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Red Shift
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From: Dr. Ruth I. Gordon <Druthgo>
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 17:38:05 -0800
CCBCers: I'm delighted that K.T. brought up Garner's "Red Shift". It was not only non-linear--it was totally mysterious, i.e.e, non-clear. I wish I could dig up my copy of the book because in it I have a crypto-analysis of the message on binder's paste downs. One of my students at Univ. of S.F. decoded it. But the problem is/was that very few kids could grab on to the story and not just because of the structure. K.T.'s mention of the book reminded me that Garner's "Owl Service" and perhaps "Weirdstone of B...." were also so complex as to need extraordinarily fine readers. Fool that I was, when I discussed the books with the young people, I didn't really play the adult game of linear or non-linear. In fact, I would not do so now because I don't believe that such arcane literary devices go to the heart of story and if ever I had a student who wanted to play the lit. crit game, I guess I might have discussed devices. But I found, in my too many years leading young people astray, that they were far more interested in story, plot, character, situation, solution, and whether or not a book was a "good read." So, I guess I admire Kate McC. for wanting to present linear, etc. because it never seemed important to me. But Kate and Eliza are deep thinkers and analyzers and I was simply a run-on-the-mill librarian who truly enjoyed debating-discussing book qualities with young people. In truth, I always admire people who present college lit. crit course ideas to children. Then again, there have been some lit. crit. folk (Lancan [sp?] at Yale) whose ideas are simply nonsense. But that is a different revision of my thinking.
I'm still awaiting a response on my ? about "Joey Pigza" and whether he had a.d.d. or was austistic. I've worked with the latter; the former had not been invented when I was in service.
Big Grandma
================="You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty." Jessica Mitford (191796)
Received on Fri 30 Oct 1998 07:38:05 PM CST
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 17:38:05 -0800
CCBCers: I'm delighted that K.T. brought up Garner's "Red Shift". It was not only non-linear--it was totally mysterious, i.e.e, non-clear. I wish I could dig up my copy of the book because in it I have a crypto-analysis of the message on binder's paste downs. One of my students at Univ. of S.F. decoded it. But the problem is/was that very few kids could grab on to the story and not just because of the structure. K.T.'s mention of the book reminded me that Garner's "Owl Service" and perhaps "Weirdstone of B...." were also so complex as to need extraordinarily fine readers. Fool that I was, when I discussed the books with the young people, I didn't really play the adult game of linear or non-linear. In fact, I would not do so now because I don't believe that such arcane literary devices go to the heart of story and if ever I had a student who wanted to play the lit. crit game, I guess I might have discussed devices. But I found, in my too many years leading young people astray, that they were far more interested in story, plot, character, situation, solution, and whether or not a book was a "good read." So, I guess I admire Kate McC. for wanting to present linear, etc. because it never seemed important to me. But Kate and Eliza are deep thinkers and analyzers and I was simply a run-on-the-mill librarian who truly enjoyed debating-discussing book qualities with young people. In truth, I always admire people who present college lit. crit course ideas to children. Then again, there have been some lit. crit. folk (Lancan [sp?] at Yale) whose ideas are simply nonsense. But that is a different revision of my thinking.
I'm still awaiting a response on my ? about "Joey Pigza" and whether he had a.d.d. or was austistic. I've worked with the latter; the former had not been invented when I was in service.
Big Grandma
================="You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty." Jessica Mitford (191796)
Received on Fri 30 Oct 1998 07:38:05 PM CST
