Nowhere Man
Joseph O'Neill poses an important question about the American narrative point of view. When I read Netherland about a month ago, I had the distinctive sense that all of the characters were both desperate for a sense of home and yet condemned to be world citizen's. Hans and his wife struggle with living in post 9/11 New York. The wife abandons the struggle and Hans, left alone in the Chelsea Hotel, is a man without a country. As for Chuck, the Carribean Immigrant, full of American Dreams of expanding Cricket--he feels like a later day version of The Great Gatsby, but without the mansion.
Speaking of Gatsby, it does seem to me the both Fitzgerald and Hemingway wrestled with this sense of being a global expatriate in the 1920's. Societies are often cruel to their artists, because the artists job is to say no to the prevailing cultural/consumption wisdom. The wonderful characters that populate Netherland are just looking for a way to hold their heads up in a world of myriad compromises. It's not an easy task.
I don't think the artists' "job" is to say no to the prevailing culture. Artists don't give or deny permission, in fact, that is counter intuitive to what it is they are attempting and that is to offer personal commentary on the world as he sees it.
Both Fitzgerald and Hemingway were celebrated authors before they took off for parts unknown. If they struggled with anything it was booze.
July 28, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
According to Zelda F, they may have struggled with each other, in the biblical sense.
July 29, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Um, yeah
July 31, 2008 12:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Must be the Dog Days... huh? Kinda slow. Right? That's why we're poring over a brand new novel that's sooooo familiar. Siriusly... Van der stooky... bottoms. The Chelsea. 9/11, dammit!!! And cricket... CRICKET! How did we burn up oxygen so long, so pointlessly down here on our little spinning ball of dirt without throwing cricket in the mix?!!
Finally, of course, let's not forget NewYorkNewYorkNewYorkNewYorkNewYork. And... no... we're not self-absorbed, thank you very much!
I would've bought this one after a quick thumb-through but my corn dog needs mustard.
July 29, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink