Teasers and explanations follow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Virgil
;) That's OK. To each his own. Nice to see you back, Asa, BTW.
Can you give a few examples. There were some well written passages. I know this novel is not on the internet, so it will require typing it out. But I find typing out well written passages actually helps my writing. So it will be good for you Asa. :)
I suspect that this is a younger person's novel. Capote himself was only in his twenties when he wrote it. The simple theme (childhood world-good, adult world-bad) probably appeals to youth. The quirky undeveloped characters too seems like a young person's vision. I may be too old for this novel.
Thanks for making me feel so welcome again, friend.
You are right Virgil, when you say that there are well written passages, but I think that to extend a view higher than the original simplicity of the singular theme to the story, we end up dissecting this Novella, to which hardly needs operation. It is a novella, and staying within the parameters of this style of short story telling, it is difficult to dissasemble it, (one with such a simple theme at least.)
I felt that the theme was indeed structured around reminisant youth, and further more its impact on the audience was a warm - somewhat anxious sort of read. I found with the vulnerability of collin, his incessent longing for the warm kitchen, and endearment for everything sweet that Dolly created, and with his continual fascination with Riley, the basic foundation for an older youth who has had the short end of the stick, never having a real childhood. Socially handicapped in many ways.
So in that sense, you may feel that this story is geared towards a youthful audience, however, a better view of it all may come from the boundries that Love indeed creates throughout the structured novella.
Example - When Judge Cool tells his heart wrenching story that he has kept a penpal as a dear friend ever since his wife died. He lives another life, experience love, jealousy, and hope as the young penpal grows up, and indeed The Judge too, grows with his new experiences.
Example - The writing in this story feels legitimate, as Capote describes the land that consumes our characters; "you will soon pass a glaring hill of bonewhite slabs and brown burnt flowers" Imedieately, We are drawn to the sense that Collin is estranged from his family. Again I quote "As I was getting out of the car, he tried to hug me, But I was scared of him and wriggled out of his arms." Once again, Truman Capote is pouring a foundation for a character who enevitably finds himself departed from his family, only to start a new one with Dolly, and Catherine.
Example-Another example of beauty in the words is the description of the lost lives that have found themselves forever caught in the indian grass of old. When the winds pick up, and the lives of past generations pour across the sun burnt reeds, echoes of voices can be heard through out the land. Something of poetry, I would say.
I think for now that is good enough. Please tell me what you think, Virgil :D
