“In the particular is contained the universal.” – James Joyce
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What. A. Quote!
Now, here we have the a monolith in name, diction, style, form, class, you name it who’s greatest achievement is rekindling the fire of what makes a novel a novel, or bending, no, rewriting the rules of literature and yet despite all that here he is claiming that all he’s written is the “universal” by tapping into the “particular.”
This must be one of the most complex statements ever declared on paper. For here we have a revolutionare extraordinare placing onus of his legacy upon readers, everyday humans. Which is to say that it’s the mundane, everyday existance that makes life, not only worth writing about, but living!
I hope you enjoyed this random thought of the week. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well. A fan or Joyce? Yea, Nay, or …Yay?
Until next time…
Yes, big fan! My favorite moments are when he can get inside how a character feels, in a manner you as the reader can relate to and feel also. I think Ray Bradbury accused Joyce of “not having any ideas,” which is a curious statement to chew on, and not sure I wholly disagree…I think he loved words, language and writing through and through. I’ve learned a lot from him!