I finished these long ago and now cannot recall what I had to say

#641. Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West came in a compilation with his The Day of the Locust. I was preferring the latter when I started for its artist protagonist, but now after finishing both, I'm not so sure.

West undoubtedly has an attraction to disaster. Both of his stories were written in that dirty tone that just makes one sad by association, which I find a little difficult to maneuver (I am a lover of beauty, to be sure).

One thing I did like very much was any time Miss Lonelyhearts was brought up, then immediately referred to as a "he". It was a something comical and cute thing to do amidst such an adult backdrop.
The ending, too, I think was quite the embodiment of ...is it modernism? something like existentialism? Either way, I think the copy I have kept referring him to Kafka, which is extremely fitting. Abrupt compared to the lag I felt when reading the distasteful plot line - like putting off the flame from a candle - it was accurate and precise which was surprising in association with the story preceding it.

My initial liking for Locust, I think, came from the fact that the protagonist was an artist. That did not hold up for the remainder of the short story after a few chapters though, as he was, once again (as apparently West prefers), a (though less than others) degenerate sad sack, if you will. Were all people in the 30s-40s all so down like that? I mean, I know the Depression is to be considered and all, but these are problems outside of wealth. It's hard for me to sympathize with the kinds of characters as West's when I'm in a situation trying as hard as I can to change my unhappiness (not that I couldn't be doing more, obviously. But compared to my moderate attempts, these characters are just repulsive).

The book has a very nice cover image though, wouldn't you say?

Of yearnings and other things

Ugh, half my post was just deleted so it is with half a heart that I try to reconstruct this post.

The spring weather is forcing me into a lighter mood, but I don't think I'm quite ready due to the current events in my emotional life. Conflict out of nothing, really. I also hate how many people are now on the streets, as I prefer solitude, but that's also me being a grouch. I need a freakin' vacation.

In any case, all of my friends have imminent plans of leaving the city and I will have no one to share any lightness with in a matter of months, so I suppose I should use it while it has company. I am, as well, currently getting some freelance jobs for a magazine which I am happy to lose myself in briefly, so we must focus on the little things.

The House in Paris moved by quickly. My copy depicted Matisse's Piano Lesson on the cover, which I found to be an unexpectedly natural fit for the context of this book. I often found myself staring at its strangeness. Whoever chose this to represent the novel has a talent I cannot name...or else, maybe they came upon it by accident. I appreciate it, anyway.

So...reflections on this story...
I mostly came away with the idea of children acting selfishly as mature, small adults, compared to adults acting selfishly as children. Kate as a child both in her immature actions, as well as in the context of her bound as the daughter of her parents, compared to the hardened, adult-like mannerisms of Henrietta and Leo.There was a nice balance between Henrietta and Leopold, but Leopold annoyed me, and I dislike him in the way that I dislike snotty spoiled little children. Kate was much more complex. It is impressive, what Bowen did, now thinking in hindsight. She molds your perception of each character through other people's perception of them, vs their own. I loved Kate for her sincere, youthful complex in the "past" section when the story was told in her point of view, but when she was removed from direct situations as in the "present" sections, she was understood as a wretched person (though others still loved her). The difference is also apparent in Ray, as he seemed distasteful through Karen's descriptions of him in the "past", while when he is actually presented in the last section, he is charming and deserving of respect.

How realistic, to show the differences between one's character from the inside vs. out. I am sure that there are some outside of my head who find me lacking in character or morality (though I am not completely blind to it myself).

Bonus

Score, just realized that number 529 is Catcher in the Rye, and that I have already read that.

Movin' on up the list without any work or effort.

4/2/2012 Update
Over the weekend I realized that I had already read #427. Cat's Cradle before. Maybe within the past year? And yet even looking at it, I hadn't remembered this fact until I started reading it.
What does that mean about the impact of Vonnegut to my mind?