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May 03, 2006
Tangled up in Blue
Miller, Resurrection Blues (to be published in February) -- Jerz: American Lit II (EL 267)
“I’m sorry but we can’t be twisting the historical record! Great new idea … And furthermore, I will not superimpose American mores on a dignified foreign people. The custom here is to crucify criminals, period! I am not about to condescend to these people with a foreign colonialist mentality!” (44).
I originally blogged this passage, but this must have been about the time the web site went haywire, and it never posted.
Judging from our class discussion, we all enjoyed the banter between the characters and passages like the one above make me think this would be a great play to see. I’ll bet it is hilarious and one can only imagine the body language and gestures of the characters when they’re not speaking. This would be even funnier when the characters are together and the lines are coming rapid fire.
I suppose most people don’t like Felix, but I thought he his crazy narcissism was funny and made him Henri’s opposite.
Posted by MattHampton at May 3, 2006 12:23 AM
Comments
Henri is also self-absorbed, but he sort of internalizes it. Consider his complaints about having to move his grand piano into the garage and sit in his luxury car to hear his wife play for him. Of course, his love for his daughter is sincere, and he is at least troubled by a conscience.
Arthur Miller himself became a rich man on due to his success attacking hypocrisy and the cruel machinations of the business world. (Yes, yes, I know I warn against the intentional fallacy, but it's only a fallacy if there's nothing else to support your claims.)
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at May 3, 2006 09:47 AM
I agree you with this play was definately funny and i would not mind going to see it either. Felix was some kind of character only seeming to care about himself from my point of view. I think when Dr. Jerz said something about acting out a scence tomorrow i think that would be fun and funny at the same time.
Posted by: Melissa Lupari at May 3, 2006 10:06 AM
I also enjoyed Felix and his interactions with Henri. I loved how Miller put so much information into their conversation and I think it would be great to see it performed.
Posted by: Jennifer DiFulvio at May 3, 2006 10:40 AM
As I said in my blog, I was really looking forward to a comedic satire in a play, because we really haven't read on this year. I loved how in our discussion, Terra said that Felix and Henri reminded her of her parents and her parents friends. Those two characters do chat like ladies (No Offense), and that sort of humor makes me enjoy literature more than anything else. I really love the comedy behind this play already, and I am looking forward to finishing this play.
Posted by: Jason Pugh at May 3, 2006 09:50 PM
I've noticed some connection between Hulga and Felix, related to the narcissism you described.
They're also both childish in their actions, to a certain degree. Unfortunately, a play format doesn't grant the audience the chance to get inside a character's head like a short story does, so it's hard to make any very strong connection between their internal thoughts or attitudes.
Posted by: ChrisU at May 3, 2006 10:03 PM