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Monday, June 3. 2013

Does Great Literature Make Us Better?


That's a foolish question. Does Great Literature Make Us Better? Who cares?


Writers, like talkers, like to tell stories, and most people enjoy well-told stories. A well-told story is a wonderful thing in life, especially because most of our lives are made of humdrum stories - at least on the surface. The most revelatory stories can be touchstones for a life, eg the Bible stories.


Gerard posted a snippet of the best-told story in American history. It won't make you "good", but it's at least as rich as sausage gravy. I should say, as rich as spermaceti.

Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 17:13 | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)

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Moby Dick is badly under-appreciated and under-rated.
But you are right, it will never make you feel 'good'. Much like the Book of Job that way.... funny, can't imagine why!
#1 acairfearann (Link) on 2013-06-03 20:05 (Reply)
I was traveling over the weekend and found myself in a hotel, unable to sleep, and without reading material. I checked to see if the Gideons had been by. Yep. For whatever reason, Job first came to mind so I read that.

It had been a while. I don't know why people say that so-and-so "has the patience of Job". Should be that they "have the patience of Jehovah listening to Job whine". But I probably missed something; I did get sleepy towards the end.
#1.1 T.K. Tortch on 2013-06-03 22:25 (Reply)
What great comments over there, escorting the staggeringly gnarled Melville. Literally fantastic the way the tiny marks and spaces of the alpha bet neverminding space and time await a passerby who will behold the marks and spaces as a springing up around himself of a whole new universe.
#2 buddy larsen on 2013-06-03 21:12 (Reply)
I think you've signed on for a journey on the Pequod, buddy. Let us know how it went when you have returned.
Billy Budd, now, I found unreadable.
#2.1 Sam L. on 2013-06-04 10:35 (Reply)
LOL --thanks for noticing --i was pouring flop sweat --

Billy Bud --i agree --prolix.

Notice how Finnegan's Wakish the Moby Dick selection is --the whole action outside the mind is in the space of a few seconds --already nodded off, he wakes and takes a quick step to recover his direction.
#2.1.1 buddy larsen on 2013-06-04 12:31 (Reply)
Watching that artificial fire will carry yall along upon a path oft trod.

Get off the phone ladies!
#3 Leag on 2013-06-03 23:08 (Reply)
Thanks, Ezekiel!
#3.1 buddy larsen on 2013-06-04 07:49 (Reply)
Huh, I"ve never read Moby Dick, never even occurred to me, and I read a heck of a lot.
#4 LP on 2013-06-04 19:04 (Reply)
"To read Moby-Dick and absorb it is the crown of one's reading life."

--Viola Meynell

Posted by: reader at June 3, 2013 6:09 PM

===

comment over at the ''best told story'' link
#4.1 buddy larsen on 2013-06-04 22:55 (Reply)

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