Watery Hell

I'm cat sitting for my old boss in Harrogate and he has so many books. He's the manager at Oxfam books and a Penguin Classics nerd. SO MANY BOOKS. I knew I could count on his collection to have some of the authors I'm looking for!

So no Leonora this time, but one more Kafka book (ready to give him yet another chance, look at this gorgeous book cover too), and a collection of Poe stories.

Everything, everywhere is leading me to Poe.

Moody weather. Crows, ravens and magpies everywhere I go. I just feel an affinity of some sort towards him, the grumpy goth, I feel like I need to mother him. He's crying in his writing and I'm there as the reader to soothe him and stroke his goth mophead.

Deep words from the old chap:

(MS. FOUND IN A BOTTLE)

'The sun arose with a sickly yellow lustre'  

'At times we gasped for breath at an elevation beyond the albatross - at times became dizzy with the velocity of our descent into some kind of watery hell, where the air grew stagnant, and no sounds disturbed the slumber of the kraken.'

'Inspector of Cemeteries'

(THE TELL-TALE HEART)

'The disease had sharpened my senses - not destroyed - not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad?'

'It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night.'

'A new anxiety seized me'

'It is the beating of his hideous heart!'

(THE BLACK CAT)

He killed the goddam cat and it's horrible. Nope.

'Its evident fondness for myself rather disgusted and annoyed me'

THEMES:

Madness/Insanity

Death

The Afterlife/Underworld

Women

Love and Heartbreak

Animals (Raven, Gold Bug, Kraken, The Black Cat)

Planets (Jupiter, Pluto)

Superstition

Mystery and Murders

Leonora Carrington

Yippeee! I requested this from my local library and they got it in for me. It's a novel about Leonora's life. An almost-biography, but in the form of a fictional novel. The facts are there, but there's also a narrative, there's filled in blanks and the full picture is painted for the reader.

Leonora - a bit of a brat! Spoilt, horse person

Crookhey Hall - spooky, empty, old

Miss Penrose 

Elizabeth Apple - interesting character

Picking at Poe

Bedtime watching - I decided it's time to learn about Poe.

Out of the three authors I've been investigating so far, Poe's life is probably the most well-documented. He's a household name and there's a lot of information out there about him.

He's also been the easiest of the three authors' work to access in libraries. My local library only has one book about Leonora Carrington (and it's already on loan), and one book about Kafka (which I'm currently borrowing), whilst I don't even need to search for Poe to know that under the 'P' section in adult literature, there will be several volumes of his fiction.

I've heard that his biography was written by one of his literary competitors, so the content is biased, selling an inaccurate depiction of Edgar Allan Poe.

So I'm trying to find more reliable sources. I guess the only way is to hear them all and then make my own mind up. Get a completely well-rounded perspective.

I'm starting with this documentary from the BBC.

Personality

Context

Women

Death

Audience

This documentary claims that Poe tried to 'control his readers' - an example of his psychological 

power

Channelling Kafka

APOLOGIES: I AM IN A HORRIBLY HARSH CRITIC MOOD TODAY AND I DO NOT WISH TO CAUSE OFFENCE. I might say nasty things and I'm sorry.

I found a collection of Kakfa stories in my local library. I've tried not to read too much about his life to begin with because I want to hear his work first, before judging his lifestyle or personality. I don't want that to get in the way of my interpretation (e.g. if we have conflicting political interests, I might be tempted to dismiss his work since I might not agree with it).

I'm interested in how his writing speaks to me and what kind of impression I get of Kafka before learning about his actual life.

I had high hopes for Kafka but we're not 'clicking'.

SHORT Stories

There's so many short stories in this book, but a lot of them just felt so unfinished. I know that they're short stories and don't really need to have a full narrative to them but they just didn't seem actualised. They're half-baked! I feel the author hasn't committed himself to the story.

I mean, it's incredible to be such a brilliant writer and I am not doubting his talent but I just don't feel a connection with any of them yet. They all feel so confused and I wonder whether Kafka's mental state was struggling at this time; I get the impression that Kafka himself is confused and these stories are outlets for his qualms.

I keep thinking OH, IT'S JUST THIS ONE STORY, THE NEXT ONE WILL BE MY CUP OF TEA. But they're quite same-y. The characters are repetitive and the tone of voice keeps going back to Kafka's anxious and persistent worrying.

My Response

KAKFA, you're great, but I'm just not feeling it. I can't put my finger on what exactly it is, but I was drawn to his name, his legacy and now I feel repelled by his writing. Not that it's awful, because it's good, but it's just his mindset, his thought process. It's slow and disturbing.

It's like watching 'The Office' or 'Peep Show'. Lots of people love these comedies and I can appreciate their greatness, but I just can't watch them. They make me feel really uncomfortable and awkward. It's like listening to my own worries all day but on TV - who wants that? 

As the viewer/reader, you know that something bad is going to happen. And you have to listen along to this character walking into it.

Favourite Stories

Probably one of his most famous stories is Metamorphosis, and I loved the first line '

but the rest of the story just dragged on. I really like the concept but the story didn't go anywhere. It was almost funny and almost shocking, but not quite either. Stuck in almost-limbo.

THE BURROW is my favourite story from this collection. This story describes the speaker 

resonates with me 'lover of peace', striving for 'perfection' and being a hermit.

Does this reflect Kafka's life at the time?

Favourite Lines:

'My anxiety will not let me.' - The Burrow, Kafka.

'If you find nothing in the corridors open the doors, if you find nothing behind these doors there are more floors, and if you find nothing up there, don't worry, just leap up another flight of stairs.

As long as you don't stop climbing the stairs won't end, under your climbing feet they will go on growing upwards.' - ADVOCATES, Kafka.

“The tremendous world I have inside my head. But how [to] free myself and free it without being torn to pieces. And a thousand times [I'd] rather be torn to pieces than rather it in me or bury it. That, indeed, is why I am here, that is quite clear to me.”

Tone of Voice:

Aloof? Just not connecting with him

not sure about him. mysterious. don't trust him?

egocentric

first person 'I'

Recurring Themes:

Uncertainty and anxiety are constant movements in his work

moonlight and night time

Resonating with me:

Kafka was obviously struggling

Visually Interesting:

Insect

Ripping/tearing

'The tremendous world I have in my head. But how to free myself and free them without ripping apart. And a thousand times rather tear in me they hold back or buried. For this I'm here, that's quite clear to me.'

We're quite different people and I don't know whether we would get along. I don't think I could commit to doing this project about Kafka because I don't think we could work together.

For Leonora

FEEDBACK AT 30 PAGES IN:

Leonora is bonkers. I love her.

So well written, so fantastical.

Informal tone of voice - friendly and close tenor with the reader.

genuine

OLD PEOPLE <3

Cat fur cardigan

POE

*I apologise if my writing is in a strange rhythm, I've been listening to and reading too much Poe.*

The Raven

One of Poe's most famous works is 'The Raven'.

One obvious connection I have with this poem is my name. I'm a Jay. I'm a member of the crow family, a sister to the great Raven. My sweet sister. We're related.

I've always been interested in birds, especially crows - Jays, Magpies, Ravens and Rooks. Above is my old OBSERVER'S BOOK OF BIRDS that was passed down from my Grandad. I've highlighted this page about the Raven for future reference. Perhaps it's too obvious a symbol for Poe and I'm sure that his life equates to much more than this poem, but the 

The book documents the bird's 'HAUNT', referring to its habitat, 

“Other friends have flown before — On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.” Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.”

Okay so I couldn't avoid making this reference but I really hate the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Episode about The Raven, I've seen it so many times (my brother watches Treehouse of Horrors on repeat) and I always thought it was boring. No, it's not the POEM that's boring, it's only that translation of it. I gave it a second chance and here I am doting on Poe.

Lots of readings of Poe's work make me cringe. Theyre just not right. They don't sound the way they should.
The only reading I've heard so far and actually enjoyed was by Jeff Buckley (ALL HAIL KING BUCKLEY). His dreamy, distant voice, to me, is what Poe's writing sounds like. It's other-worldly, gothic and sincere. It's dark, emotive and mysterious. Buckley's voice is almost a whisper, so soft and fluid.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LEVEL 4 - LEVEL 5
I preferred the longer briefs and tutors said that they could see I was enjoying the process of investigating and using the time to really explore all avenues. Persons of Note was one of these longer briefs which allowed me to research and get under the skin of Jim Henson. I worshipped, I read and I made work that I was invested in, in response.

'About the Author' is the perfect follow-up to persons of note. I'm taking the process of research/INVESTIGATION to these authors and I'm looking forward to devoting myself to this project over Summer.

List of Authors

I LOVE READING AND DISCOVERING NEW BOOKS.
I am an avid reader and was shocked at how many of the authors weren't familiar to me...

I felt a little ashamed! HOW HAVE I NEVER READ ANYTHING BY THESE PEOPLE? But also excited by the prospect of getting to know these writers and jumping into something completely new to me!
In Persons of Note, I studied someone I already knew a lot about. I enjoyed that project but I didn't make many discoveries - which I think showed in my final outcome. I don't think it was as exciting or innovative as it could have been, since I was working with material I already knew about. My outcome felt a little stunted, restricted. I'm hoping that by opening myself up to the GREAT UNKNOWN, I will find myself learning new things and making new things too.

Initial Resarch

Initially just picking names and googling them...

I know, not a great way to research but did help me to eliminate and highlight interest quickly on a skim search. I held onto the authors who appealed to me, on gut instinct, from the material brought up on a Google search, e.g. searching the name 'Leonora Carrington' brought up Surreal paintings, photos of her with cats and information about her institutionalisation in a psychiatric hospital - facts that intrigued or personally resounded with me.

About Leonora
She reminds me of Tove Jansson (my true love whom I expected to be on the list!)

A cat lover
Insane/Sane

About Edgar Allan Poe

Gothic themes
Atmosphere
Mystery

About Franz Kafka

I'd not heard of Kafka before but Bronte said that he is brilliant and very weird. His writings are known for their absurd, dark and creepy topics.