"Realistic fiction leaves out too much." - Gene Wolfe

Mo Holkar · 11 May 2011, 11:42 · from 2011-May.txt.gz

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From: lists at ukg.co.uk (Mo Holkar)
Date: Wed, 11 May 2011 12:42:36 +0100
Subject: (urth) "Realistic fiction leaves out too much." - Gene   Wolfe
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At 11:43 11/05/2011,  David Duffy wrote:
>On Fri, 6 May 2011, Mo Holkar wrote:
>>At 19:01 05/05/2011, Sergei wrote:
>>>By the way, I didn't like much the Orvell's "1984" (I did like
>>>the Animal Farm). The reason - "Animal Farm" is presented as abstract,
>>>symbolic fiction, and it seems almost perfect symbol.
>>>The "1984" contains many details that were not convincing,
>>>even as a possible development of the society in the USSR.
>>>It was still very good
>>>as a scheme, on the level of abstract ideas (language in "1984",
>>>inner Party, etc), but not in realistic details.
>>
>>
>>It's interesting that you had that reading of Nineteen Eighty-Four. 
>>I read it not as trying to depict a development of USSR society, 
>>but as trying to depict what a collectivist society would be like 
>>specifically as it could be in the UK. So I think there is no real 
>>attempt by the author to think about the Soviet actuality -- but 
>>mostly just a mission to critique tendencies in 1930s-40s UK 
>>politics and society.
>>
>>I guess I have this perspective because I live in the UK myself, 
>>but then Orwell did too :-) and I think that in Nineteen 
>>Eighty-Four he was trying to send a message to his own country, 
>>more than to the rest of the world. As you say, Animal Farm, 
>>because of its abstraction, is a more universal piece of work.
>
>
>Have you read Anthony Burgess's _1985_?  The first half is an essay 
>discussing these points, the second half an adequate extrapolation 
>not of 1948 Britain, but 1984 Britain.


Mm, it's an interesting book (although, I think, an extrapolation of 
1978 Britain rather than 1984 Britain). I didn't read it until the 
mid-80s some time, by which point the idea that UK trade unions might 
ever advance to exercise significant power over people's lives was 
already a laughable anachronism, thanks to Mrs Thatcher's brisk work...

I like some of Burgess's work, but 1985 seems to me spoilt by excess 
of snobbery and hobbyhorsery.

best,

Mo


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