Comments on: Should Modern Novels Be More Like The Wire? http://therumpus.net/2009/04/should-modern-novels-be-more-like-the-wire/ Books, Music, Movies, Art, Politics, Sex, Other Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:44:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Adam http://therumpus.net/2009/04/should-modern-novels-be-more-like-the-wire/comment-page-1/#comment-2622 Adam Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:47:56 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=15260#comment-2622 I tend to agree with Michaels that too many modern novelists use historicism as a way to narrowly look inward and/or participate in collective self-congratulations. Yet, his essay seems to leave no room for the novel that revisits history (and personal identity) while also shedding light on the tragedy of modern social orders. Would 2666's (granted, not an American novel) portrayal of class-specific Mexican murders be as effective without the book's Holocaust scenes? That is to say, if history reveals things about the human condition that help us to process the workings of current hierarchies, shouldn't it be embraced? I wrote about 2666 and The Wire on this site: http://therumpus.net/2009/03/american-apocalypse-the-wire-and-2666/ I think that if American novelists can infuse their work with history in order to more fully address the modern market and the social problems it creates, Michaels' revolution becomes unnecessary. I tend to agree with Michaels that too many modern novelists use historicism as a way to narrowly look inward and/or participate in collective self-congratulations. Yet, his essay seems to leave no room for the novel that revisits history (and personal identity) while also shedding light on the tragedy of modern social orders. Would 2666′s (granted, not an American novel) portrayal of class-specific Mexican murders be as effective without the book’s Holocaust scenes? That is to say, if history reveals things about the human condition that help us to process the workings of current hierarchies, shouldn’t it be embraced? I wrote about 2666 and The Wire on this site:

http://therumpus.net/2009/03/american-apocalypse-the-wire-and-2666/

I think that if American novelists can infuse their work with history in order to more fully address the modern market and the social problems it creates, Michaels’ revolution becomes unnecessary.

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