/lit/ - Literature

>>21812181
>>21806577
"I am at the heart of the abyss. I feel my skin again as a frontier, and the external world as a crushing weight. The impression of separation is total; from now on I am imprisoned within myself. It will not take place, the sublime fusion; the goal of life is missed. It is two in the afternoon." -- Houellebecq, Eng. translation of Whatever

The bereavement poem "Do Not Stand By My Grave and Weep", by an otherwise unknown poet who was named I believe Clare Harner. The first poem that ever made me cry.

Rick Vigorous' 1 or 2 page monologue on the Amherst College campus in DFW's Broom of the System.

Speaking of DFW: many passages in Infinite Jest (Erdedy and the bug, Gompert's psychotic depression, Madame Psychosis' broadcast and the MIT engineer's night walk on the roof, Pemulis' explanation of marijuana addiction to Hal, Gately's (many many pages) internal thoughts at the hospital in the presence of the ghost), Mr. Squishy's neurotic main character, the passage by the religious guy having a meeting with his girlfriend over the possibility of an abortion in The Pale King (the only thing i've read from TPK, after an anon here on /lit/ called it 'the finest thing that DFW ever wrote'), DFW's speech "Laughing with Kafka". Sorry for all of these, I guess I'm a fanboy.

The passage in Pynchon's Lot 49 about Oedipa comforting the homeless guy suffering delirium tremens, the absolutely awe-inspiring connection to infinitesimal calculus (dTs of dt's of spectra). In his V., the proclaimed 'frat boy for life' at the sex-laden party being seen right through by a woman at first sight.

The ending paragraph of DeLillo's White Noise.

Sorry for the meme authors--call me a poser if you will. How about film?

Most of Scorcese's stuff. Taxi Driver, the dreamlike loneliness. Raging Bull, the rich depth of the story, the profound regret.

Marlon Brando in On The Waterfront. ("I could have been a contender, Charlie!")

James Dean in East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause.

Tarkovsky's Mirror. I watched this one stoned out of my gourd, so maybe not as brilliant as a remember.

Citizen Kane.

Not a big film guy, but I do watch the artsy pretentious stuff as is maybe obvious. They still scratch the 'great truth' itch.

How about music?

The Man Who Sold The World has perfect lyricism, symbolism that is dense without being indecipherable or confusing--and Nirvana's Unplugged cover endows it with Cobain's unique (if showy) suffered affect.

Speaking of Nirvana--go listen to the demo version of Something In The Way. An extra verse not on the album version that has some powerful lyrics, if only because Cobain misses a couple lines because he can't hold back tears during the recording.

Endroll by Mass of the Fermenting Dregs is the only non-lyrical song that has ever touched me deep down. The vocalization in the second half is absolutely sublime, and even though its long its worth sitting through the instrumental first half for the build up.
(6/8)