whose book is it?

[Geoff_N]

This is true, and funny in a sort of way...

I had a phone call from a university professor of literature who had been sent a copy of my Escaping Reality. I say professor, but his title is Director of English Literature. How do you 'direct'literature? He complimented me on my book – I think. He went on about the metaphorical allusions I'd planted in the subtexts. Well, of course there are subtexts, but come on, this is a story about an escaped prisoner who is both hiding from the forces of law and seeking justice across two countries. But, no, the Director says it is about the metaphors. Erm, which metaphor – the escape and harrying from society's ills, the problems of the legal system? No, or rather much more. I said it might be better to regard my book as a romping good tale, an adventure with cunning scenes, including the erotic and tension right to the last gripping page. But no, he continued to tell me, the author, what my book was really all about. I didn't get it all. How could I? I only wrote the thing. But I nodded into the telephone until he concluded by asking me to do a guest appearance for his contemporary Lit class! Cool.

Geoff

[JoyceCarter]

Geoff, this rang bells.  You may like to know you're not the only writer this has happened to.  I was working (on the pastoral care side) in the summer on a youth theatre project, which was to bring to performance a version of a children's novel.  (It didn't go very well.  The artistic people all had cvs that looked okay, but the team didn't gel, they didn't co-operate with anybody on practical matters, and they didn't have what it takes to get work out of the youngsters either.)  The writer who wrote the stage version told us how she'd been in touch with the author of the novel all along, and said author was invited to the eventual performance.  Nice woman - poor thing to have to sit through her ideas being murdered.  The last I saw of her, while heading for my car, was being loudly told by the writer of the play what her own book was all about, against her protests.

[JoyceCarter]

Director of English Literature?  Director of the department of English Literature, perhaps.  Or Director of studies.  An organizer of something, or some people, but certainly not literature itself, whatever he may think!

[Geoff_N]

They need their illusions of grandeur, Joyce. 

[Ed]

   Weird.  I can see exactly how it happens, though.  People who are used to reading high end literary (unpopular) fiction, try to pull metaphor and allusion from whatever they read, even if it isn't there.  To you or I, it could be the blurb from the back of a cornflake packet, but to them, it's deeply symbolic and alludes to the true meaning of life and fifteen other things - but not cornflakes.

It might be worthwhile seeing if you can make sense of what he's saying, though, Geoff.  There's a vague possibility that the bits he's on about, you wrote subconciously and didn't pick up on at the time

Good luck with addressing his students

[SharonBell]

I'm anxious to hear what they think the sex scene in the bubble wrap is really all about.... Or the prison? Would that be life? Oooo. Do tell all on your return!

Have fun and congratulations! Be sure to bring copies to sell to the class. The kids will just want the sex and adventure. They're smarter than the prof, I'm sure! 

[JoyceCarter]

She's right, of course.

On Blunt's point, can you IMAGINE trying to write something full of hidden metaphors?  It makes my mind tie knots just thinking about the possibility.  This is probably why I'll never sell any literary fiction.

[Ed]

Well, from what little I know of it, the metaphors (subconsciously written) can be picked up in the first edit and, when realised, they can be strengthened in the editing process.  Can't say it's happened to me yet.

Chances are, if you try to write something full of hidden metaphor, it'll be anything but hidden.  That's my experience, anyway