Deciphering 'The Ambassadors'

[Covert]

I joined this forum in the hopes of finding someone with whom to discuss the meaning of certain passages in James's 'The Ambassadors'. It is not often that I can read sentences without having any idea of what has been said.

If anyone would like to have a go at it with me, please let me know.

[Jamesian]

Welcome, Covert.
I'm all for it (though I still haven't read the last 100 pages or so).
Which passages are you thinkin' of?

[Covert]

Jamesian,

Thanks for the offer. How was it that you did not read the last 100 pages? Did you get bored with the novel?

I have a Barnes & Noble Classics edition. The first page of the story begins, after the Preface, on page 23, with “Strether’s First Question...” Do you by chance have the same page sequence? If so it will be easy to identify passages; otherwise, I will have to write them out and you might not have the easy ability to put them into context. One way or the other, I will nevertheless select a few.

But, going back to the first page I find that the prose is more understandable than it first was, since I have had grown some comfort with James’s style.

I have also come to appreciate the story immensely, which can become the subject of a subsequent thread. Basically, by reading this crazy, difficult stuff, it seems to say that reflections on connections between people is all that there is: that stories about events and plots are merely projections by writers who have not the capability of getting to the heart of the matter. Because of the erudition, we are disguised from appreciating that the story is as powerful as and important in the same way as perhaps an LSD trip in looking at life from inside the bottle out.

But first, please let me know if we have the same sequence of pages. And thank you again for your interest in taking still another look at this curious book.

Covert

[Jamesian]

I love your LSD analogy! I know precisely what you mean - not that I've done that... I love the seeming-irrelevance of plot in James. He seems to sort of invert the proportions of action and motive in literature, which makes for more interesting reading than a lot of things out there. On the other hand, something always is in the process of happening; actions just seem to take a while.
I stopped reading because class resumed, but I'll be heading back to it soon - I was not bored by any means! (You'll notice I named myself after him!) I'm doing an independent study of James hopefully next fall or spring, and the prof wants me to read at least two of the final three novels, so I'll definitely get back to it. It will probably be best simply to start over though.
Regarding editions, I have the Penguin. However, if I'm at B&N soon (not unlikely) I might pick up their edition. Meanwhile, we can also just use book/chapter/paragraph citations. It's not difficult with James, since his paragraphs are so enormous.