Nights At The Circus - May 31, 2010

Nights at the Circus strikes me as a well written theoretical novel which masks the heavy underlying meanings with a steady captivating plot line. I found it appropriate that such a feminist writer as Angela Carter would create a main character that defies such gendered stereotypes. Sophia Fevvers is depicted as a female in a body designed for a male who both resists and embraces the notion of what a true 'lady' should be. With a combination of her masculine build, towering height, poor table etiquette, infinite appetite, poor manners, and lack of humility when passing gas, Fevvers appears to genuinely disagree with the popular notion of femininity. However her character is not as unpretentious as it seems and therefore to classifying her into one category seems ill fit. In contrast to this she also resorts to various measures to reaffirm her sexuality as the typical seductive female. This can be observed with her elaborate make-up, revealing wardrobe, and motherly instincts. The dynamic character that Sophia Fevvers encompasses has been constructed to cater to the affirmation and invalidation of gender stereotypes.

Angela Carter's use of symbols in Nights at the Circus is the focal technique which allows the text to contain an alternate agenda apart from the storyline evident. It is apparent that not all of the underlying motives are perceptible and I am unable to completely decipher some of Carter`s messages. Such as water for instance, in terms of its use as a rescue method for Walser on multiple occasions. The action of spraying water from the hose is always used against the perpetrator of violence so it can be presumed to share a connection with the abomination of an offender. Similarly to Fevvers` sword from Ma Nelson, water has become a symbolic tool catered specifically to the defence of Walser. An alternative form of symbols found in Nights at the Circus does not necessarily appear in the form of tangible objects but rather an allusion through words. The consistent reference to Greek mythology when describing characters, provides the audience of readers with a elaborate mythological theme to magnify the grandness of the situation. Referring to Fevvers, for example, with terms used to describe the Gods of Greek mythology further emphasizes the majestic significance of her being. From Cupid to a Warrior equipped with a sword (both metaphorically and literally), the magnitude of Sophia Fevvers is consistently reaffirmed.

Geek Love - May 24th, 2010

Katherine Dunn's Geek Love is a uniquely twisted story that I found to be both liberating and disturbing. Consequentially, the two previously mentioned terms are also descriptors for the concept of carnivalesque which is evident in this novel. The generated travelling freakshow in Geek Love is centered around the degradation of deformity. Each offspring of the Binewski family symbolizes the pharmaceutical inventions of Al and Crystal Lil. These 'inventions' become the focal points and economic producers of the carnival. With the children supporting the family, the natural social hierarchy of the family has become inversed. This primarily occurs with Arty who occupies the highest position within the family. Arty feels it is necessary to control his competition in order to alter this mock authority into a seemingly permanent structure. He does this by using his influential power over his siblings through provoking and manipulating the insecurities of Oly, Chick, Elly and Iphy. The parodist nature of this carny family and its followers alter to fit into the mould Arty has specifically designed. This reversal of authority provided Arty with ultimately a monarch status which lead to the success and sequentially the demise of the family legacy.

Despite the intrigued social construction of the travelling carnival, I found the initial idea behind the family business to be the most intriguing aspect of the novel. The notion of creating a freakshow is a violation of human ethics; however Al and Lil justify their actions throughout the novel to keep the reader from reaching such conclusions. The outside world is not as forgiving as the employees of the Binewski family appear to be. This is evident in Vern Bogner's attempted murder of the entire family, excluding Al. Ironically, even after this episode occurerd, Al and Lil fail to acknowledge the public's disdain for their actions. Instead they claim to have done their children a favour by physically preparing them with the necessities for a guaranteed life-long career.

The commodification and capitalization of the Binewski children become the very trait that link the family together. Al's love for Chick is directly linked to the amount of money he is able to earn or save his father from spending. It is not for the obvious reasons this carny family is not like the masses of society, they differ from everyone else in the way that they value one another. From incestual to revenue-hungry underlying motives, the relationships between the members of the family are a far cry from healthy. However this does not mean that there is any absence of love. The family of six never fail to cater to one another's needs in a desperate attempt to please each other (some characters more than others). I believe this continuous theme of undying love is why I truly enjoyed the novel as much as I did. It is evident with Lil and Al at the beginning of the novel through to the end with Oly's actions towards Lil and Miranda. The desire to please the ones you love in a despairing attempt to receive some form of love in return is the driving force behind the characters, the plot line, and the schematics of Geek Love.