RE: JCO: The evolution of Oates writing style

> Is there a difference between
> "cinematic" and "televisic" writing, given that film and television are so
> different?

My concept of cinematic writing is that the story is told in "scenes" rather
than in a traditional narrative (in the literary sense) by a narrator or in
a particular point-of-view. What I mean is that the story portrayed
cinematically leaves far more to the reader/viewer than a traditional
narrative style (for literature) would leave.

Think of some of the most well known movies of our time. How much of the
narrative within the context of the film is reliant on our (the audience's)
understanding of narrative and storyttelling? For example, in film
transitions, with regard to time, are minimal or at least, in the best work,
unobtrusive, yet still we understand that time has passed without some other
narrative voice intruding and saying "time passes."

This is my understanding of cinematic writing. The very act of reading a
book like Blonde requires more "work" on the part of the reader -- or
perhaps in the hands of a lesser writer would require more work -- than
having the narrative spoon-fed (for lack of a better term) to us by, let us
say, a voice-over narration in film.

As for the question of whether cinematic and televisic would differ I can't
say. I haven't heard the term "televisic" before and would need some time to
think about just what that would mean and how it would differ from
cinematic, or if it would.

Best,
Kim

Tone Clusters: The Joyce Carol Oates discussion group

To send a message to the group, email jco@usfca.edu
To unsubscribe, email majordomo@usfca.edu: unsubscribe jco

Celestial Timepiece: A Joyce Carol Oates Home Page