Comments on: omniscience, and other things I love

By: den

den — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:13:55 +0000

This is strictly an amateur’s observation, but I think the ‘rules’ against narrator’s intrusions are substantially less than they might once have been. I don’t know that there might not be some prejudice against an Anne style of writing (I’ve never read any of them, sorry) but one of the effects of theory and experimentation has been less worry about the fact that someone is telling the story. In fact, a lot of novels try to make the fact that it is a story being told by someone to someone else more obvious, it was one of David Foster Wallace’s explicit goals in writing Infinite Jest.

I’m reading The Somnabulist at present (don’t know yet if I’d recommend it) and the author inserts an author’s voice to effect both an antiquarian feel as well as to play with the audience. He seems to be getting away with putting “I” and direct address into a novel, although in this case it is not his “I” but a psuedo-I.

By: Molly

Molly — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:10:39 +0000

As for rules and such people can be sticklers about them UNTIL someone breaks the rule brilliantly! I say, go for it!

By: Serenity

Serenity — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:52:24 +0000

I can’t wait to read that one, Katie.

By: Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams

Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:48:46 +0000

You’ve nailed it, Serenity. So many of these things are why I love L.M. Montgomery, too. I love Pat of Silver Bush – so glad you discovered her (though Anne and Emily are still my favorites). And I read Looking for Anne of Green Gables by Irene Gammel a few months ago – which was fascinating. It gives a lot of insight into Montgomery’s life and how she developed the idea of Anne.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:36:20 +0000

That’s an awesome answer. It’s a little like Jane Austen, who wrote all these classic love stories and yet never fell in love (or at least got married) herself. Maybe not having something inspires you to write better about it?
And I’m glad it made sense!

By: Serenity

Serenity — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:55:37 +0000

It definitely makes sense, and it’s a great question. I’d have to say I wish I had met her. I would have liked to tell her what her books meant to me and see what she was like in person. I love her writing way too much for any disillusionment about her personality to ruin it. I need to read more about her. I understand some theories suggest she took her own life? I can’t believe it. I know her life was filled with more trouble than I would have wished for her. But she wrote such happy characters with such amazing perspective – it’s hard to imagine she didn’t have any herself.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:08:36 +0000

The kind of day I’m having was just confirmed by the fact that I had to take a minute to ponder what kind of science exactly “omni” is. So unfortunate.

I love that you love L.M. Montgomery. Clearly, she inspires you, which was a topic I was just thinking about yesterday. Do you think this is one of those cases where you’re glad you never had the option of meeting her, because she just seems less (but more) human that way? Or is this a case where you wish you’d gotten to meet her? …Does that even make sense?

By: kathy

kathy — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:24:41 +0000

You can. You shall. You must.