Carole Maso Reading

“It's greater than we are, than we'll ever be. That's why I love it. Kneeling at the altar of the impossible. The self put back in its proper place.

The miracle of language. The challenge and magic of language.”

This quote struck me among the cacophony of Carole Maso’s thoughts. It hits at the reason I love literature as well as the reason I feel compelled to teach. Language is always greater than we because as soon as it reaches people, no matter what its original intentions, it will be perceived in infinite and unimaginable ways. Every person who reads something will interpret it based on her unique life experiences and values. So every time literature emerges in the world, it immediately transcends the individual and becomes a symphony of collective thoughts, feelings, and unique inspirations for readers as a whole. We are at the mercy of our peers when we dive into the written word, and I don’t believe my peers, the rest of the reading world, will ever disappoint. They take us to incredible places hidden within the imagination—“the altar of the impossible”—places that demonstrate again and again the mind’s humbling limitlessness. I agree that this phenomenon is a miracle, but to appreciate it, I really do need to pull myself back in place and appreciate the fact that the same lines I read are read by so many others who take so much more from it that I. I especially need to keep this in mind when I teach, so as to keep my mind open and learn from the perspectives of my students. Teachers are never so awful as when they oppose their views onto everyone else, and this quote reminds me never to do so.

cass ford & carole maso

Carole Maso's "Essay" was long, disjointed and utterly confusing. I recognized her disjointed train of thought instantly as probably something relating to bipolar disorder, especially with her mention of mania and depression. There is little, but some, evidence that this is probably the case after a quick Google search.

While I found her essay cacophonous, there were several interesting ideas that she landed on but (usually) never went back to expound more. Especially relevant for this class is her fixation on the idea of hypertext. Her prediction of what the future (and hypertext) will bring is probably more ambitious than what it will actually become, but this quote resonated with me: "Electronic writing will give us a deeper understanding of the instability of texts, of worlds." This is striking on two levels: first, text is unstable because of the multitudinous ways in which it can be interpreted, again and again, century after century. Second, hypertext itself is especially vulnerable, because once it is gone there is no physical evidence of its existence. What if a geomagnetic storm stopped all technology as we know it? What if our hypertext just dissolved into hyperspace? Will later people look at our culture and see a sudden slowing or stoppage in creative output, when in reality we have the most useful tool to facilitate creative output in history? … Does it matter?

Carole Maso Essay: My response

"Couldn't we, maybe just possibly, coexist?....Why does my existence threaten yours?"

I ask this question probably everyday in my head. Not necessarily because I feel like I'm being degraded all the time, but from things I see or hear going on everyday. People making fun of, or attacking each other for their looks, weight, sexuality, race, religion, height, personal style- the list goes on and on. I find the whole thing disgusting. It's like the human race finds more and more ways to be as shallow as possible everyday. Why can't people just stop butting their noses into other peoples' lives and worry about their own? Why are they always trying to make one and another look bad, or tell each other they're wrong because they don't agree on the same things? As I said before, I ask myself these questions quite frequently, so upon reading this quote, it definitely hit home, and I knew I wanted to respond to it.

Carole Maso Reading Response

“What deal must I strike in order to be published by you? What pose, bargain, stance, is it I must strike with you now?”

So Faustian. Sometimes I think writers become too caught up in their search for celebrity that they forget they had a message to spread in the first place. Sometimes I peruse the shelves in a book store and wonder if the authors really wanted to write those books. Was it their dream, their purpose, to write another book about something trivial because they thought they could present it in a new light, or did they succumb to the promise of a semi-steady income and the chance for fame and write what they thought we’d want to read? Writing isn’t something you do for other people; writing is something you do for yourself, something that serves as an extension of your thoughts, your beliefs, your unspoken imaginings. If writers of the future could step back, take a deep breath, and remind themselves of this simple fact, writing would become what it’s meant to be – an outlet, an escape, a dream-driven exploration of things no one can lay claim to.

English 226 / Jenna Presar

English 226, a gallery by presarjr92 on Flickr.

Carole Maso Response by Brock Bowers

"You rely on me to be dependent on you for favors, publication, $$$$$$$$, canonization."

I read this quote and instantly thought about my responsibilities in life. It reminded me of my responsibility to do well in school, to maintain

my job, and to act appropriately. I feel as if the writer is somewhat annoyed by life's responsibilities and wants to be independent of them.

I believe that while everybody should be unique and that differences make people interesting, responsibilities can teach people important values.

Responsibility teaches us values such as patience and work ethic. These skills are essential to be successful in our current world.

I appreciate that the writer is telling us to also be aware that people need to be satisfied with themselves and not prioritize making other people happy.

Like many things in life, striking a delicate balance, in this case between non-conforming and fulfilling your responsibilities, will provide you with the most happiness.

Forever Yours / Kathry'n Paek

Forever Yours, a gallery by Kathry'n on Flickr.