He's Slowly Unlearning How to Play the Guitar

Finished Terry Eagleton’s Marxism and Literary Criticism. I feel guilty about considering this a book since it consists of a whole 76 pages, but it’s still a good read if for no other reason than Eagleton, as always, is concise and clear. I’m looking at you Frederick Jameson (I can never get motivated to start, let alone finish, his Postmodernism). The small text does a surprisingly solid job of explaining the history of Marxist literary criticism, the often-conflicting undercurrents, and why one cannot simply examine art / literature solely with regards to the proletariat (crude Marxist literary criticism).

Overall, Eagleton explicates on the interaction between ideology (as an entity that allows wo/men to make sense of their existence), a work’s form, and how these elements affect the proletariat & bourgeois. I’m always taken aback when I read how numerous intellectuals during the Bolshevik Revolution wanted to implement strict standards on writing – i.e. socialist realism – that seem (perhaps more) hegemonic than their bourgeois / capitalist counterparts. Then again, I almost always forget how thoroughly modern, at its base, Marxism actually is. I suppose that’s why it’s always looked upon with a sneer. Depending on one’s perspective, it’s one of two major modernist / Enlightenment projects (the one that failed, mind you) or it’s another scattershot weapon of choice for some pomo philosophers. Either way, not a very good outcome for Mr. Marx. And while many contemporary thinkers seem to pay homage to Marx’s ghost (it’s probably the intimidating beard), no one actually seems intent on providing a cogent Marxist text for 21^st century. Being the pomo ho that I am, I’d have a difficult time swallowing any grand narrative, but shouldn’t someone give it a try?

Three cheers for aporia – ever since I declared myself done with Palsy Aria, I’ve been drawing a total blank on new topical matter. Yes, it’s only been about a week, but normally I can at least write something bad. Actually, I may have just accomplished that. It doesn’t help that I spent three hours in work-related training this morning / afternoon and then another two in HRM busy work. But at least there’s Trinity Blood tonight w/ B and then “Global Grilling” on ATHF tomorrow night.

Add the newest issue of American Letters and Commentary to the list of lit journals I’ve picked up so far in 2007.

Until next time boys and girls,

-j