Thursday, October 16, 2008

Welcome!

This Blog pertains to the novel Not Wanted on the Voyage by Mr. Timothy Findely. Within are personal responses, a list of links, an Apologia, an Explication, and a nostalgic reflection on the overall experience. You, the reader, are encouraged, nay, commanded, to read this tragic, hilariously cataclysmic re-telling of Noah's Ark. It will leave you changed.
P.S.
The unicorn is horrifying. Don't say I didn't warn you...

Links!

Here are some relevant sites pertaining to Mr. Findley in general, this book, and his place in the field of Literature.
  1. www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Findley
  2. www.cbc.ca/news/obit/findley
  3. www.athabascau.ca/writers/findley.html
  4. http://www.uwo.ca/english/canadianpoetry/cpjrn/vol42/nielsen.htm
  5. wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Wanted_on_the_Voyage
  6. http://www.curledup.com/pilgrim.htm
  7. http://www.quillandquire.com/authors/profile.cfm?article_id=1517
  8. www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim_(Timothy_Findley_novel)
  9. http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides_P/pilgrim1.asp
  10. http://www.allreaders.com/topics/info_25494.asp

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Lucifer and Yaweh

Mr. Findely has a wonderful take on the contrasts between God and Satan. God is an old, senile and enfeebled man who talks on and on and isn't interesting. His senility is betrayed in his rambling phrases like: "We are now the object of the world's derision... Mocked and scorned in the streets. Attacked. We cannot say... We cannot say...". Yaweh is more worthy of pity than reverance in this story, and his value system (akin to Noah's) is not at all endearing.
Lucy, the cross-dressing witty magician with a sense of what it is to be human is an infinitely more likeable character. The witticisms, the hilarious allusions that Mr. Findely throws in are marvelous. "I've always enjoyed the depths." and"Cozy as a fireplace..." made me laugh out loud. Mr. Findely has a way of making the "dark side" look much nicer than the alternative.

The Unicorn, Dear Lord, The Unicorn!

So... I don't know exactly what to say about the instance in the book in which the unicorn dies. It affected me in... numerous ways. Upon finishing the passage, I was unable to put the book down until I'd finished it; I felt nauseous. I feel, in writing this, unable to recount the actual passage, or even bring myself to take a quote from it. All I can say is that great art makes you feel some way, and this book is great art.