Thursday, February 05, 2004
Grealy's "Masks"
Having lent EN 206's little essays on the siginifcance of Lucinda Grealy's "Masks" to a prospective adjunct for review as to how one professor of composition "corrects" and
prompts his students to revise and improve future writing attempts, I look them over once more before handing them back.
Most of these young writers grasp a concept from Lopate and apply its force quite well to Grealy's essay. I am quite pleased with the effort and focus of these early essays on the nature of the personal essay. Though not the alpha and omega of the personal essay, a theory and practice of what we mean by "masks" and by "masking" is essential to this course.
Students need to begin to understand and push the limits of the paradoxical energy of a mask--not so much in its literal, physical sense, though this remains critical--but in the symbolic and rhetorical senses: that masks both conceal and reveal in one effortless context; that issues of identity and anonymity are wrapped up(or wrapped around and within?) persona(e); that not only the "face" of the personal essayist, but his or her voice(s) and vision(s) are at large in acts of masking.
prompts his students to revise and improve future writing attempts, I look them over once more before handing them back.
Most of these young writers grasp a concept from Lopate and apply its force quite well to Grealy's essay. I am quite pleased with the effort and focus of these early essays on the nature of the personal essay. Though not the alpha and omega of the personal essay, a theory and practice of what we mean by "masks" and by "masking" is essential to this course.
Students need to begin to understand and push the limits of the paradoxical energy of a mask--not so much in its literal, physical sense, though this remains critical--but in the symbolic and rhetorical senses: that masks both conceal and reveal in one effortless context; that issues of identity and anonymity are wrapped up(or wrapped around and within?) persona(e); that not only the "face" of the personal essayist, but his or her voice(s) and vision(s) are at large in acts of masking.
Grealy's "Masks"
Having lent EN 206's little essays on the siginifcance of Lucinda Grealy's "Masks" to a prospective adjunct for review as to how one professor of composition "corrects" and
prompts his students to revise and improve future writing attempts, I look them over once more before handing them back.
Most of these young writers grasp a concept from Lopate and apply its force quite well to Grealy's essay. I am quite pleased with the effort and focus of these early essays on the nature of the personal essay. Though not the alpha and omega of the personal essay, a theory and practice of what we mean by "masks" and by "masking" is essential to this course.
Students need to begin to understand and push the limits of the paradoxical energy of a mask--not so much in its literal, physical sense, though this remains critical--but in the symbolic and rhetorical senses: that masks both conceal and reveal in one effortless context; that issues of identity and anonymity are wrapped up(or wrapped around and within?) persona(e); that not only the "face" of the personal essayist, but his or her voice(s) and vision(s) are at large in acts of masking.
prompts his students to revise and improve future writing attempts, I look them over once more before handing them back.
Most of these young writers grasp a concept from Lopate and apply its force quite well to Grealy's essay. I am quite pleased with the effort and focus of these early essays on the nature of the personal essay. Though not the alpha and omega of the personal essay, a theory and practice of what we mean by "masks" and by "masking" is essential to this course.
Students need to begin to understand and push the limits of the paradoxical energy of a mask--not so much in its literal, physical sense, though this remains critical--but in the symbolic and rhetorical senses: that masks both conceal and reveal in one effortless context; that issues of identity and anonymity are wrapped up(or wrapped around and within?) persona(e); that not only the "face" of the personal essayist, but his or her voice(s) and vision(s) are at large in acts of masking.
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
The day before Christmas--I will attempt to put on the mask of the dutiful consumer and help pump up the spiritless dirigible of late capitalism by buying this and that for my blood relations and a few dear ones. Gift giving remains important: I always feel uncomfortable receiving gifts. I suppose the discomfort comes from the responsibility to reciprocate, to polish the old golden rule. What is better about giving than receiving?
I believe in "presence" the year round, and doing favors for those in need. I suppose I am a selfish man, exhausted by first world materialism, confused by all that I do have as billions subsist in misery.
What has any of this hackneyed self-guilt to do with the personal essay?
Simply this: I am trying to "remove the masks" of possession and dispossession so that my students begin to understand how difficult is the art of the personal essay that does not disintegrate into silly self-reference.
I have failed to personify the spirit of giving or of receiving in this post. My spirit is one of refusing even as I prepare to take my children out into the desperate realms of retail so that they may choose something "dear" for their mother, and I must purchase some few things that will be wrapped and presented from Santa Claus. I wish to keep the true identity of this presence masked for my children for as long as possible. Four and seven, they still believe in this force of giving and write letters apologizing when they are "bad." For a week every year, we invoke some pagan-christain-capitalist hybrid trope and I must admit, I enjoy giving gifts to my children.
Otherwise, the attempt to addresss a higher power in this family is absent. Our sense of community is dead; we live surrounded by other suburbanites who prefer not to speak with one another. This is the season for (for)giving--and for trying to unmask what Slater called the "pursuit of loneliness" in the midst of potential of all this empty plenty. If the personal essay really could unmask the "I," an emptiness, plentiful as sunlight or wave crest would silence the self, and the urge for language would unword itself, and blah blah the existential paradox play back would plagiarize East and West, Buddha and Blanchot. Merry, Merry......
I believe in "presence" the year round, and doing favors for those in need. I suppose I am a selfish man, exhausted by first world materialism, confused by all that I do have as billions subsist in misery.
What has any of this hackneyed self-guilt to do with the personal essay?
Simply this: I am trying to "remove the masks" of possession and dispossession so that my students begin to understand how difficult is the art of the personal essay that does not disintegrate into silly self-reference.
I have failed to personify the spirit of giving or of receiving in this post. My spirit is one of refusing even as I prepare to take my children out into the desperate realms of retail so that they may choose something "dear" for their mother, and I must purchase some few things that will be wrapped and presented from Santa Claus. I wish to keep the true identity of this presence masked for my children for as long as possible. Four and seven, they still believe in this force of giving and write letters apologizing when they are "bad." For a week every year, we invoke some pagan-christain-capitalist hybrid trope and I must admit, I enjoy giving gifts to my children.
Otherwise, the attempt to addresss a higher power in this family is absent. Our sense of community is dead; we live surrounded by other suburbanites who prefer not to speak with one another. This is the season for (for)giving--and for trying to unmask what Slater called the "pursuit of loneliness" in the midst of potential of all this empty plenty. If the personal essay really could unmask the "I," an emptiness, plentiful as sunlight or wave crest would silence the self, and the urge for language would unword itself, and blah blah the existential paradox play back would plagiarize East and West, Buddha and Blanchot. Merry, Merry......
Monday, December 22, 2003
Tonight I have added my nothingness to the swirl of digital narcissism...
No... Tonight I embark on the wrong tree...
No... Tonight I attempt to understand the personal and to personalize its attempt. Montaigne was crazy when he wrote that "We must remove the mask," for remove one and another slides into place, space, trace, grace, base, face...
No... Tonight I embark on the wrong tree...
No... Tonight I attempt to understand the personal and to personalize its attempt. Montaigne was crazy when he wrote that "We must remove the mask," for remove one and another slides into place, space, trace, grace, base, face...
