Rage against the Syllabus
Pardon the traditional beginning of semester rantings of an intellectually-frustrated college student. I'm enrolled in American Literature Since 1945. Overall, I'm enthusiastic about the class. Except for one small problem with the syllabus.
Joan Didion is the representative for the New Journalism movement.
We're reading selections from SLOUCHING TOWARDS BETHLEHEM as examples of New Journalism writing. Don't get me wrong: I'm completely into Joan Didion. She's a great author (and she was also a major influence on the work of Blank Generation author, Bret Easton Ellis). But you'd think that the class would choose to concentrate on the inventors of creative nonfiction: Tom Wolfe, Norman Mailer and Truman Capote. We're assigned one article by Tom Wolfe ("THE NEW JOURNALISM"). Nothing written by Mailer or Capote. I mean, why not simply forget New Journalism and go straight to Gonzo Journalism? She could have assigned Hunter S. Thompson's FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS. (That novel actually almost was assigned in one of my freshman year classes.) Call me a traditionalist. But if we're going to be talking about New Journalism, assign Mailer's ARMIES OF THE NIGHT or Capote's IN COLD BLOOD. (Capote should probably be the one assigned because he revolutionized the genre. For instance, in the introduction of MUSIC FOR CHAMELEONS: "Others rejected my whole concept of the 'nonfiction novel' and pronounced it unworthy of a 'serious' writer; Norman Mailer described it as a 'failure of the imagination' -- meaning, I assume, that a novelist should be writing about something imaginary rather than about something real . . . There were those who felt differently, other writers who realized the value of my experiment and moved swiftly to put it to their own use -- none more swiftly than Norman Mailer, who has made a lot of money and won a lot of prizes writing non-fiction novels, although he has always been careful never to describe them as 'nonfiction novels.' No matter; he is a good writer and a fine fellow and I'm grateful to have been of some small service to him." Read the inherent bitchiness in that statement and you'll know why Truman Capote has been one of my favorite authors since I started reading his works in sixth grade.)
But why Joan Didion, professor? To add insult to injury for me, the professor didn't assign any of Capote's writing but did manage to assign CAPOTE (the 2005 film) to teach us about the questionable ethics of New Journalism. Because apparently, watching a biopic (albeit a fine one) is an acceptable substitute for the author's actual words. She actually mentioned in class: "Some students actually get annoyed that I don't assign any of Capote's writings in this class." Yes, professor. You can include me amongst them. Although thankfully, she hasn't cut back on the Nabokov or the Kerouac (although Kesey or Burroughs would have been preferable).
Give me that sweet, sweet ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST. (Oh, Neal Cassady! The great Beat Generation love of my junior year in high school!)
Oh look, ANOTHER example of creative non-fiction . . . (Grumble, grumble.)
Joan Didion is the representative for the New Journalism movement.
We're reading selections from SLOUCHING TOWARDS BETHLEHEM as examples of New Journalism writing. Don't get me wrong: I'm completely into Joan Didion. She's a great author (and she was also a major influence on the work of Blank Generation author, Bret Easton Ellis). But you'd think that the class would choose to concentrate on the inventors of creative nonfiction: Tom Wolfe, Norman Mailer and Truman Capote. We're assigned one article by Tom Wolfe ("THE NEW JOURNALISM"). Nothing written by Mailer or Capote. I mean, why not simply forget New Journalism and go straight to Gonzo Journalism? She could have assigned Hunter S. Thompson's FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS. (That novel actually almost was assigned in one of my freshman year classes.) Call me a traditionalist. But if we're going to be talking about New Journalism, assign Mailer's ARMIES OF THE NIGHT or Capote's IN COLD BLOOD. (Capote should probably be the one assigned because he revolutionized the genre. For instance, in the introduction of MUSIC FOR CHAMELEONS: "Others rejected my whole concept of the 'nonfiction novel' and pronounced it unworthy of a 'serious' writer; Norman Mailer described it as a 'failure of the imagination' -- meaning, I assume, that a novelist should be writing about something imaginary rather than about something real . . . There were those who felt differently, other writers who realized the value of my experiment and moved swiftly to put it to their own use -- none more swiftly than Norman Mailer, who has made a lot of money and won a lot of prizes writing non-fiction novels, although he has always been careful never to describe them as 'nonfiction novels.' No matter; he is a good writer and a fine fellow and I'm grateful to have been of some small service to him." Read the inherent bitchiness in that statement and you'll know why Truman Capote has been one of my favorite authors since I started reading his works in sixth grade.)
But why Joan Didion, professor? To add insult to injury for me, the professor didn't assign any of Capote's writing but did manage to assign CAPOTE (the 2005 film) to teach us about the questionable ethics of New Journalism. Because apparently, watching a biopic (albeit a fine one) is an acceptable substitute for the author's actual words. She actually mentioned in class: "Some students actually get annoyed that I don't assign any of Capote's writings in this class." Yes, professor. You can include me amongst them. Although thankfully, she hasn't cut back on the Nabokov or the Kerouac (although Kesey or Burroughs would have been preferable).
Give me that sweet, sweet ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST. (Oh, Neal Cassady! The great Beat Generation love of my junior year in high school!)
Oh look, ANOTHER example of creative non-fiction . . . (Grumble, grumble.)