"Traditional poets may be self-effacing, but their art is very important. That art is sometimes called the "collective memory" of the tribe, but it is really more like the tribe's collective imagination. (Keesey 268).
Intertextuality is very interesting to me and it makes sense. We are told constantly that nothing new exists and all a writer is doing is taking the old and trying to make it new. I picked this quote for the simple reason that I liked how Keesey attributes the poet, and pretty much any artist in my opinion, to belonging to a tribe. I also liked how he differentiates the words "collective memory" and "collective imagination." Poets do not have the same memories that would be a silly concept, but there is a re-creation of imagination that takes place throughout the ages. This is fascinating to me. I thought that Keesey captured this artistic collectiveness rather well.
Comments (4)
Mara - I also think that intertextuality is similar to a tribe because we, readers, are relating literature to other texts whereas tribes relate their actions and culture to other tribes.
I also think that intertextuality can be thought of as "art." One reason is because it can be different for each reader just as looking at a piece of artwork can be different for every viewer.
There are many ways that we can look at a text and come to a completly different meaning, but it is our meaning that makes it so different from everyone else.
Good Blog!
Posted by Derek Tickle | March 17, 2009 7:16 PM
Posted on March 17, 2009 19:16
I was just thinking of literature as a tribe. The tribe members would be the literature. There is a lot of them and they are all very diverse. I would compare criticism to a shaman. It is the go between between the worlds of literature and all other forms (philosophy, psychology, literature, etc.) Who would the chief represent?
Posted by Angela Palumbo | March 18, 2009 10:06 PM
Posted on March 18, 2009 22:06
I like how you say "re-creation of the imagination" because that is often what we do as writers. Writers are seeking to create a new work, but infinite topics have already been covered. I also agree that so far intertextuality makes the most sense.
Posted by Michelle Tantlinger | March 19, 2009 12:10 PM
Posted on March 19, 2009 12:10
Mara I like your title as well by making a reference to a tribe. Sometimes it bothers me to know that what is written now is never really new and can't stand on its own without having some influence from former literature. However, I realize how impossible it would be for us to have some of the great works we have today if we couldn't rely on older literature.
Posted by Katie Vann | March 19, 2009 4:14 PM
Posted on March 19, 2009 16:14