Need help with navigating my first literary work So I've…
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Need help with navigating my first literary work
So I've never read anything that can be classified as "literary" (or at least, as far as I can remember). Definitely never read anything even a fraction as daunting as my current read, "The Death of Artemio Cruz" by Carlos Fuentes. I'm only about 12 pages in, and I already feel really overwhelmed by it.
I understand the general gist of what's going on. The section I'm on right now is written in second person future tense (while reflecting on past events). I understand that a lot of the ramblings and meanderings of his mind are meant to be disorienting and nonlinear. The sense that his past is being reflected on as though it's a future event, written in second person is intentionally trying to give the reader some sort of muddled feeling. Like nothing "adds up." I don't know if I'm expressing it properly, but I think I understand at least that level of the intention behind the writing style.
Here's my problem, though:
While I understand that he's reflecting and meandering through his thoughts in this way, I swear I've read the last page at least 10 times and I still don't really understand a single word of it. I just want to experience the book and all it has to offer.
In a way, you can argue that the experience of confusion and frustration is an "experience" of the story and art in its own right. But it also feels like there's something more there that's being expressed. And the last thing I want is to brush this entire story aside as, "Yeah, I tried reading it and it frustrated the hell out of me. I don't understand a single damn thing. 5 stars"
Does that make sense? I guess what I'm saying is that it feels like what's stumping me isn't what the author necessarily intended to be the confusing part? Then again, I am trying to read a page which is basically just a single sentence that drags on and on. So maybe I'm not meant to fully understand it.
Or maybe understanding this page is meant more for a second or third read of the novel? I'm mostly just asking because I don't know how to navigate a literary novel. Responses don't have to explicitly relate to Fuentes' work; I simply included the book itself for context (and maybe this is an experience somehow unique to this novel?)
Anyways, let me know what y'all think! Maybe this was too ambitious of a first novel - but I'm very intrigued by the premise and themes, so I'm gonna keep trying to see it through.
#entertainment
source
So I've never read anything that can be classified as "literary" (or at least, as far as I can remember). Definitely never read anything even a fraction as daunting as my current read, "The Death of Artemio Cruz" by Carlos Fuentes. I'm only about 12 pages in, and I already feel really overwhelmed by it.
I understand the general gist of what's going on. The section I'm on right now is written in second person future tense (while reflecting on past events). I understand that a lot of the ramblings and meanderings of his mind are meant to be disorienting and nonlinear. The sense that his past is being reflected on as though it's a future event, written in second person is intentionally trying to give the reader some sort of muddled feeling. Like nothing "adds up." I don't know if I'm expressing it properly, but I think I understand at least that level of the intention behind the writing style.
Here's my problem, though:
While I understand that he's reflecting and meandering through his thoughts in this way, I swear I've read the last page at least 10 times and I still don't really understand a single word of it. I just want to experience the book and all it has to offer.
In a way, you can argue that the experience of confusion and frustration is an "experience" of the story and art in its own right. But it also feels like there's something more there that's being expressed. And the last thing I want is to brush this entire story aside as, "Yeah, I tried reading it and it frustrated the hell out of me. I don't understand a single damn thing. 5 stars"
Does that make sense? I guess what I'm saying is that it feels like what's stumping me isn't what the author necessarily intended to be the confusing part? Then again, I am trying to read a page which is basically just a single sentence that drags on and on. So maybe I'm not meant to fully understand it.
Or maybe understanding this page is meant more for a second or third read of the novel? I'm mostly just asking because I don't know how to navigate a literary novel. Responses don't have to explicitly relate to Fuentes' work; I simply included the book itself for context (and maybe this is an experience somehow unique to this novel?)
Anyways, let me know what y'all think! Maybe this was too ambitious of a first novel - but I'm very intrigued by the premise and themes, so I'm gonna keep trying to see it through.
#entertainment
source
1
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