Today in class we discussed the structure of Jazz music, and how the structure of Jazz music inspired the structure of "Coming Through Slaughter" by Michael Ondaatje. As this novel is about the great Buddy Bolden a famous Jazz player from the south and his style of improvisation, you can see this style imitated in the text.
As our group discussed, we knew that typical jazz has 1 measure of 8 with a 4/4 shuffle beat, with the added improvisation or solo, but this is repeated. Looking through the text we noticed that most new ideas or plot lines start with an Astrix (*) which can be interpreted as a new beat to the measure of 8, and usually after each * there are four paragraphs or lines that follow. As stated before the text follows Buddy Bolden's style, so when there are some pages with only one line this can be interpreted as Buddy's unusual solo style that interrupts the basic Jazz structure. Also the text is split into 3 chapters, which can be used to show the usual 3 verses sung in Jazz.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Coming Through Slaughter Closed Reading II
"So many murders of his own body. From the slammed fingernail to the sweat draining through his hair eventually bleeding brown into the neck of his shirt. That and Nora's habit of biting the collars of his shirt made him eventually buy them collarless. There was a strange lack of care regarding his fingers, even in spite of his ultimate nightmare of having hands cut off at the wrists. His nails chewed down and indistinguishable from the callouses of his fingers. He could hardly feel his lady properly anymore. Suicide of the hands. So many varieties of murder. After his child died in his dream it was his wrist he attacked." (49)
From this passage I can infer that Bolden is either depressed or extremely paranoid. In the second sentence when he talks about his sweat he describes it as "bleeding" into his shirt, this use of diction cannot be a coincidence. The words "murder" "bleeding" "nightmare" "cut" and "died" show that Bolden is constantly thinking about either his own death or the death of his child in his dream. The ending of the passage is interesting when he describes that "it was his wrist that he attacked". Attacking the wrists in a form of cutting is a sign of depression and the need for pain to release that depression, somehow this passage conveys that the different "murders" of his own body is a sign of depression and self mutilation. I deduce that Bolden is paranoid and/or nervous as he has bitten his fingernails to where they were "indistinguishable". So from this passage I can infer that Bolden is both depressed and paranoid about his future.
From this passage I can infer that Bolden is either depressed or extremely paranoid. In the second sentence when he talks about his sweat he describes it as "bleeding" into his shirt, this use of diction cannot be a coincidence. The words "murder" "bleeding" "nightmare" "cut" and "died" show that Bolden is constantly thinking about either his own death or the death of his child in his dream. The ending of the passage is interesting when he describes that "it was his wrist that he attacked". Attacking the wrists in a form of cutting is a sign of depression and the need for pain to release that depression, somehow this passage conveys that the different "murders" of his own body is a sign of depression and self mutilation. I deduce that Bolden is paranoid and/or nervous as he has bitten his fingernails to where they were "indistinguishable". So from this passage I can infer that Bolden is both depressed and paranoid about his future.
Coming Through Slaughter Closed Reading I
"He found himself on the Brewitts' lawn. She opened the door. For a moment he looked right through her, almost forgot to recognize her. Started shaking, from his stomach up to his mouth, he could not hold his jaws together, he wanted to get the words to Robin or Jaelin clearly. Whichever one answered the door. But it was her. Her hand wiping the hair off her face. He saw that, he saw her hand taking her hair and moving it. His hands were in his coat pockets. He wanted to burn the coat it stank so much. Can I burn this coat here? that was not what he wanted to say. Come in Buddy. That was not what he wanted to say. His whole body started to shake. He was looking at one of her eyes. But he couldn't hold it there because of the shake. She started to move towards him he had to say it before she reached him or touched him or smelled him had to say it. Help me. Come in Buddy. Help me. Come in Buddy. Help me. He was shaking. " (pg 45)
From this passage we get an interesting look at the person who is Buddy Bolden. Bolden seems to be a man of conflicting emotions, for not long before he stated he never wanted to see anyone he knew ever again, (39) and yet he appears on the Brewitts' front lawn. As Robin opened the door Bolden "looked right through her", from this it can be inferred that Bolden is distracted or has something on his mind. He clearly went to their house for a reason due to the fact he wanted to "get out the words clearly" he needed to tell the Brewitts something important, yet he forgets to even acknowledge who she even is. As the passage continues to describe the way Robin removed the hair from her face, it can be understood that Bolden was watching her and her movements. "He saw that" this is repeated and this can show that his observation was important. Earlier in the text Bolden had seen Robin naked which seemed to be a defining moment in their relationship, the way he notices her here may show that he may have more than friendly feelings towards Robin. As stated earlier Bolden was at their house for a reason to tell the Brewitts something important, but instead of saying what he intended he proceeds to say, "can I burn my coat here?" This can be seen as an sign of deflection and nervousness. It can be seen later in the passage that Bolden really wanted to say "help me" which may have been something he was ashamed of, he doesn't want to admit that he needs help.
From this passage we get an interesting look at the person who is Buddy Bolden. Bolden seems to be a man of conflicting emotions, for not long before he stated he never wanted to see anyone he knew ever again, (39) and yet he appears on the Brewitts' front lawn. As Robin opened the door Bolden "looked right through her", from this it can be inferred that Bolden is distracted or has something on his mind. He clearly went to their house for a reason due to the fact he wanted to "get out the words clearly" he needed to tell the Brewitts something important, yet he forgets to even acknowledge who she even is. As the passage continues to describe the way Robin removed the hair from her face, it can be understood that Bolden was watching her and her movements. "He saw that" this is repeated and this can show that his observation was important. Earlier in the text Bolden had seen Robin naked which seemed to be a defining moment in their relationship, the way he notices her here may show that he may have more than friendly feelings towards Robin. As stated earlier Bolden was at their house for a reason to tell the Brewitts something important, but instead of saying what he intended he proceeds to say, "can I burn my coat here?" This can be seen as an sign of deflection and nervousness. It can be seen later in the passage that Bolden really wanted to say "help me" which may have been something he was ashamed of, he doesn't want to admit that he needs help.
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