L. Frank Baum and Edgar Allen Poe represent the light and the dark strains of American fantasy. But Louise Erdrich introduces a third strain, Native American, to the conversation.
Monthly Archives: March 2015
Erdrich Charts a Third Way for Fantasy
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Anishinaabe, Edgar Allen Poe, fantasy, L. Frank Baum, Louise Erdrich, Tracks Comments closed
Ted Cruz’s Starring Role in “The Crucible”
Can you guess what role Ted Cruz played in “The Crucible” when in law school? And what does the play have to do with the color of the dress?
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Arthur Miller, color of the dress, Crucible, politics, religious diversity, Ted Cruz Comments closed
Replacing the Temple with the Torah
Nicole Krauss’s marvelous novel “Great House” finds hope in the Torah, which takes many forms.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Passover", Easter, Great House, Holy Week, Nicole Krauss, Temple of Jerusalem, Torah Comments closed
Robert Durst’s Iago-Like Soliloquy
How to interpret suspected murderer Robert Durst’s enigmatic words on “The Jinx”? Shakespeare’s villains point the way.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Jinx, King Lear, moral consciousness, Othello, Robert Durst, soliloquies, Soul, William Shakespeare Comments closed
Train Surfing: Thrilling but Chilling
Thrill seekers have begun using cityscapes as an arena. As Ruth Rendell warns in “King Solomon’s Carpet,” sometimes they don’t survive.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged King Solomon's Carpet, Ruth Rendell, train surfing, urban landscapes Comments closed
How To Reflect upon the Death Penalty
Our motivations for executing prisoners too often have little to do with justice. Cormac McCarthy understands this well in “All the Pretty Horses.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy, death penalty, executions Comments closed
GOP Budget Proposes Gruel Cuts
Mean-spirited legislators who seek to cut food stamps and other programs for the poor bear more than a little resemblance to the workhouse authorities in “Oliver Twist.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Charles Dickens, food stamps, GOP, GOP budget, Medicaid, Oliver Twist, Paul Ryan, poverty, Scott Walker, Tom Cotton Comments closed
When American Fantasies Are Dangerous
The denial of reality that has taken over certain segments of the GOP is well described by Neil Gaiman in “American Gods.” America has a long tradition of such fantasizing.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged American fantasy literature, American Gods, climate change, GOP budget, It, L. Frank Baum, Neil Gaiman, politics, Stephen King, Wizard of Oz Comments closed
From the Dark, Cold Grime a Flower Comes
Mary Ann Bernard shows spring coming only with difficulty–but being all the more meaningful because of that.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Spring", Lent, Mary Ann Bernard, Resurrection, Spirituality, Winter Comments closed
