Comments on: Walpurgisnacht http://www.bibliographing.com/2009/10/19/walpurgisnacht/ or, writing about books Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:01:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: nicole http://www.bibliographing.com/2009/10/19/walpurgisnacht/comment-page-1/#comment-4271 nicole Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:26:41 +0000 http://www.bibliographing.com/?p=1975#comment-4271 Oh boy guys, my laziness is really awful. I <em>have</em> "The Babysitter," in <em>Pricksongs and Descants</em> (which I've obviously not read in its entirety). Bad, bad. So, I'm not positive on when it was first published, as some of those stories appeared before the book, but the book was published in 1969, and <em>Spanking the Maid</em> in 1982. So, not really contemporaneous—I'll have to see how that factors in. Also, one of the things mentioned in the Caldwell essay is that the babysitter fantasy might be largely inaccessible to women, whereas the maid one is accessible to both genders but certainly not to all people. Oh boy guys, my laziness is really awful. I have “The Babysitter,” in Pricksongs and Descants (which I’ve obviously not read in its entirety). Bad, bad. So, I’m not positive on when it was first published, as some of those stories appeared before the book, but the book was published in 1969, and Spanking the Maid in 1982. So, not really contemporaneous—I’ll have to see how that factors in.

Also, one of the things mentioned in the Caldwell essay is that the babysitter fantasy might be largely inaccessible to women, whereas the maid one is accessible to both genders but certainly not to all people.

]]> By: verbivore http://www.bibliographing.com/2009/10/19/walpurgisnacht/comment-page-1/#comment-4270 verbivore Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:18:59 +0000 http://www.bibliographing.com/?p=1975#comment-4270 Reading this made me think of The Babysitter right away, so I'll be curious to hear your thoughts when you get a chance to read it and compare the two. I'll have a look for Spanking the Maid and then look for The Babysitter for a reread...do you know if the two works are contemperaneous (is that a word or I am a bit too tired?) Reading this made me think of The Babysitter right away, so I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts when you get a chance to read it and compare the two. I’ll have a look for Spanking the Maid and then look for The Babysitter for a reread…do you know if the two works are contemperaneous (is that a word or I am a bit too tired?)

]]> By: jesse wiedinmyer http://www.bibliographing.com/2009/10/19/walpurgisnacht/comment-page-1/#comment-4250 jesse wiedinmyer Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:37:14 +0000 http://www.bibliographing.com/?p=1975#comment-4250 I've not read <i>Spanking the Maid</i>, but in structure in sounds very similar to "The Babysitter". It's a story that functions as a sort of literary cubism. Through repetition and variation, Coover explores multiple possible narrative arcs. Rather than being presented with a single, linear plot, one is given the same situation from multiple possible perspectives and outcomes. I'm not sure that I'd call it an enjoyable story, but it's a fascinating piece, especially as it conflates the sexual <i>fantasy</i> with our ability to construct narrative. Our fantasy, is in some sense, a form of storytelling, which in turn, structures our reality. I’ve not read Spanking the Maid, but in structure in sounds very similar to “The Babysitter”. It’s a story that functions as a sort of literary cubism. Through repetition and variation, Coover explores multiple possible narrative arcs. Rather than being presented with a single, linear plot, one is given the same situation from multiple possible perspectives and outcomes. I’m not sure that I’d call it an enjoyable story, but it’s a fascinating piece, especially as it conflates the sexual fantasy with our ability to construct narrative. Our fantasy, is in some sense, a form of storytelling, which in turn, structures our reality.

]]> By: nicole http://www.bibliographing.com/2009/10/19/walpurgisnacht/comment-page-1/#comment-4247 nicole Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:57:58 +0000 http://www.bibliographing.com/?p=1975#comment-4247 Jesse—No, not yet, but it came up in that article I read and I need to get my hands on it. Vacation kind of interrupted things. litlove—Yeah, it's sort of weird and interesting like that. I mean, because of the nature of sex and stuff too. Especially in an "alternative" style like this. Well, you can imagine. Jesse—No, not yet, but it came up in that article I read and I need to get my hands on it. Vacation kind of interrupted things.

litlove—Yeah, it’s sort of weird and interesting like that. I mean, because of the nature of sex and stuff too. Especially in an “alternative” style like this. Well, you can imagine.

]]> By: litlove http://www.bibliographing.com/2009/10/19/walpurgisnacht/comment-page-1/#comment-4141 litlove Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:38:03 +0000 http://www.bibliographing.com/?p=1975#comment-4141 I think this sounds very interesting - I liked Exercises du style and can see that a similar methodology might play out intriguingly in an erotic scenario. I think this sounds very interesting – I liked Exercises du style and can see that a similar methodology might play out intriguingly in an erotic scenario.

]]> By: jesse wiedinmyer http://www.bibliographing.com/2009/10/19/walpurgisnacht/comment-page-1/#comment-4132 jesse wiedinmyer Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:07:50 +0000 http://www.bibliographing.com/?p=1975#comment-4132 Have you read "The Babysitter"? Have you read “The Babysitter”?

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