http://nigelbeale.com/2008/10/realism-and-blood-in-books/ Musings on the Book, Literature, Poetry, Literary Criticism, Collecting, Media, Life and the Arts, and Audio Interviews from The Biblio File radio program pertaining to same by a writer, broadcaster, bibliophile. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:38:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://nigelbeale.com/2008/10/realism-and-blood-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-49837 obooki’s page » Blog Archive » Biographies of Obooki Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:48:07 +0000 http://nigelbeale.com/?p=1162#comment-49837 [...] I was reminded of it whilst reading this wonderfully acute article by the venerable Beale (but surely that is raspberry jam, not blood!). - Beale suggests, among many heterodox assumptions, [...] [...] I was reminded of it whilst reading this wonderfully acute article by the venerable Beale (but surely that is raspberry jam, not blood!). – Beale suggests, among many heterodox assumptions, [...]

]]> http://nigelbeale.com/2008/10/realism-and-blood-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-49814 Appreciating Fiction « Legendumst Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:15:08 +0000 http://nigelbeale.com/?p=1162#comment-49814 [...] of fiction, fiction, literature, reader development, reading Dan Green critizes Nigel Beale’s suggestion that “the essential question to ask” of fictional characters is “is this [...] [...] of fiction, fiction, literature, reader development, reading Dan Green critizes Nigel Beale’s suggestion that “the essential question to ask” of fictional characters is “is this [...]

]]> http://nigelbeale.com/2008/10/realism-and-blood-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-49059 Amateur Reader Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:40:30 +0000 http://nigelbeale.com/?p=1162#comment-49059 Maybe Falstaff triggers memories of pleasant experiences I wish I'd had! I'm going to go have a glass of sack. Maybe Falstaff triggers memories of pleasant experiences I wish I’d had! I’m going to go have a glass of sack.

]]> http://nigelbeale.com/2008/10/realism-and-blood-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-48959 Nigel Beale Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:17:22 +0000 http://nigelbeale.com/?p=1162#comment-48959 Nice to hear from you AR. These characters' lives may be far from yours, but I'd say that those who have the biggest impact on you, probably share some trait with a person you know in real life... or perhaps trigger memories of painful or pleasant experiences you've had. Falstaff may have more 'lifeness', may be more full of life than Hal, but who do you connect with more profoundly?  Nice to hear from you AR. These characters’ lives may be far from yours, but I’d say that those who have the biggest impact on you, probably share some trait with a person you know in real life… or perhaps trigger memories of painful or pleasant experiences you’ve had. Falstaff may have more ‘lifeness’, may be more full of life than Hal, but who do you connect with more profoundly? 

]]> http://nigelbeale.com/2008/10/realism-and-blood-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-48947 Amateur Reader Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:01:02 +0000 http://nigelbeale.com/?p=1162#comment-48947 I don't know. Charles Kinbote in "Pale Fire", Oskar Matzerath in "The Tin Drum", Lovelace in "Clarissa" - I hope there isn't much of these characters in me. Yet these fellows are very much alive to me. Or, for some positive examples, Sam Weller in "The Pickwick Papers", or Eugenie Grandet, or Hadji Murad. The lives of these characters are far, far from mine, and the're as alive to me as any characters I can think of. I've got a lot more of Prince Hal in me than Falstaff, yet it's Falstaff who, to me, has more "lifeness". I don’t know. Charles Kinbote in "Pale Fire", Oskar Matzerath in "The Tin Drum", Lovelace in "Clarissa" – I hope there isn’t much of these characters in me. Yet these fellows are very much alive to me. Or, for some positive examples, Sam Weller in "The Pickwick Papers", or Eugenie Grandet, or Hadji Murad. The lives of these characters are far, far from mine, and the’re as alive to me as any characters I can think of. I’ve got a lot more of Prince Hal in me than Falstaff, yet it’s Falstaff who, to me, has more "lifeness".

]]> http://nigelbeale.com/2008/10/realism-and-blood-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-48940 Nigel Beale Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:38:23 +0000 http://nigelbeale.com/?p=1162#comment-48940 Well, I think reading is a pretty solipsistic enterprise. We mostly read for our own entertainment and enlightenment...but the point I wanted to make is that I think characters 'live' to the extent they touch the reader's life... If you have experienced an affair that ended abruptly for example... Emma Bovary's anguish at the garden gate will probably affect you to a greater degree than if you haven't. So, 'lifeness' I think is a function of the degree to which readers can relate their lives to the lives of those depicted in fiction.  Well, I think reading is a pretty solipsistic enterprise. We mostly read for our own entertainment and enlightenment…but the point I wanted to make is that I think characters ‘live’ to the extent they touch the reader’s life… If you have experienced an affair that ended abruptly for example… Emma Bovary’s anguish at the garden gate will probably affect you to a greater degree than if you haven’t. So, ‘lifeness’ I think is a function of the degree to which readers can relate their lives to the lives of those depicted in fiction. 

]]> http://nigelbeale.com/2008/10/realism-and-blood-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-48932 Rohan Maitzen Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:43:28 +0000 http://nigelbeale.com/?p=1162#comment-48932 "The essential question to ask: is this fictitious entity relevant to me and my life?"I don't know, Nigel: this seems a pretty solipsistic approach to literature! "The essential question to ask: is this fictitious entity relevant to me and my life?"I don’t know, Nigel: this seems a pretty solipsistic approach to literature!

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