the fiction, or just avoid the truth altogether so that Average Joe Reader would pick this up, not knowing Dan's grand joke, and buy the whole thing hook line and sinker. Whatever the intent, it's funny that even the inside flap is full of lies and unreality.
Last note, real quick. You curious about why the book is called House of Leaves? Turn to page 563, and read the poem there, written by Zampano.
Okay. What is this, 15 posts in one week? Forgive me, all, but this book has really grabbed my interest, and if I was a savvy PhD like Scott, I'd be writing books of articles on this. As it is, I can just throw a few comments on the internet and hope I don't come off like an overly enthusiastic ponce. Cheers!
Okay, so... all of us who were in class at the time will remember my brilliant fucking observation about footnote 123 on page of 110 of our hymnals. Dr. Scott says it looks like a rocket, but I maintain that when the pieces of the footnote on both pages are placed together, it looks like a key. A key to what, though?
All right, turn to page 189, very bottom (and I have to say, I loved this section of the book, because it's not very often you can read through 100 pages in 45 minutes). I quote: "In the domain of values, on the other hand, a key closes more than it opens, whereas a doorknob opens more often than it closes." So a key is more often used to symbolize a closing-off, a securing.
Back to page 110, and look at that. It's crossed out. Struck. Closed off. In fact, it's one of the first struck passages. It's also the story of the Minotaur, a word which is struck throughout the book. Hmm... so is the Minotaur being locked up, closed away? In the little story there, the answer is yes, obviously. But in the greater novel as a whole, in the house itself, is the Minotaur and his representative symbology (the unwanted child, the monster, etc.) being shut away? I'm not just making a big deal out of a rather small little footnote, because this is where we first see the story of the Minotaur, so I'd assume it's important to look at. Especially if we want to assume Johnny Truant is writing all this, and the house and its monster are allegories for his own fractured psyche.
Something to think about.
More staggeringly brilliant observations:
Have you read the inside flap of the book yet? It makes it sound like both Zampano's bundle of papers and Danielewski's first-edition internet publication are real, which probably means neither of them are. Or maybe it's using fact to augment the fiction, or just avoid the truth altogether so that Average Joe Reader would pick this up, not knowing Dan's grand joke, and buy the whole thing hook line and sinker. Whatever the intent, it's funny that even the inside flap is full of lies and unreality.
Last note, real quick. You curious about why the book is called House of Leaves? Turn to page 563, and read the poem there, written by Zampano.
Okay. What is this, 15 posts in one week? Forgive me, all, but this book has really grabbed my interest, and if I was a savvy PhD like Scott, I'd be writing books of articles on this. As it is, I can just throw a few comments on the internet and hope I don't come off like an overly enthusiastic ponce. Cheers!
posted by Andy at 9:16 AM
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