The Infinite Jest reading, discussion and support group thread

[CLawnsby]

Originally Posted by Shark Sandwich

I'm not sure this is true. There are definitely some oblique references to Hamlet (such as the title), but it seems like the book has more in common with The Brothers Karamazov (which I know nothing about) than Hamlet. I'd imagine the former would be more valuable to know well than the latter.

I think the references are more than oblique. Hal writes an essay about a hero of inaction, which is basically what Hamlet is. Hal's father is a ghost who comes back to the human world (like Hamlet's father) and Hal's mother is sleeping around like Gertrude does. Furthermore, they dig up the movie in a graveyard in a scene that is totally reminiscent of the Poor Yorick scene from Hamlet, which is where the title "Infinite Jest" is taken from.

The janitors who peel Stice's face from the window seem to me to be reminiscent of Rosenkrantz and Guidlernstern (sp?), though like I said I haven't read Hamlet in forever and could be wrong.

The fingerprints of The Brothers K are all over IJ as well, as the chapter where Mario touches the guy in the subway is a Grand Inquisitor reference, if I remember the Brothers K correctly. Also, Orin seems perhaps in some way based on Ivan?

Either way, I think both books are important influences on DFW.

[Shark Sandwich]

Clawnsby,

Good points, but you might want to put that stuff in spoilers

Edit: Never thought about the Hero of Inaction as a reference to Hamlet, but that does make a lot of sense

[Ineedaride2]

Originally Posted by CLawnsby

I think maybe to do this we should set dates to finish each "chapter" of the book. 1 page per day seems a little slow, unless we want this to last over 3 years. I have never really participated too much on 2+2, but I'm thrilled to come out of my lurker shell to be a big part of this thread if we're going to get it going. I love this book to pieces, and I am willing to put a decent amount of work into this.

Other random things:

1) Read the endnotes! They are hugely important in the book, and are often vital to the plot. Don't skip them.

2) I'd try to get a physical copy of the book if possible. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's gonna be difficult to jump around to the endnotes with an e-book. There is also a list of years somewhere in the middle of the book that it's useful to be able to jump to at will.

3) If someone in the group knows a lot about Hamlet, that'd be good news too. The book is deeply indebted to Hamlet, and I feel as if I don't know Hamlet well enough to catch the references.

The one page a day thing was a joke on myself, as I do read slow, but not quite that slow.

From my first attempt at reading this thing, I don't think breaking it up into chapters is going to be the way to go. Unless the formatting on my ebook is screwed up, the table of contents is an infinite jest upon the reader.

Tentatively I was thinking we could do 50 to 100 pages per week, from Saturday to Saturday. I think we already have enough interest to start, so unless there's some objection we could go ahead and read and discuss the foreward and first 50 pages this week, and start the next 50 next Saturday.


Edit: It's nice to have someone well versed in the book on board. Feel free to take up the reins on this thing, because i have no idea what i'm doing.

[Henry Kissinger]

YEAR OF GLAD

I am seated in an office, surrounded by heads and bodies. My posture is consciously congruent to the shape of my hard chair. This is a cold room in University Administration, wood-walled, Remington-hung, double-windowed against the November heat, insulated from Administrative sounds by the reception area outside, at which Uncle Charles, Mr. deLint and I were lately received.

I am in here.

[CLawnsby]

Should we say read to p. 63 for Saturday as a start? I last reread IJ like 3 months ago so I'm afraid there's a chance I might not totally get into rereading it again now but I'm willing to give it a shot. How many people are in?

Also, I'd pay special attention to p. 10-11. The first time I read it, I honestly just skimmed those two pages. They end up being potentially very important, so don't just skim them.

[brianr]

I moved right i to LBJ vol 3, so I'm not able to participate in this right now. I may try to catch up later, good luck all.

[CLawnsby]

Potentially cool piece of trivia to whet your appetite: Some literary critic (or avid reader or something) pointed out that the first line to Hamlet is:

"Who's there?"

and IJ's first line starts with:

"I am..."

The person (I forget where I read this) posited that IJ is DFW's response to Hamlet. In my opinion, it's probably just a total coincidence, but still kinda neat to think about.

[Ineedaride2]

Originally Posted by CLawnsby

Should we say read to p. 63 for Saturday as a start? I last reread IJ like 3 months ago so I'm afraid there's a chance I might not totally get into rereading it again now but I'm willing to give it a shot. How many people are in?

Also, I'd pay special attention to p. 10-11. The first time I read it, I honestly just skimmed those two pages. They end up being potentially very important, so don't just skim them.

Sounds good to me.

[dude113]

Originally Posted by Ineedaride2

Sounds good to me.

[mikechike]

I'm fated to be in on this. Read some of his non-fiction earlier this year and then found IJ on the sidewalk right in front of my place a few months ago. Stalled out 80 pages in but will try to keep pace here.

Highly recommend the two pieces I read at the link below: "Shipping Out" (DWF on a cruise) and "Ticket to the Fair" (DFW at a state fair)

http://harpers.org/archive/2008/09/hbc-90003557

[CLawnsby]

Another thing, and please do tell me if I'm posting too much-- I'm just trying to be helpful without being overbearing or a know-it-all:

The years in the book are named (as you know by now). On p. 223, there is a list of years, which you can refer to to figure out when certain chapters occur, chronologically. I suspect no one will actually use this list, but if you're interested in a close reading, having a post-it note on p. 223 may help.

It is, for instance, important to note that the book begins at the very END of the chronological scope of the novel. This isn't really a spoiler; I wish someone had told me this the first time I read it.

[Ineedaride2]

It's amusing how socially awkward Hal is.

"I compose what I project will be seen as a smile. I turn this way and that slightly, sort of directing the expression to everyone in the room."

.....

"Is Hal all right, Chuck?" Athletic Affairs asks. "Hal just seemed to....well, grimace. Is he in pain? Are you in pain, son?"

[ToTheInternet]

Originally Posted by Ineedaride2

It's amusing how socially awkward Hal is.

You'll think, Ohh, when you find out what those details are really a manifestation of.

[Shark Sandwich]

Originally Posted by ToTheInternet

You'll think, Ohh, when you find out what those details are really a manifestation of.

SPOILER DON'T CLICK IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK

Spoiler:

FAIR WARNING

Spoiler:

This is never really answered is it? There's the mold theory, which seems most plausible, the DMZ-dosed toothbrush theory (i.e. ghostly JOI stole Pemulis's stash and used it on Hal), and the he-watched-Infinite-Jest theory, but it's not clear which one is responsible for Hal going nuts. Not that it matters I guess, since it all ultimately leads to the same result

[-Insert Witty SN-]

you ****ers might just make me reread this book again