Friday, December 19, 2008

New Podcast: Narrative, Part II

The below attached is Part Two of the three-part podcast we started streaming last Friday. In this project, I am using fiction as a way of making sense of and decoding theory. The text of fiction you are about to hear is heavily laced with gender theory references. The gender ambiguity of the characters was informed by Dante's "Canto V" of the Inferno (Divine Comedy) and its two most important characters: Paolo and Francesca.

I wrote this piece of fiction which I originally entitled "The Third" when under the strong influence of Dante's "Inferno V." Through this piece I intend to interpret some aspects of Gender and Literary Theory. The second piece is about 10 minutes long. As always, feedback and reactions are welcome.

You can listen to it here.

Also, this new podcast will be available on iTunes circa 5:00 PM today. And, as intimated earlier, a new podcast will be available in iTunes every Friday evening.




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19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really getting into this. Maybe some theorists need to resort to fiction more often in an effort to make a point.

Anonymous said...

'Seeing myself as a character in the book of life.'
'going on an Italian journey'....
I liked those two.

Anonymous said...

'I don't like it when she prettifies me with her language.'
Another winner.

Anonymous said...

How did the fiction develop itself?
Obviously you'll roll your eyes at insipid questions like, 'Was this based on you?'
I know enough to know it's not the case, but would like to know how you actually developed the story while being so aware of Dante at the same time.
thks.
-Not a non-thinking person :)

Anonymous said...

"It meant that I had meant the world to the one person who had meant the world to me."
I like this and it does evoke Dante.

Especially the Dante of Inferno 5.

Anonymous said...

This piece has a lot of GOOD one-liners.
John, grab me a pen, will ya!
:)

Anonymous said...

I wanted to listen to the first part before to refresh my memory.
The phrase 'Italian journey' has always been of interest to me.
Did the Romantics and Goethe and co before that mean a personal exploration on Italian grounds or is this actually a 'gendered' reference?

Anonymous said...

Thomas Mann's "Tonio Kroeger" has the same reference but in that text the gender reference meant something much more specific as it pertains to the main character's identity, right?

Anonymous said...

This is really cool to hear in the car, actually. It's dense but easier to 'get' than the first two.
I like how a familial setting was used to make a literary point. Fiction can help us understand theory more than what happens vice versa.

Anonymous said...

This is the kind of podcast to hear on a day like this where the is not much else to do.

Wait, there's a compliment here coming up. This kind of stuff needs time and attention and since there are no distractions I feel I can 'get' it better.

Why did you use Inferno V as a basis? I would have thought Inferno XV would have been where the instinct could have taken you here..., no?

Anonymous said...

By the way, this would make a SUPER screenplay.
Any ideas to develop it that way in the near future?

Sra said...

I like the bit about Hermes' having been published and translated over and over like a book. Interesting concept.

The pacing felt a little rushed in this one, but maybe that's just because I've been listening to David Sedaris, who languors over his speech.

Looking forward to part 3.

Anonymous said...

The literary references are off-the-charts!!!
Gratias tibi ago. :)

Anonymous said...

These podcasts are the not the kind to listen to once and then pretend to 'get' it. I know I'm not the stupidest person out there but I've had to listen to them more than once. Education takes time, ja? :)
I liked Part Two. Yes, it reads faster but for some reason I found the pace quite apropos.
What got me was the mother/son/daughter dynamic. We don't know yet if the "I" is a son or daughter and that adds to the overall suspense, I find.

Anonymous said...

And I think Francesca adds the right levity to the gravitas of the "I" character.

Anonymous said...

Just uploaded it.
Thx.
I like how I can 'see' the literary references you mention and allude to.

Anonymous said...

I like the use of pop culture references and how they go with the lit. references.

Anonymous said...

It;s in the iPod. With me at the gym now. :) Existentialism makes me want to work out more. Go figure! :)

Anonymous said...

And thanks for the phrase: 'the non-literati are people too!'
It makes me laugh every time. Language is better therapy than therapy, B.R.
Liked it!!