Angela Carter

I've only read Wise Children, but what a writer!

I read "Nights at The Circus" couple of years ago having found in an encyclopaedia that it is a good example of magic realism (was recommended along with "The Magus" by J. Fowles and "The Satanic Verses" by S. Rushdie). Very original writer, Angela Carter. "Nights at The Circus" was a little feministic, that's why I didn't enjoy it that much. I like women, not feminists!! :D

reading Nights at the Circus now...the book is just bizarre... i cannot say that i like it ....some parts - yes. overall impression....3 out of 5.


Arteum, i dont think that it is feministic...it is just that the "ladies" were put in such conditions. besides, the author herself was not "for" feminism as such. all in all, she denied the idea of matriarchal society.

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Originally Posted by Arteum

. I like women, not feminists!! :D

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lol!

Something I discovered when I was studying Angela Carter novels at college is "Woe betide any male who attempts to offer an opinion on a feminist writer in a class dominated by girls!" I barely got out of that seminar alive!! :-)

tell me more about angela carter's "nights at the circus"

I'm teaching 'Wise Children' for the first time this year - loads of fantastic stuff to 'go at', but would welcome amy opinions/insights.

Carter actually had some feminist influences in her life. "Grandma Chance" in Wise Children is a prime example of one of her more feminist characters. I feel she was more interested in breaking down the binaries and expectations of society at the time than raising feminist issues. Thoroughly good read; both Wise Children and Nights at the Circus :)

I'm sure you've taught your year of "Wise Children" now but ideas I would go on are mainly binaries: legitimacy and illegitimacy; males and females; young and old and north and south. I would also place specific emphasis on character analysis - especially the central protagonist, Dora, and her father and uncle; Melchior and Peregrine. Other ideas are to read iimportant passages of the novel in order to analyse the importance of them in the story. Also, references to Shakespeare were plentiful and I feel that focusing on this would be invaluable to many students - I had a question on Shakespeare in Wise Children last year. Sadly to say, the examining body were very harsh markers and so perfection is a must. Hope that helped, a little to late though!!

nights at the circus is one of the most amazing books i read, it was just so mind blowing, the fusion between reality and fiction, like when shes at that draculas castle (i cal him dracula) and he has ice modle of her etc. etc. and your reading and thinking 'what next?' and all of sudden the toy train becomes a real train and off they go! the plot was fantastic, her style structure and all her creative devices were fantastic. I only hope I am half as good as A. Carter.

whats wise children abouit?