Monthly Archives: April 2013
I is for… Intertextuality #AtoZChallenge
I is for… Intertextuality (Book)
Image taken by me
On the back cover of Intertextuality by Graham Allen (2000) it is written that:
‘No Text has meaning alone.
All texts have meaning in relation to other texts.’
I’ve mentioned before that I sometimes struggle with analysing writing in relation to only that text alone preferring in some cases to better understand context or being very accepting of multiple analysis. Comparison to previous texts I’ve read also plays its part.
This text is an academic one, a study of intertextuality within the context of literary criticism.
It discusses Bahtkin and Dialogism (again), Roland Barthes and the idea of the Death of the Author, feminism, postmodernism and lots of isms and textualities in general.
I think this book will be of interest to my PhD because of its discussion about relations between books. I also wonder whether the idea of the Death of the Author might be interesting to explore more with reference to what happens post publication. We now have unprecedented access to authors of new books and can ask them their meanings and intent – maybe the author is on the rise from the grave? Does this mean we have to zombie follow them and not accept our own creation of meaning? I know that as a writer some of my writing appears subconscious and I then read meaning back into it.
If you have ever been to a psychic you will probably have heard people say that we cling to aspects that relate to us and ignore the bits where they go totally off track. I wonder if this is how we relate to books too.
Image from: http://cinderellainrubbershoes.tumblr.com/post/23815224624/writing-is-perhaps-the-greatest-of-human
For example I have seen the quote above a lot recently and it really can feel like this is happening sometimes, that someone is writing out the thoughts in your head. But I suspect that often books have as much that we don’t relate to as that which we do – but the relations are more powerful and longer lasting though.
Another book I need to read properly rather than skim so apologies if I have misrepresented any of the theories – my comments are just rambles at the moment.
If you are a writer what other books do you nod to in your work?
When looking back at the meaning of things you have written do your ideas change over time or stay static?
As a reader do you find yourself making links to other books you’ve read, films and TV series you’ve seen and, of course your own life experiences?
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I is for… Incredible Hulk #AtoZChallenge
I is for… Incredible Hulk
Today’s letter was one of those tricky ones that I had to google to find something relevant. Go on – you can all now tell me about all the other Supernatural, Sci-Fi or Fantasy shows that start with I (I had to have seen it for the purposes of this challenge though).
Anyway this was the show that stood out. I do vaguely remember watching some of the original The Incredible Hulk TV series but I can’t remember which episodes just that sometimes Bruce Banner got very angry, turned green, got semi naked with ripped shorts and threw cars around.
Looking up the show on imdb it says it ran from 1978 − 1982 (between the years myself and my sister were born) – I must have been watching re-runs. Because that’s all I can remember I’m going to use today’s post for a little bit of promotion of a good cause because you know what – cancer makes me angry.
Someone else that was born in 1978 is Shiv Meaker a schoolfriend of mine. Shiv – in her own words – ‘had a little tussle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last summer.’ When she lost her hair she started dressing up – including for chemo sessions leading to the nurses placing bets about what she would turn up as. Now free and clear, Shiv is going to be cycling for her charities. She also started taking dressing up requests for donations.
Here is her Incredible Hulk
And the one I requested Sparkly Edward Cullen (she ordered the red contacts especially)
Do check out the tumblr we convinced Shiv to set up to archive these fantastic faces (There’s even grumpy cat! And I’m looking forward to the archived ones I haven’t seen yet)
Or you can follow the Twitter hashtag #TheLadyofManyFaces
If you do feel entertained enough to send a donation then the hulk won’t have any need to get angry.
Cancer Research
MacMillan
Which is your favourite of Shiv’s faces?
What makes you angry?
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H is for… Heroine #AtoZChallenge
H is for… Heroine
I was introduced to the book ‘The Woman in the Story: writing memorable female characters’ by Helen Jacey (Amazon Associates link) recently and was discussing it with a friend when they made a suggestion that has stuck in my mind.
Those writers amongst you will be familiar with the idea of the Hero’s Journey as plotting guidance for writing (here’s a cool interactive website that gives you basic information about it). Helen Jacey starts in the introduction to her book (p.xv) by saying ‘But none of the screenwriting guides have paid much attention to the difference between men’s and women’s lives and to what happens if the hero is a heroine.’
Now, once again I haven’t had chance to read this book but it may be useful to my PhD because of what my friend suggested. I mentioned back in the ‘A’ post that I was planning to use autoethnography as a research methodology and as I’m a woman surely I will be the “Heroine” in my own story so the guidance provided here might help me share that story in an interesting and engaging way.
Thanks Clarissa for the suggestion.
So do you think stories with female protagonists follow a different structure?
kirstyes 