Subject: Franny and girls
From: LR Pearson, Arts 99 (lp9616@bristol.ac.uk)
Date: Wed Jan 26 2000 - 08:22:19 EST
Elizabeth, thanks for the brilliant post. It articulated a lot of the
problems I have faced in the past. My best friend (a boy) is a super
duper English student at Oxford. He is brilliant at arguing anyone
down, even though he is often talking crap. This is one reason I have
been less intimidated by the list than some others: in order to cut
through the crap he talks I have had to learn not be be intimidated by
his superior learning.
One of the things I like about this list is that it provides an
opportunity to try out my own ideas gainst people much more learned
than I. Usually I only meet such people in a teacher - student
situation, when it is difficult to go out oon a limb and criticise
their ideas. Often when i do go out on a limb here, I am subseuently
persuaded that I didn't know what I was talking about. The nice thing
is that someone usually takes the time to point out the flaws in my
argument, and suggests how I could learn more. That makes a nice change
from being argued down by my friend.
Onto Franny. I have never really doubted that Franny was the same
character in both stories, but this thread has made me go back and
reread F&Z. For a while I was almost swayed, but in the end my opinion
remained unchanged. Franny's letter rveeals (to me) her general
insecurity about Lane. She worries that she analyses everything too
much, but he is much more analytical / critical. Just think of how he
tries to hide his expressions - on the platform and in the restaurant -
as thiugh he expects to be watched and judged. Franny herself comments
that "I sound so unintelligent and dimwitted when I write to you".
Given that she is planning to go out for honours in English, her
grammar is surely not as bad as it is in the letter. ALso, her
responses fit my picture of Franny as part of the Glass family. I love
her picture of the boarding house she is to stay in.
Oh dear, I have just garbled this reply and now I have to run. Sorry
it's so pathetic, I wish I had more time to respond.
Love, Lucy-Ruth
----------------------
LR Pearson, Arts 99
lp9616@bristol.ac.uk
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