Opener
Take a few minutes to brainstorm about your term project. Remember, this needs to be pretty tightly connected to the materials we're reading this semester, and it should amount to the equivalent of the standard term paper--even if it is a hyperdocument. No doubt the details of the project will change as you get into it, but it's now time to begin the journey.

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Lauren Moore:
I haven't thought about this at all yet. I think something concerning post-modernism with or without gender relations centered around a text not yet read in the class; however, I might center on Borges' writing and ideas, and there stick with post-modernism only. It's difficult to say now because I have to like the writing of the author to go so far in depth with him/her and so far Borges is the only one, though Pavic may be in the running.

Amanda Kathleen Pedersen:
I've realized (as a result of my postings on PMSFFM), that I don't know much about the feminist way of thinking. This looks like a good time to educate myself. I'm interested in Jeanine's role in Female Man, still. I would like to take the time to research some feminist trends and ideals, and apply them to The Female Man (primarily - I would hope, to Jeanine. Or perhaps, to the reaction between Jeanine and one or more of the other main female characters in the story.) Perhaps I can look into more writings of J. Russ, and try to dig deeper into Jeanine's character, based on other Russ writings.

Jorge L. Borges:
Lauren: What sorts of questions are you likely to pursue in this project....

Jenn Lindberg:
As I sit and ponder, I find myself drawn back time and again to _Female Man_. As thoughts press through my mind, I do find myself drawn to the sexual relations within the text. What are they saying? How does this text draw a balance between Janet's natural lesbian versus Jaels more...aggressively dominate sexuality. The issue of sexuality draws me to _Tales of Neveryon_. Perhaps an idea might be to explore the sexual awareness / issues of sexuality in both texts, comparing their similiarities, and exploring their differences. I'm interested to explore possible reactions to Delany's creation myth from Raven.

Jenn Lindberg:
Amanda : Check out the Jeanna Russ Homepage. It is linked to our class...from there there is a link to a listing of all her works, as well as other similiar works. It's pretty cool.=-)


Jorge L. Borges:
Amanda: good! See if you can scare up copies of Russ's other tales, esp. the Adventures of Alyx and/or some of R's children's fantasies; R has also done a lot of critical writing beyond that in HTSWW. . .

David Baird:
Why do we read fiction, or better yet, why do we write it?
Maybe the squiggles, metaphors for real psychic structures, that other people craft into artistic narratives, or maybe the squiggles resultant of our own life's narratives, maybe all these words we use and think about are really good for more than "real" discussions between people or "realistic" characterization in fiction - maybe manipulating ideas (or playing with yourself on paper), or being manipulated by your favorite author, actually helps you know yourself, and see the world in truer perspective, not because we "consciously" know what's going on any more than we did before reading or writing that particular sequence of squiggles but because the mere process of experiencing or reacting text is enough to let you "leave it behind" and move on to more sophisticated, funny, applicable realtime excursions.

Joyce Smaragdis:
I defintely plan to do a hypertext (is "do" the right verb?) Anyway, of all the authors we have read thus far, I think that I am most interested in the works of Borges. I am somewhat intrigued by the fact that his style seems to have inaugurated what I consider to be postmodern fiction. I know that scholars have argued that Chaucer and others have certain post-modern strands in their writing, but Borges seems distinctly post-modern; yet, he was writing at the height of Modernism, and I find it very interesting that he broke out of the traditional mode of time. He seems to have been a visionary. Maybe this is something that I could prove in my term project. Maybe this is really obvious.

Jorge L. Borges:
Kewl, David, but which/where/when, eh?

Marc C. Hutcheson:
For now, I am intrigued by the question of the class system in Delany's writings. His stories seem to have elements of "rags to riches" and "riches to rags". Of course it will be more analytical than that. What made me focus my attention on this subject was the intertwining of the two tales of Gorgik and Small Sarg. Both seem to be the opposite of each other. For example, Gorgik, a relatively poor boy, becomes enslaved and eventually makes a name for himself. Small Sarg is a barbarian Prince, although not necessarily rich, he nevertheless has some elements of a type of nobility. Ironically, he is enslaved and bought by the very man who was once a slave himself. This brings me to the conclusion that neither slavery nor fate holds any bias towards any class or gender.
Of course the two tales also questiohn gender roles. Gorgik was once a plaything for the Vizerine Myrgot (a female). Now he has chosen his own little toy who happens to be a male. Was he unfulfilled by his first sexual relation? Is this a statement saying that it would benefir us all to become homosexual because the only person who could truly satisfy us is a person of our own gender?

Ash Downs:
Well, I've been interested in the process of sharing a narrative, and the infinite transformative process that a narrative, or shared experience, becomes. The conception of assigning things (people, places, books,) singular identities links to several of our readings. Borges writings raise a lot of questions concerning our assumptions about things being one-dimensional, (narratives are examples themselves). The Female Man and Shocwave Rider also deal with the problem of assigning things a singular identity.

Jenn Lindberg:
David : What a topic! I think you may find it will vary from person to person. Can you narrow it? How do you propose to write an analytical paper about this?

Ash Downs:
For those interested in gender and sex issues, try reading The Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady, by King.

Jorge L. Borges:
Ash: 'kay, but how are you going to develop this nice wooly question in relation to these texts?

Jenn Lindberg:
Ash : Does King have a first name?


Lauren Moore:
Amanda: if you're going to continue with this idea, you should probably look into Kathy Acker for post-modernism and feminism; she's extremely well-educated and individual in thought rather than hooking onto a movement; in addition, it'd give you further points of view on a small spectrum on the same issues. She's real interesting. (I have only one book of hers but you can borrow) In addition, Lynne Tillman's Haunted Houses for a character and versions of characters much like Jeanine. REAL good writer.

Ash Downs:
There's too many interesting questions to follow which are inherently interlinked. I find it hard to focus on one subject without being engaged with other subjects.

Amanda Kathleen Pedersen:
I'm glad we were asked for that thing which we "REALLY" want to know. I really want to know why Russ sculpted Jeanine's character the way she did. Can I speculate on that, based on Russ's other writings or on other feminist writings, or am I too closely appraoching EE?

Joyce Smaragdis:
Amanda,
I have a WHOLE bunch of articles on and about feminism. I also have a lot of stuff about Russ' brand of feminism (I would call her a radical cultural feminist--I wonder if she would eschew this label). Anyway, I would be more than happy to share some of my stuff with you.

Lauren Moore:
I havent decided on Borges. So since I havent decided on a text(s) yet, I can't say what questions I will pursue: if I define my question before the text then I'm really only reading the text for a sort of predestination (of the text) and this really wouldn't be reading closely the text again, yes?

Jorge L. Borges:
Marc: how do you see sexuality and class interacting in Delany?

Jorge L. Borges:
Lauren: hmmm, kinda. You'll certainly reform, recreate, respecify all sorts of questions once you situate the project on a text/writer; but at this stage in your thinking, you can indicate some of the preliminary questions you're interested in--no?

David Baird:
More specifically, since we are all unique, each person's "reading" of text will be as different as their "writing" of a text. I'm pretty behind in the reading, so I can't give you examples from this course, but it seems that the study of fictional characterization, or the experience of humanity on planet earth, is not merely applicable to any text or person in question but to all of us as a whole.
There are no characters, only character, so our analysis of a situation is most connected to our own theoretical underpinnings.
I hope to eventually share my theories with you in connection with texts you have read, for it is the writer's lonely task to mess with the perceptions of the reader.

Joyce Smaragdis:
Jenn,
Your topic sounds very interesting. I don't know that you could go wrong talking about sex, especially the sex which takes places in FM and TON. My question to you would be: what do you mean about sexual awareness? Will you concentrate on gender relations, constructions of gender, intercourse???

Jorge L. Borges:
Amanda: speculate away...some of that might even fit into the project!

Ash Downs:
Jenn, yes, but I can't remember it. I'll bring the book in for anyone interested. Actually, I'd like to compare the anti-traditional gender takes in The Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady, to similar themebies in The Female Man. Both books address supposedly traditional gender roles and characteristics, yet King's book is more specific in its critique of the mythical "Southern Woman". Perhaps by not being a self-consciously postmodern text, King's book would provide an example of post-modern ideas running through even traditionally structured texts.

Jason Michael Tice:
In the Tales of Nevèrÿon, the incidences of borrowing from other science-fiction series and authors , as well as the parallels of Earthly myths, constantly had me re-reading sections upon their completion. One prominant example is the creation story as related by the western woman, Raven in the section, the "Tale of Potters and Dragons". Though her story is close to the traditional Christian one, Delany has altered it to suit his own purpose and strengthen his creation of a fictional place. It seems as if most authors of the pmsf vein tend to (now there's an ambiguous statement! :) begin with a slightly familiar base and branch out into their desired land. I noticed several references to the onset of money and its implications on the fictional trade market. Though it is set in Nevèrÿon, this delima's details stem from the impact of money on the authors own world . In essence, any fictional work, no matter how bizzare, is closely, if not subconsciously, related to the author's historical view. I would argue that in Delany's case this is more true than most cases.

Jorge L. Borges:
Jason: you might want to look at Casey Fredericks, The Future of Eternity, for a rich discussion of SF and mythology...

Jorge L. Borges:
But also, Jason, since you probably cannot recover "the author's historical view", how relevant is that line to your project?

David Baird:
In terms of sex, a natural need of electrochemical organisms, we might ask how our own individual personalities have been shaped by family, school, or culture. The texts we read now may still have an impact on our consciousness, although it seems that early childhood influences are strongest.
Even if someone could explicate a natural and loving way of life, would this "knowledge" of how some people live their lives be a true revelation - that is, can we really get well by trying?

Ash Downs:
Joyce, it's funny you mention Chaucer, because I'm taking the Canterbury Tales, and I can't help but make several connections between much of Chaucer's texts and post-modernist ideas. The Scholars may be on to something?

Marc C. Hutcheson:
Jorge,
Right now, it seems that those who are initiated into the lower class (i.e. slavery) are those who become victims(?) of sexual advances. I know it goes deeper than this but for right now my oxygen tank doesn't hold enough air to get below the water to see the rest of the iceberg. Further speculation will advance my technology.

Joyce Smaragdis:
Marc,
As I read your positing, it occured to me that Delany might be critiquing the notion of the great American dream, in which with hard work and dedication, one can raise him/herself from poverty. Delany seems to suggest that fate (rather than free will) defines (at least partially) one's life. I don't know if I am making much sense, I think that the connection between Delany and capitalism would be an interesting one to explore.

Lauren Moore:
si, however, too many prelims to even name. I and my interests/questions are very scattered and without solid memory storage


Amanda Kathleen Pedersen:
Marc: When I read "The Tale of Small Sarg," I too thought that there were parallels between the two males. I wondered why Gorgik chose a young boy as his sexual partner, instead of the woman. It led me to think of the element of "power" in sexual relations. And then, I thought (probably a bit too quickly) maybe Gorgik chose a young boy because he's had sex with men more often than he has with women - maybe he likes it better. I felt that there was more compassion (relation) in the sexual relations with Gorgik and Sarg than there was with Gorgik and (I can't remember her name!) Just some thoughts. Sounds like a really interesting topic.