Comments for Letter by letter: composing life. http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com Little vignettes of one Seattleite's life. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:17:16 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Reading and such. by Zack http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/reading-and-such/#comment-251 Zack Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:17:16 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=151#comment-251 When the aim of the novel (or at least one of its aims) is to grapple with moral choices in a realistic universe, I have difficulty accepting a story that pits opposing views against each other in a didactic fashion simply to allow one - the one corresponding to the author's worldview - to come out on top. I'd rather read a book whose author is genuinely struggling to understand what it means to live morally in the world by using literature to hit their own ethical system where it's most vulnerable. I guess what I'm saying is I want every novel to be The Brothers Karamazov. Is that too much to ask? When the aim of the novel (or at least one of its aims) is to grapple with moral choices in a realistic universe, I have difficulty accepting a story that pits opposing views against each other in a didactic fashion simply to allow one – the one corresponding to the author’s worldview – to come out on top. I’d rather read a book whose author is genuinely struggling to understand what it means to live morally in the world by using literature to hit their own ethical system where it’s most vulnerable.

I guess what I’m saying is I want every novel to be The Brothers Karamazov. Is that too much to ask?

]]> Comment on Reading and such. by Amber http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/reading-and-such/#comment-250 Amber Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:15:12 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=151#comment-250 That's a good point, though I still can't help but think that the author could have kept that "muddied morality" without sounding so didactic on either side of the issue. Also, do you really think that straightforward portraits of a certain ethic must always be "juvenile and less accomplished literature"? That’s a good point, though I still can’t help but think that the author could have kept that “muddied morality” without sounding so didactic on either side of the issue.

Also, do you really think that straightforward portraits of a certain ethic must always be “juvenile and less accomplished literature”?

]]> Comment on Reading and such. by Zack http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/reading-and-such/#comment-249 Zack Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:09:41 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=151#comment-249 Thanks for drawing that out, Amber. It's difficult sometimes to get out of the mindset of seeing moral literary themes as cut and dry exhortations for a particular ethic, as they tend to be in juvenile and less accomplished literature. Here the writer appears to put a moral good - the search for the truth - up against the allure of a good lie. In the end lets the tension remain, just as it must in real life. Think of it, even cut and dry moral literature couldn't function without taking some liberties with the truth in order to cut out the gray and leave only black and white behind. Glad the author decided to keep the muddied morality, sounds like a good read. Thanks for drawing that out, Amber. It’s difficult sometimes to get out of the mindset of seeing moral literary themes as cut and dry exhortations for a particular ethic, as they tend to be in juvenile and less accomplished literature. Here the writer appears to put a moral good – the search for the truth – up against the allure of a good lie. In the end lets the tension remain, just as it must in real life. Think of it, even cut and dry moral literature couldn’t function without taking some liberties with the truth in order to cut out the gray and leave only black and white behind. Glad the author decided to keep the muddied morality, sounds like a good read.

]]> Comment on Our life is no dream. by Veronica http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/our-life-is-no-dream/#comment-248 Veronica Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:44:58 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=142#comment-248 You're right, Zack, you're right. And Amber, I like reading your posts. Always a bit of the unexpected, and a lot of the thoughtful. You’re right, Zack, you’re right.
And Amber, I like reading your posts. Always a bit of the unexpected, and a lot of the thoughtful.

]]> Comment on Our life is no dream. by Zack http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/our-life-is-no-dream/#comment-247 Zack Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:47:08 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=142#comment-247 My life may be no dream, but my WIFE sure is! Huh!? Huh!? Am I right, people? Thanks for sharing the quote, it's a favorite of mine as well. My life may be no dream, but my WIFE sure is! Huh!? Huh!? Am I right, people?

Thanks for sharing the quote, it’s a favorite of mine as well.

]]> Comment on Our life is no dream. by amanda http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/our-life-is-no-dream/#comment-246 amanda Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:42:50 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=142#comment-246 Thanks for sharing; I would like to have this (faith-full?) attitude about death-that it is "just a portal to more life". I will try to recall Novalis' beautiful quote, especially during that scary time right before sleep, where death seems so imminent & dark. Thanks for sharing; I would like to have this (faith-full?) attitude about death-that it is “just a portal to more life”. I will try to recall Novalis’ beautiful quote, especially during that scary time right before sleep, where death seems so imminent & dark.

]]> Comment on This. This is modernism. by letterbyletter http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/this-this-is-modernism/#comment-245 letterbyletter Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:20:30 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=47#comment-245 Thank you, Kari. I had heard the news. Thank you, Kari. I had heard the news.

]]> Comment on This. This is modernism. by Kari http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/this-this-is-modernism/#comment-244 Kari Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:22:30 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=47#comment-244 Maybe you know... http://www.anglicanessentials.ca/wordpress/index.php/2009/03/10/dr-barbara-pell-welcomed-into-glory/ Maybe you know… http://www.anglicanessentials.ca/wordpress/index.php/2009/03/10/dr-barbara-pell-welcomed-into-glory/

]]> Comment on No better day. by Zack http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/no-better-day/#comment-243 Zack Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:09:02 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=136#comment-243 Furthermore: http://comics.com/mike_luckovich/2009-01-22/ Furthermore: http://comics.com/mike_luckovich/2009-01-22/

]]> Comment on No better day. by Zack http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/no-better-day/#comment-242 Zack Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:15:50 +0000 http://letterbyletter.wordpress.com/?p=136#comment-242 Well, what is he to you, a hero or a regular Joe? Well, what is he to you, a hero or a regular Joe?

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