(urth) The Devil in a Forest
David Stockhoff
dstockhoff at verizon.net
Tue May 19 07:30:06 PDT 2009
I think there is more to it than just how sneaky his propaganda is. Sure, Wolfe is propagandizing, as always---but he doesn't just propagandize for a narrow segment of the political spectrum, and he rarely makes things as black and white and baldly allegorical as you seem to suggest. Rather, he asks questions and examines the moral aspects of the range of answers.
Almost by definition, an interpretation of Wolfe that keeps it simple---says "Wolfe is pro-gun," for example---is going to be inadequate, even if not flatly wrong.
In other words, don't lose the forest for the trees, even if there is a devil hiding in them.
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 22:41:30 -0500
From: "James Wynn" <crushtv at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: (urth) The Devil in a Forest
To: "The Urth Mailing List" <urth at lists.urth.net>
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> >"Propaganda" may be just the right term for Wolfe.
> >Originally it was a term used by the Vatican for the
> >propagation of the faith. It's come to have a cheaper meaning.
>
I use the term "propaganda" to mean "the attempt to persuade at the
non-rational level". It has a bad rap because it is typically so inartfully
done. The idea is to have the audience only stew in the well-seasoned juices
of the argument so they rationally convince themselves at a later time. You
have to _demonstrate_ while exhibiting the self-control never _to tell_.
"The Devil in a Forest" does that. If the work is essentially framed in a
"message", rather than metaphor, the audience is forced to approach the
propaganda on a rational level and it loses its much of its power. For
example, Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" is fantastic Communist
propaganda (if you know all the verses). Pete Seeger's stuff is
hack-work--if he had a hammer, he'd hit you over the head with it.
> >...tDiaF ends with a miracle -- the only "fantasy" element in the book...
>
I even wonder whether it *is* the only fantasy element. There are subtle
hints that the stories of Mother Cloot being able to fly might not be mere
superstition at all. And at least twice it is noted that she *is*
unexpectedly light. It is a tip to the hat that Evil is also not merely a
fantasy element. Still, certainly the only _overtly_ non-rational event is
the abbe's healing.
J.
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