RE: JCO: The evolution of Oates writing style

Hi Tanya

Interesting topic to raise. Although, I hope you don't mind if I re-title
the discussion because reading "Oates periods" rather sounds like we're
discussing her time of the month... or use of that form of punctuation. Lol.
;)

I've read section of Cologne-Brooks' study of her work and I think it is
interesting and broadly correct in categorizing the evolution of her work in
that way. However, I feel that in tone of voice and style her writing has
become more private and introspective recently in fact. A lot of it seems to
be in the first person or from a very first person type perspective - like
in Blonde where you feel the whole narrative is like a movie playing in
Norma Jeane�s head. Oates has referred to this book as a cinematic kind of
literature and I think this technique has reverberated into other of her
novels, particularly the new Lauren Kelly books. However, it�s true you can
still see the more straightforward dialogue Oates is having with social
concerns - particularly in a book like The Falls dealing with a whole
community of people who have been deceived and harmed because of corporate
interests. I�m not sure there are consistent differences that you could
point out which distinguish the books she�s published in the 00s compared to
the work she was putting out in the 90s though. The themes are quite varied,
though many of course still deal with women who have been mistreated by
individuals and neglected by society.

Thanks
eric

>From: tanya.tromble@free.fr
>Reply-To: jco@usfca.edu
>To: jco@usfca.edu
>Subject: JCO: Oates periods
>Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2006 10:49:20 +0200
>
>Hello all,
>
>I've recently read Gavin Cologne-Brooks' "Dark Eyes On America" and have
>been
>musing over the timeline he has constructed of Oates's career. He splits
>it up
>into three basic sections. 1964-78, the early part which he feels is
>private
>and introspective. 1978-85, a middle period of radical experimentation
>dealing
>with transitions. And 1985 to present, the latter part which he views as
>more
>social and multi-voiced.
>
>I'm personally tempted to see another split at "Blonde", although I can't
>quite
>put my finger on why. It's quite possible that this idea only has to do
>with
>external circumstances and not with the works themselves. Perhaps because
>it
>was published in 2000, a nice round number, and because it was around this
>time
>that she abandoned her Rosamund Smith pseudonym and switched to Lauren
>Kelly.
>Or perhaps quite simply that it was around this time that I really got into
>reading her works.
>
>What do you think? If my question manages to provoke some thought and get
>some
>discussion going again, I will indeed be very proud. If not, I'll just
>give up
>on all this thinking and go take a nap!
>
>Best,
>Tanya
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JCO: Oates periods

Hello all,

I've recently read Gavin Cologne-Brooks' "Dark Eyes On America" and have been
musing over the timeline he has constructed of Oates's career. He splits it up
into three basic sections. 1964-78, the early part which he feels is private
and introspective. 1978-85, a middle period of radical experimentation dealing
with transitions. And 1985 to present, the latter part which he views as more
social and multi-voiced.

I'm personally tempted to see another split at "Blonde", although I can't quite
put my finger on why. It's quite possible that this idea only has to do with
external circumstances and not with the works themselves. Perhaps because it
was published in 2000, a nice round number, and because it was around this time
that she abandoned her Rosamund Smith pseudonym and switched to Lauren Kelly.
Or perhaps quite simply that it was around this time that I really got into
reading her works.

What do you think? If my question manages to provoke some thought and get some
discussion going again, I will indeed be very proud. If not, I'll just give up
on all this thinking and go take a nap!

Best,
Tanya
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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:
http://jco.usfca.edu/