Slow Man and the Real: A Lesson in Reading and Writing
Abstract
This article addresses the problems of reading Slow Man (Coetzee 2005) through tracking its engagement with various levels of the real as well as its representation of the complex relationship between author, narrator and character. The real difficulty that besets the writer trying to produce a story from an inchoate idea is explored through the concept of substitution, one of the hermeneutic keys that structure the novel. Thus I examine the continuous slippage between the “real” and representation. The novel’s turning of itself inside out is read, like Rachel Whiteread’s sculpture, “House”, as an absence-as-presence that also points to its overt engagement with photography.
Opsomming
Hierdie artikel spreek die probleme aan wat Slow Man (Coetzee 2005) die leser bied deur sy verbintenis met verskillende vlakke van die werklike en deur die voorstelling van die ingewikkelde verband tussen outeur, verteller en karakter na te spoor. Die eintlike probleem waarmee die skrywer te doene kry wat ’n storie uit ’n onontwikkelde idee wil skep, word ondersoek deur middel van die begrip van plaasvervanging, een van die hermeneutiese sleutels wat die roman struktureer. Dus ondersoek ek die voortdurende glyding tussen die “werklike” en voorstelling. Die binnestebuite draaiing van die roman word soos die beeldhouer Rachel Whiteread se “House” gelees as ’n afwesigheid-as-aanwesigheid wat ook sy openlike engagement met fotografie aandui.
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Copyright (c) 2009 JLS/TLW
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