January / Coetzee : Slow Man

[thelastmelon]

And I can also add some of my feelings on the book, since I was the one to nominate it in the first place. I can only say this: It was not what I had expected, at all. I had expected more from the author and the book, that what I got in the end. My first impression was alright (you'll see that on how I voted) but as I continue to think about it, it sticks with me.. but only because it confuses me, and it bothers me that it wasn't as good as I had hoped.

I am going to give Disgrace a try instead. I am not giving up on Coetzee because of this book.

[hellsapoppin]

The critics also had high praise for Elizabeth Costello:

http://www.complete-review.com/revie...j/elizacos.htm


While I can readily see that she is a form of literary gadfly, I fail to see how this makes the largely world weary character deserving of so much praise in Slow Man.

[hellsapoppin]

``Malleus maleficorum``

As before, this is old hat for those of you who are Catholic because you know this is an indictment against old witches. A few years ago I made a post which such an indictment against a pesky old woman who was unrelenting in her self righteous right wing views. Needless to say that my indictment was well received by most readers on that site.

Rayment uses this against Costello in the end of the book as he rejects her marriage proposal. In truth, I just cannot figure out why the hell he tolerated her for so long. But at least he came to his senses and got rid of her.

Costello is one character who does not really add anything to the book. It would have been a far better writing if Rayment had been portrayed as naturally endowed with the wisdom to settle his own affairs with rationality and common sense.

It's a tough and often crazy world. Coetzee brings up genuine issues that we all face and there can be no doubt that Rayment does represent many of us to some extent. But as responsible adults we chart our own courses and approach the solutions to those problems with confidence and determination. A fictive and totally unrealistic character like Costello is not likely to appear in anyone's life to assist in any settlement of difficult problems.

Unlike Rayment, I would not have rejected such an unrealistic and annoying vagabond in my life at the story's end. I would have slammed the door on her face immediately and called the cops on her if she dared hassle me. His life would have better without her. And the story would also have been better for the same reason.

[papayahed]

I have to disagree Hells. Elizabeth was a bright spot in the book, without her there would have been no movement. Elizabeth seems to me an extention of Paul's psyche, the part that is open to change and growth. She shows him there are other options to the way he sees his life. She offers him a new town, companionship (in herself and the blind lady), a connectedness to other human beings, all of which he refuses.

[hellsapoppin]

That's the beauty of literature --- it is something organic. Something very much alive. Something that is eternal. Thus, we see this art form differently from our own perspectives.

And who is to say that either of us is wrong?

Answer: nobody!

[WildCityWoman]

Well, I'm about to start this book - our group at High Park Library in Toronto is discussing it on the second Wednesday of July.

I'll put any comments I have on the book in here.

Carly

[WildCityWoman]

I've read a few pages with Jeff tonight . . . we like it.

So far? A man has an accident on a bicycle - he ends up in hospital and has had his leg amputated.

He's in a big fog, but tells the doctor he does not want a prosthesis.

............................................

I can't help wondering how I would feel about this myself. My mother lost a leg, because of diabetes . . . she was in such pain with the wound that wouldn't heal, she was glad to have the leg off.

............................................

Coincidentally - he is given the form to fill out and asks the nurse what the date is - it's July 2nd . . . heh! heh! It so happens that's the date on which I start the story.

I have a week to read as much of this as I can.

I'm going away for a couple of days - I'll come back and continue my thoughts in this wee journal here.

[WildCityWoman]

It's Saturday . . .

Read quite a bit of this book while I was away . . . I'm about 1/3 through it - gotta' have it finished by Wednesday night when we discuss it at the High Park Library, here in the west end of Toronto.

I've just finished up the part where that woman (whatzernameagain?) moved in - he doesn't know where she came from, she isn't saying but she's staying and that's that!

Don't know what's going to become of Marijana . . .

I'm curious as to how her name would be pronounced - Mary Jane Ah? Mary-Yawna? I kind of like the latter . . .

(If anybody's reading this - doubt it - but if you are and happen to live in Toronto, you might like to visit the High Park library at 6:30 pm this Wednesday and exchange your views with us)

I haven't (deliberately) read much of the members' comments here on this thread yet, but I will.

Just didn't want to prejudice my own thoughts on the read. Maybe I should wait till I'm finished and then respond to the comments here.

[WildCityWoman]

Marijana returns . . . Elizabeth Costella is now finagling to match him up with the blind woman.

Odd that the author named her 'Marianne'.

[WildCityWoman]

That was really wierd, the scene with him and the blind woman, Marianne.

[papayahed]

Marijana returns . . . Elizabeth Costella is now finagling to match him up with the blind woman.

Odd that the author named her 'Marianne'.

That did seem strange. I've been trying to figure out if there's any significance but nothing really pops out.

That was really wierd, the scene with him and the blind woman, Marianne.

Kinda skeevy.

[curlyqlink]

I read Slow Man about a month ago and I liked it. It wasn't quite up to the standard of the other two books of Coetzee's that I've read (Disgrace and Diary of a Bad Year) but I find him to be one the finest contemporary novelists and nothing short of brilliant. Disgrace is if anything darker and is certainly more intense. Diary is whimsical, in a twisted sort of way.

Coetzee seems to specialize in angry old men. His characters are far from lovable. They are intellectual, pompous, distant, proud, and insecure, damaged and querulous. Which puts me in mind of King Lear. These characters are not much good at solving life's problems and as a consequence the novels aren't going to present a happy resolution. In fact they don't offer much in the way of resolution at all.

I find a good deal of truthfulness in Coetzee's central characters. They offer a hard, uncompromising, and unapologetic look at men as they get old. Far from mythologizing the "golden years", these are men who are frustrated, petty, and horny, and who appear ridiculous in their own eyes as well as in other people's. They are men who neglected to "get wise before they got old."

[WildCityWoman]

Hey! Papa & Curly!

Thanks for joining me here - don't feel so lonely now.

Well, I'm still not sure what this 'Elizabeth' person is up to - why she's in there - is she 'real'? A 'ghost' of some kind? Dunno' . . . I'm going to read more today 'cause our discussion is on at the library tonight.

I'll take note of the comments that are made there. Maybe give this url, so others might like to sign on here.

[WildCityWoman]

Our group also read 'Disgrace' . . . a coupla' years ago, as I recall. Yes, it was better than this one.

I might read that book again sometime.

Right now, I'm at the part where he has told Elizabeth in no uncertain terms to get out and stay out - she returns with Drago, then Marijana shows up.

Have a feeling Drago and Marijana are going to move in with him? Well, I'll know soon - going to read as much as I can this afternoon.

(I also have a feeling he isn't going to get rid of Elizabeth that easily)

[WildCityWoman]

BTW, I often let a book I'm reading inspire me when I post my 'daily write' attempts . . . click here for two short pieces I wrote, with the blind Marianne character as my inspiration:

http://writersbbs.com/cgi-bin/forum....ge=22267-22249

http://writersbbs.com/cgi-bin/forum....ge=22268-22265

Some pretty wild feelings come out of my 'pen' when I attempt to write on things I wouldn't dream of doing - such as this 'prostitution' thing - taking money, 'cause M feels better about it.

In these two bits my character is 'Margaret' . . . I don't usually give 'Margaret' such eyebrow-raising roles, but if she 'exists' somewhere, just from having come from my wee stories, she might enjoy a bit of adventure.