The thing that struck me most about Morrison's introduction is the feeling she captures of seeing yourself represented through art. The feeling I get to Rufus Wainwright croon about his queer understanding of love, heartbreak, and home is similar to the novel's description of what the Black character experiences listening to Louie Armstrong. The representational practices of identity and the politics of the self are complicated and it takes a long time for individuals to cope with this idea. Am I compelled towards Queer literature, film, and theory because I think its fascinating, well yes. But I am more so compelled because I am Queer. I also love and am fascinated by other cultures' canons, but there is inherently less at stake for me as an individual reading those texts. I don't just mean obvious differences, I mean Southern texts, or war narrative texts, etc.
The implied literary Blackness and Whiteness that Morrison describes is also incredibly interesting to me and something that I view through my lens as well. It is obvious to me reading Dorian Gray that Basil is a gay man. It is not explicitly stated in the text, but I just know. I have a cultural currency in this text that other readers might not have. Just like, I just know that Martha in Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe is really a gay man bickering with his partner.
When texts through us for a loop- the Giovanni's Room, or Dumbledore effect- it can be shocking as a reader to encounter.
Allison,
ReplyDeleteI think it intriguing to speak to the inherent understanding you have to particular texts or mediums because you have a connection to them in a particular way. This makes me wonder how, on the flip side, that we are distanced from texts or other mediums (as you mention literature, film, and theory) because of our affiliation with a particular culture or group. You say that you are fascinated by some other cultures' canons such as Southern texts or war narratives. I agree. What I would like to investigate is how we are either separated or suspicious of texts with which we have a feeling of distance. When I read a text by a man in a woman's perspective, I automatically assume a distance and suspicion, for instance. When students read a text about or immersed in a culture that they don't understand and perhaps are suspicious of, how do they react (both consciously and subconsciously)? Is it important, as teachers, to always shorten this distance or is this distance sometimes worthwhile and justified?
Laura