The Story of the Novel documentary is even worse than feared. I could cope with the sneering at modernism as I don’t care much for the British modernists (apart from Eliot and Beckett), and Lawrence’s novels (if not the stories) are tripe. But John Carey’s assumptions were ridiculous. Joyce was condescending to his characters, while Arnold Bennett was humane and compassionate. Really? I don’t see that at all. But even if that is the case – and certainly Joyce presents the world from a more cosmic angle – then surely that tells us something interesting and important about the development of art rather than the arrogance or interpersonal skills of the author?
“A stair that has not been deepy hollowed by footsteps is, from its own point of view, merely something that has been bleakly put together out of wood.”
That’s an aphorism from Kafka. No lack of humanity or compassion there. Perhaps Prof. Carey would like to explain why Arnold Bennett has his characters stomp up and down stairs without a word for the poor timber; the unfeeling bastard!
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