I do want to make a small objection to the notion that writing about Cycladic art, as Desmond does, is somehow *not* writing about "human things". Isn't art, even prehistoric art, a human thing?
I was sad and frustrated that Mrs Palfrey didn't give Desmond a chance. Even if he was only going out of duty, doesn't necessarily mean they couldn't have a real relationship.
I still don't know that I really like Ludo very much; but I can't quite put my finger on why. I think the scenes where we see him writing, the kinds of descriptions we see him writing and the choices of words... I see him observing the world. But I don't see him *loving* what he sees. He's detached. And that makes me suspect him as a writer.
"Everything is copy."—Nora Ephron. Copy being material used in one's writing.
As someone who has been writing for 30 years, I can agree with this statement, and I say this to my shame.
Once I was in rehearsal, and the pianist was talking about an unusual chord, and I'm taking notes in my head, saying to myself, "This is a poem, this is a poem, this is a poem." And behold, now it is.
And this is why I make every effort to go to daily Mass.
The conversation about the nature of novel-writing and character writing reminded me of the introduction in the Virago Modern Classics edition, where author Paul Bailey draws the reader’s attention to his similarities with Ludo. If Taylor is investigating the practice of drawing characters from life, it is something she herself has done.
The short introduction is available in full on the Amazon preview of the book.
Wow, Sean saying he never thinks that maybe everyone was annoyed with him after social events has me questioning everything. EVERYTHING. I thought that was a universal experience
“People who love books and are self-conscious”: yep right here, that’s me, surprise surprise!
I’m also one of those people struggling with the sadness in this book, but I love y’all’s conversation (I listened twice while pulling my neighbors weeds in the rain) immensely helpful and I appreciate the openness to your own lives.
I want to keep thinking about friendship as I continue to read, its possibility between people in different stages or spheres of life as well as the potential for people to be family to one another even if they’re unrelated. And “eyes”, the idea of being seen/known/appreciated versus observed as a specimen. I’ve been getting Art Every Day in my email and kept thinking about the often broken relationships between artists and their models. It sounds like a tricky dynamic haha.
Speaking of the “real” Desmond and his interchangeability with Ludo, I wonder who is the “real” grandson. Along with that, to the question of exploitation, I can’t help but remember that what brought Ludo and Mrs. Palfrey together was an act of kindness, as opposed to the act of obligation from Desmond. I need to think more about how this is paralleled in his relationship with Rosie.
I’ll be looking for, and hoping for, “true” love in the ending - as well as the whimsy I might be missing.
I like your point about Ludo and Mrs. Palfrey meeting in a demonstration of kindness, not obligation. I also think that first meeting sets the tone for their relationship being uneven in turns.
If we go with Aristotle on friendship, I think you can say that Ludo and Mrs. Palfrey have a “friendship of utility”. Not the highest form of friendship but a good and common form of friendship. Their inequality, among other things, would prevent them from having the highest level of friendship.
I like this way of thinking about it. Not that friendships of utility aren't real friendships, but that they are a particular level. Not the highest form, but still a good.
I do want to make a small objection to the notion that writing about Cycladic art, as Desmond does, is somehow *not* writing about "human things". Isn't art, even prehistoric art, a human thing?
I was sad and frustrated that Mrs Palfrey didn't give Desmond a chance. Even if he was only going out of duty, doesn't necessarily mean they couldn't have a real relationship.
I still don't know that I really like Ludo very much; but I can't quite put my finger on why. I think the scenes where we see him writing, the kinds of descriptions we see him writing and the choices of words... I see him observing the world. But I don't see him *loving* what he sees. He's detached. And that makes me suspect him as a writer.
"Everything is copy."—Nora Ephron. Copy being material used in one's writing.
As someone who has been writing for 30 years, I can agree with this statement, and I say this to my shame.
Once I was in rehearsal, and the pianist was talking about an unusual chord, and I'm taking notes in my head, saying to myself, "This is a poem, this is a poem, this is a poem." And behold, now it is.
And this is why I make every effort to go to daily Mass.
The conversation about the nature of novel-writing and character writing reminded me of the introduction in the Virago Modern Classics edition, where author Paul Bailey draws the reader’s attention to his similarities with Ludo. If Taylor is investigating the practice of drawing characters from life, it is something she herself has done.
The short introduction is available in full on the Amazon preview of the book.
Wow, Sean saying he never thinks that maybe everyone was annoyed with him after social events has me questioning everything. EVERYTHING. I thought that was a universal experience
“People who love books and are self-conscious”: yep right here, that’s me, surprise surprise!
I’m also one of those people struggling with the sadness in this book, but I love y’all’s conversation (I listened twice while pulling my neighbors weeds in the rain) immensely helpful and I appreciate the openness to your own lives.
I want to keep thinking about friendship as I continue to read, its possibility between people in different stages or spheres of life as well as the potential for people to be family to one another even if they’re unrelated. And “eyes”, the idea of being seen/known/appreciated versus observed as a specimen. I’ve been getting Art Every Day in my email and kept thinking about the often broken relationships between artists and their models. It sounds like a tricky dynamic haha.
Speaking of the “real” Desmond and his interchangeability with Ludo, I wonder who is the “real” grandson. Along with that, to the question of exploitation, I can’t help but remember that what brought Ludo and Mrs. Palfrey together was an act of kindness, as opposed to the act of obligation from Desmond. I need to think more about how this is paralleled in his relationship with Rosie.
I’ll be looking for, and hoping for, “true” love in the ending - as well as the whimsy I might be missing.
I like your point about Ludo and Mrs. Palfrey meeting in a demonstration of kindness, not obligation. I also think that first meeting sets the tone for their relationship being uneven in turns.
If we go with Aristotle on friendship, I think you can say that Ludo and Mrs. Palfrey have a “friendship of utility”. Not the highest form of friendship but a good and common form of friendship. Their inequality, among other things, would prevent them from having the highest level of friendship.
I like this way of thinking about it. Not that friendships of utility aren't real friendships, but that they are a particular level. Not the highest form, but still a good.