vol_10_no_4 by Michigan Review

Hosts Literac Conference

by Tony Ghecea The University of Michigan recently hosted a "Conference on Literacy, Identity and Mind," an interdisciplinary seminar dedicated to the debate surrounding illiteracy. Composed of many events including movies and exhibits, the conference centered on a series of panel discussions dealing with the problem of illiteracy. Only one of the discussion sessions, however, was open to viewing by the general public. Entitled "Encountering Literacy: Interface Between the

Leamer and Literacy," this fifth discussion featured three panelists who covered a large part of the literacy debate. The first panelist, Harvard professor of education Courtney Cazden, discussed the teaching of basic writing skills in terms of her essay, "Writing about Cats: Relationships between Personal Knowledge and Public Conventions." Cazden analyzed the differences between two rival approaches to teaching students how to write, namely the "Graves" approachand the "genre" technique. While

the "Graves" method concentrates on getting students to write simple sentences about their own personal experiences, the "genre" method requires students to assimilate a variety of ideas from throughout the humanities into a veritable collage of ideas, which they are then supposed to draw upon for the content of their writings. The "Graves" approach has yielded wri fing characterized by simple, self-center~ observations, while "genre" methods have succeeded in creating sentences

ripe with advanced humanities vocabulary, but lacking any evidence of true understanding on the part of the students using those words. Cazden admitted that neither approach alone has so far yielded the desired effect, but that some combination of the two might prove more promising. The scope of Cazden's study, however, was apparently limited to a few small experimental classrooms in Sydney, Australia. While the pedagogical issues she raises provide important

Please See Page 14

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Fiscal Scandal Resolved, U-

Unpunished ~~ ..,.'

Jy Kishore Jayabalan Those who defended the University of Michigan against charges of misallocated funds were vindica ted when a federal audit report did not require the U-M to return questionably spent funds. The report was made public October

Special, Issue! Though every issue of the Rt'fIk-w is special in its own unique way, the issue you now hold in your hands is nOljusl another Rct1u.'W; it is the "Canon Under Fire" issue.lnside, in addition to all your old friends-Serpent's Tooth, Roving Photographer, and, of course, Muir- you will find a colle<:-

tionofartidt.'Sdddressingliterarycriticism, cultural relativism, the state of contemporary poetry, and other related issues, including an illuminating inlerview with Dartmouth Professor of English kffrey Hart. Tony Ghecea discusses a controversial English cou rse tha t questions the canon. while Jay Sprout raves about the la test in Rocl:y Horror entertainment. In reviewing The Dc?Ilth ofLittrature,lohn J. MiU(>r invcsbgates just what caused Its demise. Adam DeVore takes up arms againsl deconstruction, and Adam Caragiola follows Northrop Frye in defending lraditional criticism. And Crustv and Bud are at it a£din. So, enjoy!

4 by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), more than a month after preliminary findings were leaked from Washington, D.C. The September report indicated that HHS-OIG questioned $7.9 million of the U-M's overhead costs. After negotiations between ~he two parties, this amount was lowered to $1.9 million. The final report cites the $1.9 million as unallowable / unallocable General and Administrative (G&A) costs, with 0.3 percent of the total cost pool of $52 million concerning the U-M's indirect research cost rate. This amounts to $197,000 that was allocated to federal research activities that were, according to the report, unallowable, unallocable and unreasonable. U-M officials were relieved by the October findings. President James Duderstadt remarked, "We are pleased that the audit team has clarified the language from the draft report to indicate the lion's share of these items has already been handled in previous negotiations." Farris Womack, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, said, "While we do not agree with that figure [$197,000], we do concur that these costs be considered when negotiating future rates. We are quite willing to put these items on the table during our next negotiations with the Department of Health and Human Services in 1993." What "these items" are is unclear, as the report did Specify the inappropriate services.

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Walter Harrison, Executive Director "/~rvices? The final report says that the majority of the costs include activities of University Relations, agreed with Womack's statement. According to "that did not benefit organized research or provided only incidental benefit to Harrison, the process of negotiation with HHS-OIG is "not over yet," as it is still .. research." Many of these provided services repossible that the U-M will have to return lated more to public relations and stusome funds to the government. The U-M dent services. The preliminary report, and HHS-OIG still disagree over the issued in September, dted such expenses unallowable, unallocable and unreasonas computer equipment for administraable charges. But,as Womack stated, these tors and bus services and, of a more charges will be negotiated again next dubious nature, Martin Luther King Day year. speaker fees, such as those given to activBut, ifHHS-OIG did find $197,000 as ist Cesar Chavez, and for winter social unallowable under federal guidelines, activities of the Socially Active Latino why is it that no funds are being returned? Harrison said that this amount is "insignificant" relative to the total cost Please See Page 13 pool and that the auditors probably saw no need to ask for the money back. On the surface, the final report seems to be little more than a slap on the wrist for the UM. In the wake of the U-M and other university audits, some changes in fed4 eral guidelines that would affect the UM more severely are being considered. Revisions to Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, which states existing fund use guidelines, include a cap of 6 26 percent for G&A costs. Currently, the U-M G&A cost rate is 34.5 percent. Harrison explained that such changes, if fully implemented, could cost the U-M $8.5 million, even though this rate, like all others, is subject to negotiation. One final question remains in the aftermath of the audit: of the $197,000, which costs are associated with which

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New Traditions Deconstruction Self-Destructs

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Interview: Jeffrey Hart

Crusty's Corner

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October 23,1991

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW.

Serpent's Tooth

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We would like to congratulate MSA on its latest successful squandering of student money. With attendance figures like 4 and 2at some of the key Alcohol Awareness Week functions, we can easily criticize the $3,000 allocation made by MSA to the committee's $13,000 budget. Don't get us wrong, alcohol awareness speeches on Friday nights before home football games are all well and good - in Utah. We can't help but think of how the money could have been put to better use. We figure MSA could have bought approximately 150 kegs of quality beer and thrown a really huge party. But then again, MSA has never been responsi ve to student concerns. To put things in perspective, realize that MSA allocated $50 to the 1991-92 budget of its Academic Affairs Commission.

demonstrated her authoritarian streak in a Daily op-ed piece. "No, there are not likely to be any wi tnesses to Clarence Thomas' actions," she insisted. And, claiming to speak for half of America in addressing Anita Hill, she wrote that women "know in their gut what you have been going through when you worked with Clarence Thomas" (sic).One thing Madame Steiner did not say, but that we all know is true, is that SAP AC does not approach accusations of sexual . harassment here on campus with any sort of bias.

sentence about women with a lower case letter: "on the other side .. ." Not only does she establish a spatial opposition, but she herself relegates women to a smaller stature, with respectto language. In her effort to transcend her socializations, has she unconsciously revealed her private opinion that women are inferior to men? Does this shed light on her metaphors?

MICHIGAN REVIEW "The Established Text of the University of Michigart-We are the Canon"

The Campus Affairs Journal of the University of Michigan

We haven't heard the name Tracye Special Issue Editor.........Adam DeVore Matthews since the heyday of the nowEditor-in-Chief ............... Brian Jendryka defunct UCAR, but she's been attracting some attention recently with a group Executive Editor .......................... Jeff Muir Frau Steiner also invokes the that alleges the existence of police brutalunpardonable expression "working ity on campus. Her organization sponContributing Editor.. Karen S. Brinkman women" to designate another group sored a protest on Columbus Day, and Contributing Editor .........David J. Powell indeed the entire set of employed fe~e told the Daily why this is really, Contributing Editor...........5tacey Walker males - on behalf of whom she thanks really ironic: "Columbus Day represents Hill, a classification to which she rel- . . . ... racism and genocide ... There is a comPublisher............................Mark O. Stern Feminists constantly whine about how egates "all of,u~" intentionally employ-"" parison to be made between the idea of our evil, patriarchal sodetyunfairly views Production Editor....... ..........Jay McNeill ing a first-person pronoun, to include Columbus occu pying the new world and women in a polarized fashion: the infaherself. Her faux rJau5 is especially notethe police occupying the campus and Assistant Editor............Peter DaugavietiS mous virgin/ whore split. In total honworthy considering her repeated use of community - because there are so many esty, there is probably something to their the term "shame," most conspicuously police around that we do feel occupied." .. _, . Assistant Editor......................Corey Hill Assistant Editor........... Kishore jayabalan clai m, and the progressive 1990s ha ve no when she writes "The most shame should We suggest that Ms. Matthews occupy place for sexism. As a result, we must her time in other ways than suggesting be felt by those who set the stage for Music Editor .......... .................Chris Peters update the dichotomy to encompass an American Indians are criminals. others in power to ignore, dismiss ilnd Literary Editor................Adam Garagiola opposition that comes from the feminists deny any woman's charge of sexual MT<> Uitor............................ Doug Thiese harrassment." But does Steiner herself themselves: the warrior / pansy split. The social engineers demand that we dress Mike Casey, press secretary to Sen. Riegle, not often complain of being ignored? Staff women in combat boots and send them called our office on Oct 10 to gripe about When SAPAC stages an event that gets Eddi(' Arner, Chris Bair, Mike Beidler, a sentence in Jeff Muir's column on to the frontlines. Traditional gender roles, ignored, is she, as SAPAC' s coordinator, Andrew Bockelman, Ryan Boeskool, David Boettger, Mister Boffo, Kevin M. Bowen, Raymond Tanter's potential Senate bid. after all, area cultural construction. Meannot one who staged it? Might she not be, Michele Brogley, Mark Burnstein, Chris while, ungentlemanly behavior is dubbed Muir wrote that "Senator Riegle is curin fact, a "working woman" overGoutier, Joe Coletti, Brian Cook, Tim Darr, "sexual harassment" and equated with rently embroiled in a host of Savings and whelmed by feelings of shame, Keith Edwards, Athena Foley, Tony Ghecea, rape (it's called ·psychological rape" by Loan industry- related scandals," noting deconstructing her own words and unJohn Gnodtke, Jonathan R. Goodman, Chris Gutowski, Mike Hewitt, Nicholas Hoffman, the U-M' sSexual Assault Prevention and that Riegle was one of the infamous wittingly commenting on the futility of Aaron Hurst, Nate Jamison. Ken Johnston, Awareness Center). We suppose that in "Keating Five," and that Riegle has been her endeavor? Candy Keller, Beth Martin, Kirsten McCarrel, an ideal world, war would be waged in a theChainnanoftheSenateBankingComPeter Miskech. Bud Muncher, Crusty dvilized, polite manner-an atmosphere mittee since well before the S&L scandal Muncher, Bill Murley, Trixie Perkins, Hashim Rahman, Tracy Robinson, Mitch free from harassment and rudeness. But And why does she speak of Hill's "raisbroke. Casey demanded to know what Rohde, David Rothbart, Carnran Shafii, until we discover this battlefield utopia, "scandals" his boss was "currently eming the issue" of sexual harrassment? Is Michael Skinner, Dan Spillane, Jay Sprout. we're left with a bunch of silly contradicthere more than metaphor? Is she sugbroiled in," noting that the Senate "EthKenneth W. Staley, Perry Thompson. ~im tions. gesting that Hill's "raising" the issue is ics" Committee had already ruled on the Waldecker, Tony Woodlief. an attempt at phallic aggressivity in recase, and bragging that Riegle had introtaliation for Thomas' alleged behavior? duced "tough" S&L regulation legislaEditor-at-Large ..................John J. Miller Speaking of crazy femi-Nazis, resident And when comparing empowered men tion during his tenure as Banking ComEditor Emeritus ..... _ ..... _.Marc Selinger dictator of SAPAC Julie Steiner recently to disempowered women, she begins the mittee chair. Gosh, Mike, we're really, really sorry for printing those egregious The Michiglln Rt17iew is an independent, nonerrors about your meal-ticket. After all, profit, student-run journal at the University by Joe Martin the Senate "Ethics" of Michigan. We are not affiliated with any political party. Unsigned editorials represent ~~ ~=~~~i~.~/~~~~/~~~b~L:~~E~~~M~E~~~~~M:5:0~~~E~M~V~~~E~W~~~~L~O~V~~~~~-)~~~~,commit~~ .that the opinion of the editorial board. Signed COOKH.l b A NP ~AN \N ~ .. A N']:) ANYO t-JE W HO paragon on vIrtue articles represent the opinions of the author WI·N' LOONY D::l WINDOWS \5 A RE A L (URN - O FF g and justice, found and not necessarily those of the RelIi.ew. We SD/J.~ ~ f there to be only an welcome letters and articles and encourage !?ro~LE U VE comments about the journal and issues Co~TU? ij "appearance of imALONE. discussed in it. Our address is: propriety" on the part V'wAb ~: of Sen. Riegle. Heck, \'J CF£if the Senate "Ethics" Suite One 911 North University Avenue /WA..Rnu Committee says he's Ann Arbor, MI48109- 1265 not a sleaze-bag, (313) 662-1909 well, that' s good enough for us.

Mr. BotTo

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

October 23, 1991

RoyingPbotog rapher : ~' Why Do You Feel Doomed? by Adam DeVore and Adam Garaglola

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Jeffrey Miller, LSA Junior. Ifeel doomed because I'm 20 years old, and I feel I have

ClaudiaStokes,RCSenior.Ifeeldoomed because in the last y~ar I've taken eight classes with John J. Miller, editor-atlarge of the Michigan Review.

to alter my state before I deal with the world every day.

A text: I feel doomed because I've been deconstructed.

"'Shawn Chen, LSA Senior. Just look at me!

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Do you ... Oppose speech bans? Support the teaching of classic literature? Abhor the politicization of the classroom? Feel the U-M's leftists need to be challenged?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions,

support

The Michigan Review

I John Sullivan, LSAJunior. Basically because I can't think of a good answer and my friends are going to look at this and think I . m a knob. And maybe I'm doomed because I lackspontenaity of mind.

Kelly Fitzpatrick, LSA Senior. I really only feel doomed once a month. Otherwise, I'm fairly easygoing.

A Bastion of Hateful Conservative Ideas

With your tax-deductible donation of $20 or more, you'll receive a one-year subscription to the campus affairs journal of the University of Michigan. You'll read in-depth articles about the wasteful U-M bureaucracy, be the first to hear of First Amendment violations, and keep abreast of the forces working to erode traditional Western education. YES! I WOULD LIKE TO HELP! I'm sending my tax-deductibJe donation of:

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THE MICHIGAN REVIE~

From Suite One: Editorials

October 23, 1991

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The Oxymoronic Silliness of New Traditions Assume for a moment that Shakespeare had a sister named Betty. Assume also that she possess an equal or perhaps even greater insight into human nature and gift for the art of poetry than did her brother. Her lack of education, an early marriage, and the inability to achieve economic self-sufficiency in 16th century England would have prevented her from realizing her potential. For any writer to produce worthwhile material, he or she requires both money and time. Betty probably would never have written a play or even a sonnet. Such are the conclusions of Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, a long essay that asks why relatively few women occupy a place in the canon of English literature. For actual historical reasons, however unfortunate they might have been, women did not produce the same amount of ~terial as did men. Searching for the lost magnum opus of Betty Shakespeare is therefore futile. The University of Michigan's Department of English seems to have forgotten this uncomfortable and inconvenient fact, so eloquently put forth by Woolf. Although its current curriculum does not mandate the study of Shakespeare or Milt.on, it forces students to fulfill a "New Traditions" requirement. Laying aside the question of whether any member of the English faculty should have realized that the term itself is an oxymoron, New Traditions applies to any class in which the majority of the works studied were written by a person belonging to a traditionally under-represented group. More specifically, the works must have been written by women, by members of a non-white racial group, orin an English-speaking nation w~oseauthorshavenot often found a place within the carton, such as Australja'/tanada, and Jamaica. '" Justifications for this requirement's existence typically revolve around the goods of "diversity" and the evils of "exc\usion/' but the requirement itSelf is flawed in both context and content: the current English curriculum conta\ns too few necessary requirements, and New Traditions privileges the identity of an author over the quality of a text. The English department restructured its curriculum last Aprit eliminating the three required survey courses that provided a wide-ranging exposure to the best that has been thought and said in the language. The current curriculum requires some coursework in pre-1800 periods, but does not insist that students read any certain unavoidable texts. Admittedly, under the new system a student is unlikely to miss out on all of the greatest writers; a very good education can be acquired within the

department. The problem is that the department does not demand that students acquire a good education. One can graduate from the U-M with a degree in English and very little cultural literacy. Considering the enormous leniency granted to students under the new curriculum, the New Traditions requirement, appears particularly absurd. The logic that mandates a New Traditions class at the expense of even a single course devoted to the canon implicitly suggests that these new tradi tions are better than the old ones. Although the works of Betty Shakespeare might not belong to the canon, the works of the Bronte sisters, Marianne Moore, and Ralph Ellison already do, demonstrating that despite the previous exclusion of various groups for uncontrolable historical reasons, greatness will eventually gain admittance because quality is colorblind. The idea that quality is colorblind is another point the English department would like to question. The New Traditions requirement is largely an affirmative action program in scholarship. Instead of judging the merit of a text, it looks to the gender or race of the author. Affinnalive action {n the workplace, whatever its ethical and practicalconsequerices, atl~st:tecognizes the potential of an individual to perform at the level of competency n~e$Sat'y for a given job. Affirmative action in scholarship, h~wever, seems to forget tM.t.atext, once written, will not change over time; it might be approached in new ways through different theories and thus oscillate in critical estimation, but the text remains the text. The idea that promoting certain pieces of literature through New Traditions will improve the literature is flawed. The English canon has demonstrated its flexibility in the past: the 17th century poet John Donne entered the canon only after T.S. Eliot rediscovered him in the early 20th century; Emily Dickinson died before she was admitted. Scholars must constantly reexamine the language's body of literature in order to r.efine and solidify the canon. There is.no need, however, to force-feed second rate material to students who do not consume enough first rate literature. . None of this is to say that the U-M English department should not offer classes on slave narratives, the Harlem Renaissance, or Southern women writers. It simply means that New Traditions, as a requirement, fails to provide English majors with the education they should expect to receive from the U-M.

MSA Should Reform Office Allocations ,

The Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) appears to have once again botched the student group office allocation process. Last year, more groups applied for office space than there were offices to accommodate them. MSA's remedial proposals included the combining of student groups with inimical political views into a single office and the more radical suggestion that certain groups be ousted from their previously held offices for no apparent reason, save perhaps to satisfy certain MSA members' political agendas. This year, a student group called the Network for Equal Economic Development Service (N.E.E.D.) was denied an office in current Budget Priorities Committee chairman Andrew Kanfer's proposal for office space allocation. N.E.E.D., which boasts a membership of about 65, provides a variety of services to both the community and students, from sponsoring youth camps and mentor services to resume and jobfinding assistance. Most of the work involved in producing the proposal was performed by Colleen Tighe, MSA's paid office administrator. According to MSA, about 80 groups applied for about 70 offices. IndenyingN.E.E.D. an office, it was claimed thatthe group's work was directed at the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti community and not U-M students. During subsequent discussions, it became evident that there was much qlore to the denial of . office space than a failure to focus on students. Accusations of financial impropriety were raised, and Tighe claimed that she had never seen a student pick up the group's . mail in the MSA office, only the group's "advisor," Safiya Khalid, a U-M graduate. Tighe also claimed that Khalid was "rude" to her over the summer. Rather than being able to apply fixe<t objective criteria to determine the legitimacy of the groups claim to an office, MSA members were forced to consider largely unsubstantiated claims of questionable relevance. MSA finally allocated N.E.E.D. an office, but the underlying problem remained: MSA's rules for office allocation are

vague and too easily allow for political or personal factors to determine whether a student group receives an office. According to chapter 42, section 31 of the Compiled Code, MSA's procedural text, "MSA shall establish a committee to make recommendations for space allocations each year. The Chairperson of the BPC [Budget Priorities Cominittee] shall preside. The committee shall consist of MSA members and / or MSA employees." The bck of specific criteria for committee formation and for deciding which groups shall receive an office is evident. A less arbitrary allocations procedure could take account of various relevant factors to insure fair office allocations. Because some groups accumulate donors and corresponderits, it is important for them to maintain a constant address, lest they be difficult to reach. Similarly, groups that accumulate large amounts of informational resources or office supplies would be enormously burdened by a mandatory office change. Many groups, furthermore, require a high degree of privacy - especially those needing to safeguard expensive office equipment. But office space is notinfinite, and difficult choices must sometimes be made. In such cases, groups with conflicting political stances certainly ought not be directed to share anoffice; and when deciding which groups should occupy a private office, MSA ought to consider the-group' s vitality, in addition to its contribution to the environment on campus~ The Code should also more clearly define the allocations committee, perhaps requiring a certain minimum number of members. This year, for example, the BPC chair and Tighe were the entire committee. Additionally, the allocations propOsal presently need not receive MSA's approval; were a vote required, the proposal would be public record for one week prior to the vote, which would protect student groups from being killed in the dark.

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October 23, 1991

But Wait, There's Muir

THE MICHIGAN REVIE~

Feminist LogiclRearsits Ugly Head by Jeff Muir Due to last-minute developments at the Clarence Thomas confirrmition hearings, "sexual harassment" has been cast into the arena of public scrutiny. Underlying it all is the assertion made by many women that men "just don't understand" what sexual harassment is. Judging from what next pops out of their mouths, however, it appears that they would like to keep it that way. Women say that they cannot explicitly state what constitutes sexual harassment-as contrasted with what simply constitutes rudeness deserving a slap in the face-but by God, they know harassment when they experience it. Men are consequently left waiting for women to make up their minds, or at least offer some rigid guidelines. Unfortunately, the debate over what constitutes sexual harassment and how grave an offense it is seems to be framed in the typical form of radical, nonsensical, and emotional diatribes againstYOll guessed it-men. The cat-fight bctween Suprcme Court Associate Justice Thomas and his accuser, Law Professor Anita Hill, gave the public some great examples of the ilbsurd definitions often used to define :,0xual harassment. The most astonishing bit of definitional criteria employed by the Hill camp held that if a female subordinate has been subjected to "unwanted advances" by a male superior, then she was indeed the victim of harassment. Can you find the glaring error in this method? Come on men, it's important! As I see it, the problem lies in the fact that the act of harassment in this case is to be defined not by objective, predetermined criteria, but rather by the individual woman's perception of the man's actions. Let us judge this. standard by the following example. Suppose I tell Trixie, the Review's hot gal-Friday (oops, I mean administrative assistant), that her hair "looks nice today." Next suppose that I tum to Candy, the Review's sexy coffeegirl (er, I mean executive administrative assistant), and ask her 'Who has put pubic hair in my coffee?" By the standards of those seething feminists who would have had Justice Thomas castrated on Hill's word, the event that would determine whether or not my comments constituted sexual harassment would not be the essence of my actions, but rather how Trixie and Candy interpreted them. That is, I am guilty if Trixie took my comment as an "umvelcome advance ." On the other hand , if Candy thought my comment

poor beings under the thumb of "white male" oppression. Steiner explained that women simply "know in their gut" when sexual harassment has occurred, add ing, "No, there are not likely to be any witnesses to Clarence Thomas' actions; few sexual harassers are stupid enough to engage in this kind of behavior in front of an audience. But does that mean it didn't happen?" No, Ms. Steiner, the lack of a witness doesn't mean that "it" didn't happen. But the mere accusation doesn't mean I that "it" did happen, either. Steiner is clearly anything but objective-or impartial, if you likewhen considering the subject of malefemale interaction. Judging from the number of times Steiner uses the terms "men" and "shame" together in her letter, one gets the distinct feeling that she just doesn't like men; at the very least,sheseems to believe women to be inherently more trustworthy than men. She also seems to believe that sexual harassment is so hei/ "nous a crime that we ought not risk letting any perpetrators get away with itbetter to merely lock up or fire any man accused of such an act. Steiner completely ignores things that women do which may lead to either the incorrect perception of, or the actual Michigan Review executive editor Jeff Muir "working" with administrative event of, sexual harassment. For instance, assistants Trixie and Candy. why do women spend hours each morning getting all gussied up for work if they prove her, since the only criteria that chological rape" for precisely that reaare just going to sue their boss for merely would matter would depend upon the son. telling them they "look good?" woman's "feeling" or "reaction." Announcing a new psychological What of women who are indecisive Steiner'S dubious feminist logic discovery, Steiner claimed that "staring, as to whether or not a man's act was reared its ugly head again last week in an ... kissing noises, whistling, heavy brea threally sexual harassment (Perhaps that op-ed piece for the Michigan indignant ing or sly comments," on the part of a "gut feeling" isn't all its cracked up to Daily. Responding to the Thomas/Hill man towards a woman constituted "psydebatâ&#x201A;Ź, Steiner emotionally decried the chological rape." Unfortunately, Steiner Please See p. 15 sad plight of "working women," those failed to define any of these terms-which

was approprIate, my actions ought to be considered proper. I discussed this topic in a column last year ("Oh no, it's Psychological Rape!" March 6, 1991 ),and raised concerns about the increasing tendency toward defining crimes against women based on the perception of the woman and not the act in question. I took issue with Julie Steiner, Director of the U-M's Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC), over her use of the term "psy-

gives individual women the prerogative to decide what constitutes "psychological rape", rather than relying upon an impartial standard. In that article I was not advocating that men make kissing noises at their secretaries (a1 though I do advoca te w histling and heavy breathing). Rather I was bemoaning the fact that by Steiner's criteria any woman could claim that any man had "psychologically raped" her, and he would be hard-pressed to dis-

Letter to the Editor: Gay Housing movement. For example, here is one that I am troubled by two letters which I submitted a few weeks ago: have recently appeared in the Michigan Daily, regarding the issue of homosexuBrian Spolarich writes in the Sept. als in family housing. These letters have 27th Weekend section, regarding the orr implied that a majority of family housing portunity to express one's homosexualresidents favor opening family housing ity, "basically, if you are ever given the to homosexuals. I would suggest that opportunity to shove it down the straight nothing is further from the truth, and person's throat, you do." This is prethat a scientific poll of residents would cisely the sort of statement that makes it show that they are actually overwhelmeasy for me to oppose having homosexuingly opposed to having this 1% of the als as my family's neighbors in population move in. I am also concerned Northwood, and makes me wonder at that the Daily appears unwilling to print the real motives of some who so actively any letter to this effect-I know for a fact oppose ROTC on campus. I understand that they have received letters from residents of family housing who oppose this ' that homosexuals feel oppressed, but

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statements such as these, as well as tactics taken by groups such as ACT-UP, New Queer Agenda, and Queer Nation, have certainly done nothing to make me more sympathetic to their cause. Indeed, I am now much more opposed to homosexuals and homosexuality than before these aggressive tactics were undertaken. Spolarich concludes at the end of the article, "by being united and protesting we are doing something about the homophobia out there." He is certainly correct. Ronald A. DeLap

Engineering graduate student

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October 23, 1991

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Essay: The Limits of'Oeconstructive Logic

Deconstruction Self-Diestructs by Adam DeVore Sighing with satisfaction, you close your Greek tragedies anthology and pause for a moment to consider the themes you have explored. Are the morals advanced by the texts still relevant today, you wonder? Yes, you decide. You can easily imagine yourself erring as your favorite tragic heroes erred-and you resolve to avoid the excesses that destroyed them. The next morning in class, you are taken aback, and indeed mortified, by your professor's assertion that not only do the texts appear to promote evil hierarchical views, but that upon scrutiny, not even that much can be said for them: they are in fact meaningless. They can be deconstructed. But what is deconstruction ? Broadly speaking, literary deconstruction is a type of poststructuralist criticism that first appeared in France in the late 196Os, thanks to philosopher Jacques Derrida. Drawing upon a deep linguistic and semantic skepticism, and obeying the potent subjectivism such foundations entail, deconstructive cri ticism finds its deepest roots in the linguistic analysis of Ferdinand de Saussure. According to Saussure's turn-of-the-century analysis, languageisa system of "signs" that were, initially, arbitrarily fixed to the things they were intended to signify, but later became habitQally, socially, or customarily associated with their referents. The phoenemic distinction between "mouse" and "house" is arbitrary; there is nothing in the sound "mouse" that intrinsically conjures up the image of a rodent, nor is there anything inherent in the sound "house" that forces it to mean "domicile." By applying this view to the whole of language, Saussure concluded that language is a system of differences, and that the meaning of any particular term, or "sign," derives from how it differs from other phonemic clusters, or words. Thus one thinks "rodent" upon hearing "mouse" not because "mouse" carries a positive meaning, but because one did not hear "house," "louse," or some other word. Meaning, in this view, does not reside in the presence of something positive, but instead results from the absence of other signs, i.e. by noticing what the sign does not signify. Such an account of meaning opens the floodgates for ambiguity and instability in language: at what point does a short skirt qualify as a miniskirt, for instance, and when does a bottle cease to be a bottle and "become" a de-

canter? Though an infinite set of such questions or "grey zones" might be impossible to generate, examples abound; and thus the instability of individual term's meanings can be seen to permea te the whole oflanguage; and thus any text. Structuralism picked up where Saussure left off by applying this separation of "sign" and "thing signified" to entire texts and thereby question the text's meaning. The crucial step involved asserting that just as words were held to lack positive meaning, and had meaning only insofar as they differed from other words, so too a text lacks a positive, external meaning. Its meaning had to be completely internal; it could not refer to anything outside itself-<>nly to its internal web of patterns and structures. Poststructuralists adhere to this tra~. dition and take1'exts to be entirely selfreferential. The distinction between struc: turalists and posfstructuralists (including deconstructionists), however, is that whereas the former sought to discover structural, linguistic, metaphoricat or other sorts of patterns and parallels, the latter seek contradictions and oppositions in the text. These "contradictions" need not be incompatible factual claims; rather, incompatible metaphors suffice to provide a fatal gateway for deconstructive criticism. Indeed, any text becomes vulnerable to deconstruction, whether it be as complex as Paradise Lost or as simple as an argumentative essay. (In his interview on page 10, Dr. Jeffrey Hart borrows a noteworthy example regarding Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address from David Lehman's Signs of the Times .) Combining the notion of the instability of language with the searchfortextual contradictions leads deconstructionists to isolate hierarchical "binary oppositions" within texts, for instance: natural! unnatural,good/evil,literal/metaphoricat truth/fiction, appearance/reality, and so forth. Within a particular text, or even within a given culture (which can be interpreted) one of the components of the binary opposition is initially &.r.en as being "privileged" over the other, or as John R. Searle wrote in October 27, 1983' s New York Review of Books, "In such oppositions, the deconstructionist claims that the first, or left-hand term, is given a superior status over the right-hand term, which is regarded as 'a complication, a negation, a manifestation, or a disruption of the first"'. While an intuitive or inductive approach to textual analysis might lead one to believe that the author means some-

thing, or intends to make some point, by establishing an opposition and "privileging" one of the element&-forinstance, he may be commenting on some paradox or irony of life-deconstructionists seek to reveal that the contradictions in the language of the text actually dissolve the hierarchy, which was subjectively established in the first place. Consequently, it becomes impossible to determine the text's meaning, which is of course taken to be utterly removed from what the author might have been trying to assert (though this latter feature is. not.Wlique to deconstruction.) Deconstructionists often argue that the author is asserting something radically different f~m what )l.e appears to be asserting, or that the author is divided (as reflected by the various oppositions and texual contradictions) and that the text itself is highly problematical. Searle characterizes deconstruction . as "a set of textual strategies aimed ... at subverting logocentric tendencies," or the common tendency toward pursuing "truth, rationality, logic, and 'the word that characterizes the "Western philosophical tradition." According to deconstrutionists, hierarchical oppositions like those mentioned constitute the essence of logocentrism, and it is by dismantling these traditional opositions that one undermines logocentrism. The effect on the critic, clearly, is to bestow immense freedom with respect to interpreting a text. The act of interpretation requires the interpreter to apply, either consciously or unconsciously (or often both) some paradigm. Thus deconstructive criticism allows and even encourages the critic to impose some political or social philosophy as a means of interpretation; and while such an application of an external paradigm, or as Dr. Hart calls it, such an "assertion against the text," is often vividly political, it need not be: it may be psychoanalytic, for instance. Indeed, it is conceivable that the close examination« textual oppositions might beparticu1arly illuminating in certain cases, including the explication of thematically relevant paradoxes. A close reading (something deconstructive logic certainly encourages) of a character's soliloquoy might reveal that the character's profession of confidence is somehow couched in the language of worry, and that bit of exegesis might be invaluable to understanding a character's subsequent actions or failures. Yet this sort of analysis is barely deconstructive, for one would employ it to elucidate, not eradicate, a text's meanllf

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ing. But what about the instability of language?Doesthatfactorforceone toward the conclusion that all texts are problematic or incoherent? Only insofar as the move from Saussure's linguisics to Derrida's deconstruction is well grounded, and Searle provides ample reasons for doubting this assumption. Saussure held, as Searle writes, that "Language consists of a system of elements whose essential functioning depends on the differences between the elements of the system." It is because the phoneme "r'''s is distinct from the phoneme "c!' that one can distinguish the meaning of the sentence "The furry rat is on the mat," from "The furry cat is on the mat;" and that both "r" end "c" differ from lib" allows one to distinguish the preceding sentences from "The furry bat ison the mat." As Searle explains, Derrida errs in his Positions when he goes beyond Saussure: "The correct claim that the elements of the language only function as elements because of the differences they have from one another is converted into the false claim that the elements consist of" (Culler) or are "constituted on" (Derrida) the traces of these other e1ements ... Fromthefactthattheelements function the way that they do because of their relations to other elements, it simply does not follow that 'nothing, neither among the elements not within the system, is anywhere ever simply present or absent. There are only everywhere differences and traces of traces.'" An inspection of the preceding example sentences illustrates Searle' s point. One understands "The furry cat is on the mat," the way one does not merely because "rat" and "bat" are absent, but precisely because "eat" is present instead. Though volumes have been writen both for and against deconstruction, not all critics agree that it deserves so much attention. If we suppose its basic premise that texts are only self-referential is true, then deconstruction self-destructs, as Lehman and Hart observe. After all, the assertion that all texts are only self referential and refer to nothing outside the text," if true, could only refer to itself; it would apply to no external texts whatsoever. /I

Adam DeVore is a junior in philosophy and Spanish and the special issue editor of the Review.

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

October 23, 1991

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Essay: Traditional Criticism Defende~;

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An Inductive Approach to Literary Criticism by Adam Garaglola Probably ever since literature was first critically examined, a debate has, raged over the proper role and method~ ology of the critic. If we are to accept that the critic is more than just the middleman between artist and audience, an Entertainment Tonight sort of "1 give it four stars" critic, and is instead pursuing a legitimate field of study in interpreting and evaluating works of literature, then we must examine the critical methodology that gives the critic the authority to do this. It is my contention that much of the current methodology of criticism is in fact eroding the critic's credibility and undermining the integrity of criticism as an academic discipline. What weare seeing in many cases are attempts to impose an outside framework of premises and conceptions on the study literature. Marxist, feminist, Freudian, theological, and other "perspectives" are imposed on literature in attempt read a work solely in its relationship to a particular Weltanshauung. One of the great critics of his time, Northrop Frye, warns against this trend in his "Polemical Introduction" to the Anatomy ofCriticism: "Critical principals cannot be taken over readymade from theology, philosophy. politics, science, or any combination of these. In universities today, it is politics that has contributed most to the bastardization of tpe field. Ideologues of the left seek a revisionism which values works in accordance to their implicit embrace or rejection of the )Xtlitical principles they uphold. To believe a work is best interpreted in terms of such conceptions as the class struggle, the conflict between dominant/subordinate genders, or the work's )Xtrtrayl of the relationship between God and man is to limit the totality of experience that can be brought to bear in critically examining the work. If I may quote Frye again, lito subordinate criticism to an externally derived critical attitude is to exaggerate the val· ues in literature that can be related to the external source, what ever it is." When Frye writes of critics imposing a "religio-)Xtlitical color-filter," on the entire range of literature, a filter that "makes some poets leap to prominence and others to show upasdarkand faulty," it is easy to see that this observation is more strikingly true-today. Radicals who set themselves against the prevailing social order and its normative standards often refuse to recognize that the works of the Classical cannon, the "Great Books," if you will, have any value at all 1f

as literary works,sometimes going so far as to characterize them as merely propagandistic tools for perpetuating the status quo and oppressing the third world, etc. 0{ course, this trend is only part a more general ongoing politicization of academic discourse, but literature is in some ways more vu1nerable to being compromised. I say this because the careful reading of a piece of literary work is analogous to overhearing its, author, in that many of his views or ideas about life often become known to us through his work. So these outside elements, political views, religious beliefs, psychological characteristics, or whatever, are present in any literary work. It would be ridiculous to say that we should ignore the element of class struggle in Bertolt Brecht's plays, for ~ple; theexamina-' tion of such a,rtfujor motif is obviously..,. important to gaining an understanding of his work. But primary interest of the critic should be the literary function of such a motif. The objective is to take into account Brecht's Marxist themes when critically analyzing his work, which is different from evaluating it from a Marxist perspective. In one methodology, Marxism provides the critic with a window of understanding that helps him to analyze Brecht's plays; in the other, it becomes the basis of one's critical attitude. In short, things are apt too be carried too far. If a particular set of ideas, say feminism, for example, instead of being merely being incorporated into a critic's conceptional framework, is his conceptional framework, then the critic is no longer functioning as an evaluator of literature qua literature; instead he evaluates literature as a-mirror of society's treatment of women, a worthwhile pursuit perhaps, but an activity wholly different from that of criticisfn. Operating in such a way (more akin to sociology, perhaps) forces the critic to value some works and devalue others in relaqon to how well these imposed principles, whatever they may be, apply to any particular text. This is not to say that evaluation of a text from any or all of these standpoints cannot result in a useful, perhaps even enlightening analysis, but not one which will provide the reader with an insight into the significance of the text as a liter· ary work. Which leads to the question, how does the critic properly function as an evaluator of literature? Since literature is the object of the critic's observations, it follows that his operational principles must be derived

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from literature itself. More specifically, they must be applicable to a reader's experience of literature. Consider an ex· ample from the natural world: In observing the operation of gravity one is likely to COlne to the conclusion that objects fall toward the ground. By applying theprinciples of physics, one can explain the mechanics of how and why gravity func· tions, but this description is going to differ vastly in character from the experi· ence of seeing an apple suddenly falling from a tree. The literary critic is in the poSition of the would....be Newton in the example above. He. can, perhaps, "explain" the meaning of a work by introducing an o~tside conceptional framework (physics for our apple observer, t"eology, for instance, for our critic}, but in doing SO his description is Iikt;ly to be removed in relevance from a reader's experience of that work. Of primary importance then, is for the critic to articulate his experience of reading the text, and examine this expe;,.' rience in light of his knowledge of litera· ture as a whole. To put it more simply, the "rules" by which one plays the game of criticism evolve inductively,.because.. they are found to apply, not because they are forcibly applied to the process of interpretation. Frye offers valuable advice to the aspiring critic in the same vein: "The axioms and postulates of criticism ...have to grow out of the art it deals with. The first thing the literary critic has to do is make an inductive survey of his own field and let his critical principles shape th-emselves solely out of his knowledge of that field." If one accepts the premise that critical methodology evolves out of some set of characteristics present in literature itself, it follows that there is some degree of unity and commonality present within the whole range of literary experience. It is the critic's endeavor, then, to identify and use these elements in interpreting a work. If one does not accept this premise, then one must assume thattexts, authors, and even entire literary movements d~ velop independently o(one other. If that's the case, there can be no real study of literature as a thing unto itself, because texts would be significant only in their relationship to the social, political and personal experiences of the author. Such reasoning seems to me defeatist, not only because it denies the existence of a unify. ing, accumulated body of human experience, but also because it is prima facie untrue: the moral dilemmas faced by the characters of Greek tragedy, for example,

still strike a chord with the modern reader, even though today's SOCiety and culture bears no resemblance to that of Aeschylus and Sophocles. If this were not the case, why bother to study, say, 18th century French poetry, or German romanticism or late 19th century Russian novels; if such works really are only Significant in relation to their own era, then they would only be interesting to us in a historical sense. And yet, while a reader may know almost nothing about Russian history, he may find that War and Peace speaks to something contained in his own range of experiences. Jeffery Hartstatesthattheonlymethodologyofcriticismisintelligence, which is true to an extent, but a large part of the applying one's intelligence properly to the critical study of a particular work or ofliteratureas a whole is to recognize the empirical aspect of making such a study. Archetypes, allUsions, and recurrent themes all make upa part of any author's vocabulary of expression, and while such -elements can be formulaically classified easily enough, each author's work is unique, and so such elements are best interpreted by a critic who can recognize their significance in relation to their employment in the body of literature as a whole. To argue that a text is entirely self-referential is to ignore the whole range of influences and experiences of a partlcularauthor; rare indeed is the writer who develops entirely in a vacuum, and this is a fact that any responsible critic must recognize. The Greek classics, the Bible, and the tales of mythology and folklore have all left their impression upon the evolution of literature. In the process of critically analyzing a story, the critic must not only interpret the view of the world presented in the work, but also evaluate how the author's own body of know}edge and experience has affected his pr~ sentationofthis world view. This is done not by imposing a Marxist, feminist, or theological conceptual framework upon an author'S text, for these things, while they may not be without their own im· portance, are not primary in analyzing a work on the basis of its literary merit. Only by looking at a narrative from the standpoint of a thorough empirical knowledgeofliterature as a unified body of experience can we appreciate an author's text as a work of art, as opposed to merely a commentary on the author's time. If a critic chooses to ignore one or more of the ingredients which have made Please See Page 14

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October 23, 1991

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW.-

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Essay: The State of Poetry

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Where Have All The Poets Gone? by John J. Miller Relatively few people read poetry tcxiay. Fewer people read today's poetry, This is a fact, and not an opinion, even at universities. You will never see engineering students casually paging through the latest book by Donald Justiceor Richard Wilbur in their spare time. Rarely will you observe anybody other than a certain brand of humanities major attend a poetry reading on campus, At best, the people who appreciate poetry form a subculture in our society. At worst, nobody has even cared to notice that poetry is dead as a vital. form of literature. Several recent commentators have suggested that if poetry is not gone already, it is at least lying on its deathbed. On the pages of Commentary magazine, Joseph Epstein, a professor of English at Northwestern University, wrote an essay entitled "Who Killed Poetry?" and boldly declared "contemporary poetry in the United States flourishes in a vacuum," Poets often occupy teaching positions in various university creative writing programs, and this, he claims, cuts them off from society. They write poems primarily for other poets, and the profession itself is largely subsidized by taxpayers who have no appreciation for the art. In his view, the modem university has at least for the moment seriously wounded the art of poetry. Dana Gioia, l\l\ insurance salesman and poet, assumed a similar line of attack in the Atlantic. Hisargumentsoftenechoed those made by Epstein, but Gioia's position as himself a contemporary poet helped fuel his claims. An insular class, poets belong to an "intellectual ghetto," he wrote. They still maintain a certain cultural status and draw respect, but their influence on the wor:kaday existence of ordinary people is nil. "like priests in a town of agnostics, [poets] still command a certain residual prestige. But as individual artists they are almost invisible," he wrote. Gioia would like blame creative writing programs based at universities for this situation. The programs have in effeet created an "old boy" network of poets with no economic incentive to widen their audience beyond themselves. Major publications like the New York Times rarely bother to review poetry except for an occasional work by a major writer; within specialist poetry magazines, reviewers who are themselves poets usually flatter their subjects, who are often friends or colleagues. As might be expected, both Epstein'S

contemporary poets, the debate raised subsidize artwork. and Gioia's essays met with fierce resisby Epstein and Gioia is extremely healthy William Baer is an academic who tance from poets, especially those emfor contemporary poetry. It forces poets largely agrees with the criticisms put ployed by university creative writing to examine their art objectively and make forth by Epstein and Gioia. A professor programs. Commentary and the Atlantic them explain its importance. In light of of English at the University of Evansville were inundated with letters in respon~, the heavy subsidies poetry receives i and editor of and the arthrough creative writing programs at the Formalist, ticles opened universities, this isespedally important. >, a biannual up a debate ill When subsidies were controlled by E journal of that many powealthy aristoctats, poets often wrote ~ metrical poets felt was tributes to their benefactors. This obvit: etry, Baer asunnecessary. ~ serts' that ously appealed to the donors, and it "Those helped keep the system operational. In t::.:: Epstein ~ and articles were our society, however, paeans to thedemoGioia 'do:~ not one-sided. cratic process will not accomplish the : far go " The poetry same function. Poets should, in the very enough. ' being written least, be able to defend their craft to mem- ' today is quite bers of a taxpaying public that probably "Contempogood. It's too rarypoetry is cannot d ifferentiate between blank verse bad that this and,heroic couplets. The failure to effecreaBy in a is even an isstate of crisis. tively communicate has led to such consue," said the You seldom troversies as the furor over the public University of of Robert ,Mapplethorpe's porget on a bus funding Michigan's an associate proressor see somenographic photography. Poetry, of and Alice Fulton, English at the U-M and a poet. falls into something of a separate body reading course, an associate a book of contemporary verse," he said , .." da~s" than photography, but the fundaprofessor of English and a nationally reBaer attributes two chief factors to" mental issue remains, , nowned poet. the unpopularity of contemporary poGioia suggests that poets "need to ''Poetry is not appreciated excluetry: form and content, or morespecifiwrite about poetry more often, more cansivelyby people within universities," said didly, and more effectively." Fulton cally, free verse and politics. Fulton, who was named a MacArthur "Free verse has certainly attracted a agrees with him. Here, then, is some Fellow by the John D. and Catherine T. lot of writers, but that's because anybody common ground for two people with MacArthur Foundation this summer. The different aesthetic principles and differcan write the stuff," he said. "It's more Chicago-based foundation awarded her like prose. Though sometimes poetic, it's ent opinions about the quality of contema $250,000 five-year stipend in recognition of her work, which has appeared in porarypoetry. They could perhaps begin not poetry.", by evaluating the cUrrent state of affairs According to Baer, meter is the desuch magazines as the Atlantic, the New Republic, and the New Yorker. She has also in poetry -Gioia explaining exactly what fining element of poetry. Since free verse is bad about the art itself rather than the published three books, the most recent lacks meter, it should not be considered poetry except when a ratherloose definicircumstances surrounding it; Fulton being Powers of Congress. ''Nobody knows exactly who reads tion applies. could explain what make contemporary poetry, but it's not limited to just poets or poetry vital, or perhaps she could invoke Questions of form aside, the problem of subject matter remains. ''Many Samuel Johnson's method of determinan elite class," she said. "Of course, poets do read poetry, but that's no different people who would otherwise appreciate ing literary excellence: wait 100 years than musicians listening to music." poetry are uncomfortable with the themes and see what has withstood criti~l scruFulton says that she is not especially tiny. chosen by contemporary poets," said Baer. "The domination of liberal thinkIf the debate were to occur in a semiinterested in attaining widespread popupopular magazine with an intelligent lar appeal for her own work. Poets should ing in the academy has created a narrow not include popularity among their most readership, the Atlantic for instance, it range of interests that do not appeal to a important goals, she believes. would almost certainly benefit poetry, wide group of Americans." "If you want to reach a broad audiBear also notes several other factors regardless of its current condition. Perence, then you won't be a poet," she said. haps, as Baer suggests, our age has no which have led to the current situation. ''Poetry is not about numbers, it's beThe Tiseof television, for example, "would laureate. Or,as Fulton would contest, we tween you and the language. You hope have encouraged the decline in poetry have many valuable poets. Then again, to earn enough wages to survive, and regardless of quality The democratizaas Samuel Johnson might assert, our you're lucky if you get them." judgementshavecomeacentury too soon. ' tion of the arts has also played a role. Fulton views the recent institution"The attitude that everybody is or can be alization of poets in the academy as bena poet is harmful and creative writing eficial, for the university is a "sanctuary programs do not discourage bad writers John J. Miller isa senior in English and for the arts and a repository of culture." from continuing," he said. Finally, pereditor-at-Iarge of the Review. He knows Art has always been subsidized to some the difference between blank verse and haps we are simply experiencing a sort of degree. Members of the aristocracy once dead spot in the history of poetry. "There heroic couplets. provided this service, but now all levels are no Yeats or I:rosts alive today," said of government, as well as private organiBaer. zations like the MacArthur Foundation, Despite feelings of discomfort among ,II

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October 23, 1991

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Essay: Multiple Perspectives Enhance Learning

English 239 Quesflons Content of Canon by Tony Ghecea The University of Michigan's English department enacted a series of new requirements recently for students who wish to earn a Bachelor's degree in English. Dropping their traditional "core course requirements," the department opted for a more flexible set of required courses in such areas as "pre-1600" and "American literature." Included among these new requirements was an entirely new course, entitled "English 239: What is Literature?"', which investigates a number of debates currently at the heart of the study of literature. Two of the major areas of conflict in the field of English today involve the determination of the "canon," or the body of texts which ought to comprise w~t is accepted and taught as "literature," and the quarrel over how best to interpret the writings of various authors. By analyzing and comparing texts which have traditionally been accepted as "canonical" with newer texts, "What is Literature?" states the case for the nature of "literature" and its interpretation in the contemporary field of English. According to Jonathan Freedman, an associate professor of English and English 239 section leader, "Different works mean different things and are more or less worthwhile depending on how you look at them and who's doing the looking. We're trying to determine the value and meaning of works based on their social, historical, and cultural contexts." A number of authors , have recently criticized what they ~ as the "corrupting" of the traditional literary canon by uni versi ties. Academicians such as Allan Bloom and Dinesh D'Souza have a ttacked the admission of newer works by female and minority authors into the canon, claiming that the often biased nature of their work and the questionable value of the content of their texts does not merit their inclusion. Most "tiaditional"canonical scholars feel that only works which are generally accepted as "classics" deserve to be taught in the classroom, and that modem additions to the canon lack such a "time-tested" quality. Freedman acknowledges the fact that the canon is changing. but he is not so quick to label this as such a unique and terrible phenomenon: 'What we call literature is a body of work that is in constant flux . There has always been opposition to changes in what is commonly accepted as the 'literary canon,' but those changes have taken place anyway, and taken together they eventually shaped the canon into wh3t it is now.

and symbolism or the relation of litera"Eighty years ago the works of Longfellow, for example, were a staple in ture to its social and economic contexts. most English courses. You'd be hardCollectively these groups provide a compressed to find a class discussing him prehensive means of studying literature today. But that doesn't mean we have in terms of both the social contexts in which it is created and the cultural ideals completely discarded the old in favor of which it puts forth. All of this, of course, the new. The canon is the product of a cycle of change for the better, a modifyimplies that literary meaning is subjective, because it can mean different things ing of what we read according to what society needs to hear. We're not throwto different people at different times. ing out the old, but making room for the That's not to say that an author didn't have a purpose in writing something, or new, creating a body of literature that that that purpose isn't important. But we suits the needs of the English-speaking should realize that the value of Ii terature world of today." has a lot to do with its ability to commuAnother requirement recently instinicate a wide range of ideas to a wide tuted by the English department, known variety of people. The way we view what as the "New Traditions" requirement, we read depends on a lot more than just exemplifies the department's commitment to introduce students to some of the the \yords on the page, and the best way newer canonical additions. By offering a to stlJdy the full effect of a work is to look at it from more than just one angle," he variety of courses to satisfy the requirement, ranging from "Women in Victo~xplained. Freedman depicts U-M's Englishderian Literature" to ''.):lddish Literature in America," "New' traditions," in the partment as being composed of an "unusually diverse group of thoughtful and words of Freedman, ;.gives students a intelligent professors and graduate stuchance to explore an area of literature that they would probably otherwise never see. A lot of students would rather concen tra te on reading, say, works by popu1ar authors from 1945 through the present. 'New Traditions' exposes them to an altogether different facet of the literary U-M T-Shirts experience." "What is Literature" also addresses 2 for $14.00 the debate over how works of literature should be interpreted. A number of competing theories, ranging from deconstruction, which concentrates on finding ways to tum a text against itself and then interprets the lifeless remains, to reader-response theories like those of Stanley Fish, which emphasize the subjectivity of texts and the multiplicity of interpretations while down playing the importance of any of the author's original intentions, have been modified and merged in recent decades to form the present tenets of American literary criticism. According to Freedman, "Many of my contemporaries have pretty much left things like postructuralism and postmodernism behind, and deconstruction as such is really only still being practiced by about five people out on the West coast. There really isn't a name for what we have now, but again, the criticism being done centers on the context in which a work was done, as well as the context of the interpreter. "Many of us are interested in things such as feminist theories, Marxist interpretations, and other types of criticisms that concentrate on a certain quality of a work, be it gender-{)riented language

dents" whose valuable exchange of ideas and beliefs is leading the department in a "very productive direction." Headds that courses like 'What is Literature?" "provides a great forum for the discussion of these issues because they give students a chance to tackle important topics like the canon and criticism before they get to graduate school." Tony Ghecea is a junior in English and is cunently working his way through Professor Freedman's section of English

239.

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Interview

October 23, 1991

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Dartmouth Professor Discusses Theory On September 22,1991, Adam DeVore and John J. Miller of the Review interviewed Jdirey Hart Hart, a pro fessor of English at Dartmouth, is a senior editor at the National Review and a syndicated newspaper columnist. He has written many books, including Act of Recovery. A forthcoming text will be a collection of polictically incorrect jokes.

these. We have very few fascist assertions against the text. Deconstruction fits into this, quite obviously. It arose in Paris in the 19605, as part of a resurgent Marxismof the Sorbonne. There was a stud en t rebellion in 1968 that nearly succeeded but ultimately failed. The Sorbonne REVIEW: What is the purpose of litercriticssaidexplicitIy ary theory, and how does it contribute that having failed to to the relationship between the critic topple the French and the text? government, they would topple the HART: The idea of theory has several Western tradition. functions. Most neutrally, one always They attempted to tries to' justify any work one does in a do this through given area on some theoretical principle. deconstruction, In contemporary literary criticism, howwhich, by the way, ever, the function is to eleva te the cri tic or was not tak~M\tai-ly theoretician in importance over the work as seriously in Paris of art, poem, or novel. There are many as it has been in'fue reasons for this. One is that historically U.s.In France, itwas the New Criticism, represented by seen as a cafe de fois C1eanth Brooks, Robert Penn Warren, gras, with a bogus and soon, were extremely humble before epistemology. But the text, and viewed their role as expliwhen it hit Yale, it cating the text. Historically, again, I think began to be taken people got tired of looking at one more with the utmost seclose reading of Andrew Marvell or John . riousness. Many Donne, and wanted to do something else. people re-tooled So, the role of the critic changed in relatheir minds and betion to the text. The critic became the cam e dominant figure in relation to the text in deconstructionists. various ways-'-poIitical, epistemological, Paul De Man was the and otherwise'. bridge between continental thought and Anglo-Saxon thought-Anglo-Saxon REVIEW: What do you think has been meaning generally the English tradition. the effect of this inversion of the criticDe Man, it turned out to everyone's horto-text relationship? ror, was a Nazi in 1940. HART: Well, you get figures like Geoffrey

REVIEW: In the March 18, 1991 issue of

Deconstruction was not taken nearly as seriously in Paris as it has been in the U.5. - in France it was seen as a cafe defois gras, with a bogus epistemology. But when it hit Yale, it began to be taken with the utmost seriousness. Hartman or Stanley Fish asserting themthe National Review, you call selves against the primacy of the text. In deconstruction "the dominant mode of practice, this has political content in that criticism today." Has deconstruction the assertion is always-inevitably-l 00 firmly entrenched itself and become a percent left-wing. The assertion made . permanent influence in literary critiagainst the text is either Marxist, femicism? nist, anti-imperialist, anti-logocentric, anti-Eurocentric, or something akin to HART: No , I don't think that

deconstruction is deconstructionist choosing Tolstoy they are equally

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with us to stay. The has no rationale for over Alice Walker"texts." Nonetheless, people will read Tolstoy instead of Alice Walker, and so there is something independent of the deconstruction prograrnoperatinghere. What I'm suggesting is that the work of art has a vi tali ty tha t will prevail over any ideological distortion. I feel fairly nonangry about it. I thought of teaching a course which would put one established work of art alternating with a "fashion" work of a rt-f 0 II 0 wing Homer with Franz Fanon, for instance, and then seeing which one stands up.

REVIEW: You mentioned that deconstruction has certain epistemological weaknesses. Could you elaborate? HART: Deconstructionists assert two prindpal things. First, they claim the texts implode: they can find so-called "contradictions" in the text, so the text becomes highly problematical, if not meaningless. Second, they advance the categorical assertion that the text is only self-referential, that it refers only to its internal structures, which you can deconstruct. But these assertions are problematical. You can deconstruct the categorical assertion that a text is only selfreferential as follows: if all texts are only self-referential, then your assertion that a text is only self-referential is itself only self-referential and does not apply to any other text. So deconstruction selfdeconstructsand therefore self-destructs. The technique of searching out the contradictions can be dealt with on a common sense basis. For example, imagine you're reading along, "Four score and seven years ago ourfathers brought forth on this continent..." and so on. "Wait a minute," the deconstructionist says, '''brought forth' refers to giving birth,

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but fathers don't give birth. There is a contradiction in the text. Was Lincoln a closet feminist deconstructing his own words and saying that women were not given their proper role in sodety, and so on?" No. Lincoln was talking in Biblical terms about Father Abraham-he was well aware of his own name. REVIEW: New Historicism seems to be an up-and-coming trend. HART: It's all anti-literary. What they do is interpret Moby Dick as a paradigm of the Franklin Pierce presidency, claiming Ahab was the secretary of war, and that the book wasabouta rebellion against the trusts, or whatever. But why Moby Dick instead of a thousand other novels that could be read the same way? REVIEW: What sort of criticisms would you make of the other theories you mentioned, Marxism and feminism? _,r"-

HART: I don't think criticism is a science -it doesn't have a methodology except intelligence. Different works each require a differentappioach. It so happens that a bit of history of a bit of biography can illuminate something in a poem, but sometimes not. We know nothing about Homer; we have to do without biography. We do know something about the Mycenaean world and the common religious presuppositions of the time, and it's relevant to talk about those things. In some lyrics, however, external information is pretty much beside the point. When Ben Jonson writes a lyric like, "Underneath this stone doth lie all the beauty that can die," it's a perfect epitaph; it doesn't matter to whom it applies. It just doesn't matter. Different poems and different texts require different kinds of information and analysis. I think it is part of the critic's responsibility and judgement to select from among the most illuminating things that can be applied. Consider the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," which no one would confuse with Beethoven-you have to consider its history to assess its importance. The same holds true for Uncle Tom's Cabin. REVIEW: Have the Marxists and feminists completely overrun English departments, or is there a substantial rational, theoretically conservative movement in theory of criticism? HART: Sure there is. I'm optimistic that the theories we've discussed are a false direction in the academy. My tradition in

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criticism begins with Johnson and goes through Hazlitt, Matthew Arnold, and Trilling, who were not primMily academics. They see much important criticism, both literary and cultural, taking place outside the academy. The academy will have to respond to this, even economically. The enrollments are down in many trendy courses; feminist programs often have to be heavily subsidized. Traditionally at Dartmouth, if fewer than five students sign up for a course, it gets cancelled. But that standard has been set aside for some of these trendy coursesyou could hold them in a phone booth. REVIEW: Why is the m unber of English majors declining on the national level? HART: Well, I sometimes wait in the corridor before entering the classroom in which I'm going to teach, and I listen to the students coming out. I frequently hear one say, "Did you hear the crap that guy was talking in there?" They are saying, in effect, 'What is this? I'm paying $20,000 a year to hear what is self-evidently nonsense!" That's the way it's going.So I think the pendulum will swing back pretty quickly. REVIEW: Who do you see as being important contemporary critics? HART: I think one of the best is Joseph Epstein of Northwestern University. He's very productive, and his criticisms are first-rate. He's also a fantastic familiar essayist, in the tradition of Hazlitt or Montaigne, so he'd be on my list. In a more specialized way, Robert Hollander at Princeton excels in criticism of Dante, which he approaches not as a theorist, but as a highly info~ed reader, which is the way I think you should approach literature. REVIEW: What do you think is the essence, both political and intellectual, of multiculturalism? HART: Its respectable rationale is that the world has grown "smaller," and that the Pacific rim is very important to us, as important as, France, let's say. OK But, most immediately, it has arisen out of black desperation. Black performance educationally has been generally abysmal, as it has been in terms of family structure, crime ra te, infant mortaU ty rate, and so forth. So, many black educators, in desperation, are trying to create a mytrucblack past which they think, guess, or desperately hope, will give blacks a fulcrum-a "purchase"-on America. I don' t think the sophisticated black educators really believe it is going to work, but they can't come up with anything else. If you can't teach the multiplication table, then maybe you can teach that Columbus was black.

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

the scroll of time unfurls. One definition of a citizen is "someone able to recreate his culture, need be." !'msurethat Arnold and Johnson would agree with that. Dartmouth does not agree with that. There is no attempt to require a person to learn to be a citizen in that sense. The will seems to be in the opposite direction, to forget the presumptions of Western culture, or to make them optional, like a kind of smorgasboard of choices. But the very existence of the smorgasboard depends on Western culture. There is no smorgasboard in China; you can just study China. The eclectic character of Western culture is a great strength, but perhaps a weakness, too.

REVIEW: Is multiculturalism part'6'la larger tradition? Who or what is behind it? HAR T: One impulse of liberalism is selfannihilation; it has chosen many vehicles for this, such as Mao Tse-Tung and Castro, and similar leaders--or what they stand for. Isuppose mul ticul turalism is the latest form of self-hatred. I don't see any multiculturalism in my Asian students at Dartmouth. They want to learn physics, or they want to learn philosophy, or whatever they choose to study. They have all the Asian culture they want at home. They are at Dartmouth to do a job, and they want to become Americans, not Thai-Americans or Formosan-Americans. It is uniquely generated by the black segment of the population-not the whole black segment, but black intellectuals. They've invented this program.

REVIEW: What do you think is the best single work in the canon?

REVIEW: What course of study should one follow to be wdLeducated. ,:,.< , ,"

HART: I think probably the best single work in the Western tradition is Dante's Divine Comedy, both technically and philosop~ically . But you can't put aside the l/iad, the Odyssey, and other such works that are indespensable.

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HART: The curriculilr paradigm one should follow is Athens and Jerusalem, as those evolve independently, and then fuse with the univer<;illi,;t(~rppk do('trine of the Logos, which comes into the tlrst sentence of the Gospel according to St. John. The particularist entity of the Israelite culture then flows out via Greek philosophy into the Mediterranean world and becomes Western universalism, with Jesus conceived of as an emanation of the Logos. It's poetic that St. Paul in Acts actually speaks in the areophagus in Athens to Greeks. Paul was a Roman citizen, a Jew by birth, and philosophicaIly a Greek. So in the person of Paul we see all these strands come together-in Athens of all places-and then you get the unfurling of the Western tradition. One should study this dynamic tension between Jerusalem and Athens as it works its way out in philosophy and literature. I'd like students to have some clue about all that, rather than seeing them take highly specialized courses or a full menu of "Resentment One," "Intermediate Resentment," and "Advanced Studies in Resentment." REVIEW: Some have suggested that Western culture has so thoroughly permeated the fabric of society that it is almost senseless to speak of "rejecting" it and "replacing" it with Third World imports. Can we relax, then, and disregard the attacksof Afrocentrists and others who assail the canon? HART: Western cuItue is not a given; it has to be recreated all the time. And the only way to recreate it is to understand its presumptions and embody them as

Dr. Hart's Sample Politically Incorrect Joke! . Two policemen are walking their beat through a park, when they suddenly come upon a vagrant kindling a ground rue. 'That's lllegal! " one exclaims . "And look." says the other, "he's roasting a spotted owl! They' re a protected species ! You're going to jail. buddy" They handcuff him and escort him to the police station, where they detain him until the next day . In the morning, he appears in court, and the judge asks him if he set a ground fire. He admits he did , but explains that he did so to keep warm. "Alright," says the judge, "but what about the owl?" "Well. yom Honor." he replies . "I saw it fly into a window and break its neck. .I didn' t kill it, so 1 didn't break. the law." The judge lets him off with a stern warning, but after adjourning, he quietly asks the vargant, 'Tell me-I've always wondered-what does spotted owl taste like'?" "Well," replies the bum . ''I'd describe the flavor as somewhere between whooping crane and American bald alp " ea~"

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October 23, 1991

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW.

Essay: Being Judgemental Is No Sin

Relativism: Goo(j"; Bad, or Just Different? by Joe Coletti "It's all relative - we can't judge another culture by our standards" - or so say cultural relativists. Because ethical absolutes, or definitive moral truths, supposedly do not exist, the relativist claims that the act of "judging" another culture's practices or value system amounts to no more than expressing one's own arbitrary and emotional reaction to the thing "judged." Yet there are good reasons fpr thinking the theoretical basis of relativism is fatally flawed. Even if we take relativism seriously, it yields strikingly counter-intuitive and dangerous results. Earlier this year, I spent a semester abroad. My main objective was to learn about another culture: the good, the bad, and the "just different." By seeing what was good, I could apply the lessons learned to my life and community. By seeing what was bad, I could ensure that I would not be part of it here. By seeing what was "just different," I could gain a sense of the universality of the human condition. These lessons, and others, are missed by relativism. If there is nothing good to emulate in other countries, we might do equaIIy welI tolock ourselves away from the rest of the world, explaining, "We're happy with what we have; there are no objective, or even non-arbitrary, standards by which one can compare two cultures, so go away and leave us alone!" But, if no culture is better than any other one, why then do so many people choose to leave these places and come to the United States? AIe1we to imagine that they all just happen'to have the same baseless, unfounded tastes and preferences, or that there really is something more attractive aboutAInericansodetythan theonethey have chosen to abandon? In many countries things are not "just different." In Nepal, for example, people live without e1ectridty; water is not safe to drink unless boiled; and rats and cows share living space With families: basic concerns for human health are unmet. Throughout Africa, countries are in civil war. In the remains of the Soviet Union, people wait in line lines only to gaze upon empty shelves. Many nomadic societies practiced infanticide; various Middle-Eastern countries make "sexism" in the U.S. seem like the epitome of cordiality; ancient native Central American cultures practiced ritual human sacrifice; South Africa practices Aparthied; virulent anti-Semitism was temporarily a prominent feature of German culture; Italy under Mussolini, China under Mao, and Russia under Stalin were similarly

repressive; Indian culture supported a metaethical fact to the effect that what Some contestthisassertion, claiming caste system; Salem had its witch trials, cultures decide to practice is, ipso facto, that the diversity of religion that characSpain its Inquisition. Despite all of the right - and, ther is no reason to think terized the American colonies suggests degradations of human life, liberty, and this-cultural relativism becomes incoan underlying relativism. But such reaproperty throughout the world, cultural herent. Even when one considers two soning confounds the concepts of relarelativists would still have us believe seemingly irreconcilable practices, there tivism and toleration. The Zeitgeist in the is often an underlying unity. Suppose 1700s was perhaps best captured by Thothat there are no superior or inferior cultures, only different ones. that one culture encourages euthanasia, mas Jefferson, when he wrote, "Error Such relativism is at best naIve, and so thilt the deceased person's spirit will may be tolerated where reason is left free at worst, offensive and derogatory to be more vital in the afterlife, while anto combat it." The toleration of dissent in those who suffer under such poor condiother society thinks causing or perrnitno way implies that one must think every tions. These practices are all seen as wrong ting premature death is wrong, because person has captured a bit of the Truth in his opinion. by many people because they are cruel the person's soul is tarnished by any sort and inhumane. Yet according to the relaof suicide, passive or active. Both societThe same sense of absolutes extivist, all of these must be seen as equally ies seek to do what is best for the person. pressed in the Declaration of Indepenacceptable activities; there is no good or Even setting aside the theoretical dence is apparent in many other cultures evil inherent in the actions themselves. It question, there remains another hypocthroughout history. Murder is almost unirisy in which many relativists find themversally seen as evil, although special is only when put into the context of Westem culture that they appear wrong, culselves embroiled.Western culture is roucases have existed for punishing crimitural relativists assert, because of a ' tinely attacked by proponents of relativnals, or those who have wronged one's "Eurocentric" mind set. Every culturally J ism. They denounce those who oppose parents or lord. Suicide is also typically acceptable action is permiSSible, and even . S<H:alled "Third World Studies," sayafseen as evil. There are, of course, excep"right," in its native land. . firmative action is unjust, or do not eslions, such as the ancient Hindu custom But ,as-far as ethics IS conceI'Qed, pouse feminist or Afrocentric doctrines. of wife-burning or the Japanese warrior such a stance is incoherent. For an action They claim that Western culture is inhertradition of. ritual suicide (neither of to be good or'fight, there rr>l1c:;t hE' C:;()rr>P pnfl" "imperialist-racist-sexistwhich has been practiced in some timefact about the world in virtue of which heterosexist-speciesist," and assuch profanatics excluded). But in such cases, the the act is good or right. These facts, whatvides a biased, and therefore "infe~9r'!路~"路 victim is seen as in some way being incomplete as a person. Criminals have evertheymaybe,are"metaethical" facts. perspective from which to judge olners. Incontrast,normativeethicalstatements Although their claim is by no means shown their inability to live within the bounds of society as have those who did prescribe how one ought to act. To affirm obviously true, let us assume it is true in that being charitable, for example, is good, order to see the paradox their view eninjustice to one's family. The wife in anone must suppose that there is some tails. On the one hand, many who call for cient India was incomplete without her metaethical fact to the effect that helping a radical revision of the traditional canon husband; the Japanese warrior who had the underpriviledged is good, and , base their demand upon the dishonored himself or his lord through a that this fact implies the normative , ;~t, premise that we cannot judge other serious indiscretion or inability to per. , ' .. ; t.;. cultures as better or worse than form an action could only find redempethical dictate that one ought to be charitable. (l will not argue for a , ' -. (i, ours; but they also claim that it tion in death. In some societies, also, particular set of objective ethical f~ . 路 would be good and desirable to euthanasia is practiced so that in the facts, since my present project is to ,! ' i change traditional culture and the afterlife, the essence of the person is able >~.' 1~. " ..... ,.... cano~.SinceWest.erncul~reisthe toenjoyeternit~~orethanifhehaddied reveal .relat.ivism's incoherence, \~ and thiS wIll not depend upon i }.~~ I donunantculturemAInenca,howof natural conditions. which metaethical facts we decide' , ,; : \ ' : ::,:~ ever, there can be po principled A basic principle remains: doing are true.) . ~\ reason to change it. By the fundawhat is best for the person. Whett-er one . mental tenet of cultural relativism, measures what is best for the person in Now, the cultural relativist terms of longevity, preserving the vitalclaims that two contradictory acWestern culture cannot be worse, tions can both be right, simply because only different. So the call for change eiity of the soul, or maintaining honor is they occur in different cultures. But then ther implicitly denies relativism, by supbut a footnote to the overarching printhere must be contradictory metaethical posing there exists some final, true, and ciple. That is an absolute. It is a standard facts, e.g. that torture is both right and absolute standard of judgement, or it that transcends culture and provides a wrong; that slavery is just and unjust; amounts to an emotional call for change principled incentive to continue the that human sacrifice is both for its own sake-in which case it can be search for truth, i.e. which set of actions unperrnissable murder and demanded no more justifiable than a call for preare in fact the right or best ones. serving the status quo for its own sake. The incentive to change has an effect: by the gods; and so on. That cultures disagree over the answer to the factual Withoutabso1utes, or atthe very least the migration of people. Cultures and question, "What is the best way to deal a way to compare the good and the bad, nations can come into existence in full with a dying elder?" only demonstrates there can be no incentive to change and bloom or grow over time: witness Israel in 1947, or post-war Germany and Jathat there is disagreement over a factual improve. The United States was founded question; it does not demonstrate that on the theory that there are absolutes or pan. Cultures can also deteriorate and both opinions are equally well thought"self-evident" truths "that all men are ... become bankrupt: witness the mass emiout. The observation that different culendowed by their Creator with certain gration of "boat people" from Vietnam tures' practices disagree does not prove inalienable rights;" these being life, libor Cuba. People in these countries did that both are equally right. erty,and the pursuit of happiness-or as not have their needs met by the systems Plense See Page 18 . Unless we assume that there is a originally intended, property.

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

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rts: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Doin' the Time War"p, Like Never Before Jay Sprout You can't say you don't want todo it, mse thereisalwaysa reason why this ~ it will be better than the time before. j under no circumstances should you nit you have never done it, because l will lose face with all your friends. :l when you do finally do it - that is, ~n you attend the Rocky Horror Pic! Show - remember that the cui t you about to join sacrifices virgins. But, if any consolation, be advised that The vet Darkness Review, theregularperrung cast at Movies at Briarwood, kes its sacrifices into a fonnal affair. "We pull the virgins up in front and ryone sings Happy Birthday," Ken )smo" Cassidy, the cast's choreogra!r explained. "We have red balloons !d with confetti symbolizing cherries t we pop over their heads during the Ig. We give them their official deginizahon cards which bear Richard 3rian's sealsof approval and send them their happy way." Across the country, every weekend, 'ple get dressed up and pay hardned cash to participate in this mad·s and pretend they are decadent ex~errestrials. It is escapism at its most nplete. I don't worry about living in Ann )Or. )'11 eventually graduate. I don't rry about censorship or Political Corloess. President Bush is livin' large, i the Democrats aren't known for :ky Balboa comebaoks anyway. The ~ky Horror phenomenon, however, ;!brated it's fifteenth anniversary with L>riginal film cast reunion and conven:1 in New York last summer. That scares

~embers

phone. There they meet the owner of said and The Show incorporates the live act and t-shirt giveaways on WIQB, there will also be a costume contest emceed by castle, Frank N. Furter, atransvesti te with even before the movie begins. We take Michael Hen, the Michigan representaan undetermined doctorate. Dr. Furter the characters from Rocky and put them in a different situations altogether." tive for the Rocky Horror Fan Ciub:Prizes seduces them both after showing off his will be supplied by Stairway To Heaven. (-'-;) Midnight (a.k.a. newest creation, an "." Most of the "pre-movie" part of The , ,t( !, \ Columbia) Blessing, anatomically perfect ,~, ~1r~ ~~" the cast manager, Show is being kept secret except for inblond male named 'j~N, Rocky. After he breaks f - "tentional '1eaks," for instance that itwill ) told of another ininclude songs by Alice Cooper, My Life several hearts and \stance where someWith the Thrill Kill Kuit, andMichael cooks and eats an exhadtobepolitely corrected. "I went up girlfriend's ex-boyJackson. The Halloween show will take place friend (played by rock \' the aisle to get a drink i of water and some on October 26 at Movies at Briarwood; singer MeatLoaf), his The Show will begin at 11:00 p.m. incestuous wait-staff, , , ',~""" guy said "Why don't you guys just sit down and get on with rebels and kills him. They then fly the the show?" I said This is the f-ing show, castle back to the planet Transsexual in Jay Sprout is a LS&A freshman who if you don't like it, leave and go to the galaxy Transyvania. delights in experiencing file sublime on Lakeside." Believe it or not, the sequel is even a daily basis, and a staff writer for the worse. Fortunately, it is not the movie I arrived late, during "Greased lightReview. ening". They went on to do their act for you pay for, but rather people like those "Boy From New York City" by The Manin The Vel vet Darkness Review who give hattan Transfer.The skit involved a street you your money's wqph( btnn being in love with a girl who only The Velvet Darkness Review is a has eyes for a yuppie stud. During the unique Gypsy-like sector,of a much larger course of the song, the bum's fairy godfacult. In the single year this particular live ther transforms him into a leather-clad cast has been together, they have made ladies' man, and he gets his girl. quite a name for themselves. They are Watching them in Rocky-mode, and regularly invited to perform at other thetrying to avoid the stares of the dozensof aters around the state and in Ohio. Members of the cast explained that masks on every wall did nothing to ea!if my nerves. Then someone threw in a they used to rehearse at the manager's Continued From Page 1 . different tape and the opening chords of apartment complex on the tennis courts The Time Warp blared from the ampliuntil people began ripping up the asfier. I got goose bumps and shivers went activities of the Socially Active Latino phalt and throwing it at them. Students Association (SALSA). up my spine as I had flashbacks of the A primc!ry reason for the groups' Yet it remains unclear which of these times I had been forced to attend the success is Henri Price's appearance as activities are related to federal research, movie. Brad Majors, the male lead. Visitors from I remember the first time, I went; I or count as G&A costs. Harrison said that as far as Texas have stopped in Ann came home with welts all over my body HHS-OIG did not specify which activiArbor to see him perform while they ties were included in the $197,000, as the from rice hurled at super--sonic speed, were in town. Even having been involved negotiations dealt only with the actual and it seemed that I spontaneously exwith the show for over ten years, Cassidy dollar amounts and indirect cost rates, uded bread crumbs for days afterwards. still testifies that Price is the "best Brad" rather than the activities themselves. Theater owners have since disallowed While the U-M did not suffer the fate the throwing 9f any items, including rice, of Stanford University, where the presitoast, water, and meatloaf. dent was forced to resign, it is evident In the past the Velvet Darkness Rethat the U-M's repu,tation did suffer. view has gone out of their way to be Many important questions still remain. noticed by the masses who haven't yet Will the bureaucracy at the U-M ever be dared to attend. During the Art Fair this held accountable for its actions? Will the past summer, they handed out fliers in U-M spend money tha t is designated for costume. research on such matters in the future, "The Art Fair was Henri's idea," said rather than building a "diverse and Henri Price, "Henri is a brilliant man." multicultural" community? The answer, It's good to know fame and prestige have he has ever seen. for now, is very doubtful. swelled his head. I was apprehensive, but I accepted Their sights are set even higher for an invitation from Price, a swimming this Halloween. "We have a major fan instructor for physically and mentally ishore Jayabalan is a senior in ecoover at WIQB by the name of Kelli impaired students by day, to attend a omics and political science and an asWright," Cassidy said, "She's seen Rocky rehearsal for the "pre-show." I was repriistant editor of the Review. Horror over 360 times. WIQB will be manded and sternly directed not to call broadcasting live from the theater lobby it tha t. before and during the show and another "The is no movie and no pre-show," will be hosting the show itself." Cassiday explained, "it's just The Show, Along with ticket, bumper sticker

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Fiscal Scandal

of the cast explained that they Ised to rehearse at the manager's apartment :omplex on the tennis courts until people )egan ripping up the asphalt and throwing it It them. If it were based on a religion, or even hilosophy, Icould handle it; but itisall sed on what is perhaps the most stupid )vie of all time. The plot, as it originated in Richard Brian's play They Came From Denton gh, involves two young people named ad Majors and Janet Weiss. On their Iy home from a wedding, they get lost the rain and stop at a castle to use the

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

14 ,"~1

U-M Hosts Literacy ConfiN-ence Continued From Page 1 contributions to our knowledge of the best means of instilling literacy in young students, the abstract nature of her comments suggests the absence of any solid link between Cazden's work in the lab and the teacher in the classroom. Cazden' s efforts to find some hybrid method between the "Graves" and "genre" a~ proaches are certainly admirable, but in order to be of any real use, her conclu-

These observations of course led Wagner into a brief discuSSion of whether literacy is necessary, or if its "necessity" depends on one's culture. He also questioned whether some cultures, namely those of powerful, developed countries like the United Stat~s, intentionally try to keep "other" cultures (i.e. those of third world countries) in an illiterate darkness, and whether literacy is any more important to a developed society than an "oral tradition," which privileges the ver-

easy to get caught up in the arguments surrounding topics such as "gender-biasedliterature," the inadequacy of the literary canon, and the like, all of which are themselves important issues~ But when these tangential arguments begin to impede all progress on the issue at hand, the goal of establishing universal literacy often gets lost in the resulting educational cacophony. With his suffocating concern for such a wide variety of side--debates, Wagner clearly proved his analogy correct -the fight for literacy is certainly not a crusade, for one cannot fight a war by facing a.field full of ideological obstacles. The lastspeaker,Joan Best Friedberg, represented a group which has successfully avoided the theoretical quagmire addressed by Cazden and the ideolOgical concerns voiced by Wagner. As a founding member of "Beginning with /' Books," a Pittsburgh group which gives ;/' underprivileged youngsters a chance to )'''' read and be read to at an early age, bal communication of ideas over normal Friedberg has put her ideas into practice written fonns. Wagner ended his speech while her colleagues continue to qqibble with the comment that the fight for lit- over literacy theory in lechlre1Ullls and eracy is not a crusade, as many people small experimental settings. believe, but rather a group expedition "Beginning with Books" functions into linguistic theory. on the principle that children who are Wagner indeed presented the quest read to from an early age stand a signifito banish illiteracy as a "linguistic expe- cantly better chance of becoming literate dition," a battle bogged down by super- through subsequent independent efforts fluous debates about "cultural misinfor- at reading than do children whose parmation" and a self-defeating search for ents have neither the time nor.he inclina"oral alternatives" to literacy itself. What- tion to read to them. By handing out ever merit these side--discussions may books covering a wide range of racial possess, they are of little or no value to and ethnic backgrounds, and organiZing the literacy debate as a whole. Academ- reading sessions between parents and ics like Wagner may find such issues children, Friedberg's program attempts politically stimulating, but they really to give inner-city children a chance to only serve to cloud the debate. It is very embrace reading. To complement these

Wagner indeed presented the quest to banish illiteracy as a I/linguistic expedition," a battle bogged down by superfluous debates about 1/cuI tural misinformation," and a self-i defeating search for "oral alternatives", to literacy itself. .. "",ÂŤ

sions must reach the teachers for whom they are meant. Daniel Wagner, a professor of education from the University of Pennsylvania, dealt more directly with the problem of worldwide illiteracy in summarizing his paper, "Literacy Acquisition across the Life Spans and across Cultures." Wagner compared a woman he mN in Morocco to his young son, both of whom are illiterate, but both of whom possess sufficient means of simple communication. H~pointed out that his son, given a relatively literate environment, was practically destined to become literate, while the Moroccan woman, bereft of any such environment, â&#x20AC;˘wasâ&#x20AC;˘ virtually doomed to remain illiterate.

TradItIonal Crit,.c,.sm

efforts, "Beginning with Books" also offers programs for illiterate adults, who cannot read to their children but have a desire to learn. As for the success of the program, il) the words of one parent, "This is the first time my child has gotten the chance to hear a child's story, and even more, a ~tory about someone of her own race. The only thing she ever hears about is how blacks on TV are involved in crimes. Thisprogramgivesherachance to see what most people like her are really like." We obviously have a long way to go in the fight to eliminate illiteracy. As some members of the audience observed after the panelists' summaries, there is a definite need to strengthen and clarify the connection between research done by people such as Courtney Cazden and the practices of those teachers who must fight the literacy battle on its figurative front lines. It is also clear that we won't make ~uch progress until we find some way to leave our rapidly expanding but relatively unimportant body of political literacy concerns behind. In the meantime, we must look to Joan Friedberg and "Beginning with Books" as an inspirational vanguard in the battle against illiteracy. Tony Ghecea is a junior in English, and yes, he knows where Mauritania and Burkina Faso are located.

Q: How many deconstructionists does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: We can never know, because II

they.are tum It. divided on which way to

Continued from Page 7 literature what it is, then he cannot claim to be an objective evaluator of any literary work. For example, if I choose to disregard the work of John Donne, because I'm an atheist and therefore have a personal dislike of his subject matter (God) and his use of religious imagery, then I am doing the study of literature a great disservice. Donne's work is still read and appreciated today, and it would be absurd to claim that there is no good reason for an enduring interest in his work. It is the solemn duty of the critic to put such feelings aside, to adapt a paradigm such as this: the existence of God is a convention of John Donne's writings,

and whether I (or Donne, for that matter) really believe(d) in God is irrelevant; Donne's religious imagery should be examined objectively in ifs relationship to archetypal imagery derived from the Bible, to allusions to earlier "religious" literature, and so on. To carry such a rejection of traditional influences to its extreme is to see the state of much of criticism today. The "Great Books" are derided as the racist, sexist, jingoistic, elitist products of dead white males, of no value to any "revolutionary" conception of the study of literature. Now, some or all of the Great Books may be some or all of these things,

but they are also a lot more. The secret society of white male hegenomists did not lock themselves in a second rate conference room at a Holiday Inn one night and decide which books deserved to be called "Great." Works are recognized as great because they carry, in addition to whatever societal shortCOmings we read into them from a modem perspective, a message, theme, or conflict that still speaks significantly to the human condition, regardless of the displacement caused by the passage time and the discontinuity of culture. The critic's authoritative voice derives from a recognition of the essentially

evolutionary and continuitious character of literature, and from analyzing literature from within this evolutionary framework. Fundamentally, there are only two real questions a critic must ask: What makes something a good (important, relevant, thought provoking, et.al.) story, and why does the author present his ideas the way he does? The rest is history- or SOciology, or political economy, or whatever, but it is not literary criticism. Adam Garagiola is a junior in creative writing and comparative literature, and is the literary editor of the Review.

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)ctober 23. 1991

_ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ THE MICHIGAN REVIEW._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 15

Sports: A Tribute to a Legendary Announc~r '"

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Meeeeeeeeeechigan's Ufer Remembered Iy Jay McNeill This coming Saturday will be a very pedal day in the hearts of all Michigan 00tbaII fans across this great land, but he occasion will not necessarily be a )yous one. Ten years ago, October 26, 981, marked the dea th oflong-time foot.all broadcaster Bob Ufer, who yelled nd hollered his way through 364 straight Vol verine contests spanning 37 years dore cancer caught up with him. Perhaps no one before or after him xemplified thespiritof the University of Jichigan quite like Ufer. Football fans in ~ast Lansing and Columbus loathed the nan, because he may well have been the nost partial and biased sports broadaster in history. He was loud, cocky, .rash, annoyi ng, and abrasi ve to all those .utside the Michigan family. But to those rtside, he was a victor and he was valmt. It was his voice, oh that voice, which nade him so famous in the Great Lakes ;tate. The voice that cracked and sputered through each Wolverine game, and arely made it through the fourth quar~rs of dose games, the voice that still auses fans to buy cassette tapes of his road casts and listen to games played ver 20 years ago. It was the hom from General George 'atton's jeep that he blew after WolverIe touchdowns, fieldgoals, and extraoints. It was his famous "M ee€eCeechigan" hrase which he used in honor of the reat Fielding H. Yost's southern drawl rhenever the football team did someling that characterized everything that 'ost stood for. It was his "U ferisms," such as calling Ie Michigan State team the "Jolly Green ;iants/' renaming Purdue's home Laughayette" instead of Lafayette, and aIling former Ohio State coach Woody layes "Dr. Strange Hayes." Or his

Jg/y Logic Continued From p. 5 e ... )?The statute of limitations for filing sexual harassment claim is 180 days. 'et Steiner seemed to be adamant in her lsistence that Hill, who was, after all, an dministrator in the field of employee ,arassmentpolicy,had the right to accuse nomas, without proof, nearly 10 years fter the alleged act. Even considering all f this, Steiner went so far as to believe IiIl over Thomas. For shame! What about women who either imagie or wish for their boss to express a exual interest in them, as was suggested f Prof. Hili? What are men to do when :lese women become venomous upon -

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classic,"I've got maize and blue spots in front of me right now." It was how he would suddenly pull away from a barn-burner in the fourth quarter to philosophize about how great the entire concept of college football was by saying something like,"Isn't this what college football is all about? That's why I'm where I am, you're where you are, and aren't you just loving the devil out of it? Goshdarnit, this is great!" It was his ability to instantly recall Michigan games and individual plays that occured sometimes as far as 30 years before, remembering such minute things as the yards gained an the play, and who blocked for whom. It was the fact tha t he was a Michigan Man from head to toe whose whole life seemingly revolved around the Wolverines. Around here, he once put it,''You learn that football>iS.fr~ligion and Saturday is the holy day of obligation." But above all that;ft was the incredible manner in which words naturally flew from his mouth, as ifhe w",." ,",,,,..., do so. He was perhaps one of just a handful of broadcasters to make listening to the game on the radio more exciting than watching on TV. In September of 1976, former President Gerald R. Ford came to Ann Arbor and asked Ufer to act as the master of ceremonies during a pep rail y in Crisler Arena. This is wha t he had to say: You know, they'll run 'em through the core, they'll run 'em through the core of all Michigan activities both on and off this campus, a certain intangible thing. We call it the great Michigan spirit. Maybe you can relate to it if I tell you it's that atmosphere that permeates that stadium out there every Saturday afternoon in the fall, when over a 100,000 fans patiently wait toseewhether Bo Schembechler is gonna continue his winning ways. You know what 1 mean. You can feel the excitement, the tension, the charisma,

that surrounds that stadium every Saturday afternoon. Especially, especially 10 to 14 minutes before kick--off, when a hush settles over that stadium, and we all anxiously wait for that simple four-word command to emanateout of the P.A. system. I can hear it now: Band take the field! And out of that eastern tunnel pour 215 well-drilled, well-disciplined Michigan bandsmen. They pour over the eastern sideline, they form the big block 'M', and they play the greatest college fight song ever written: The Michigan Victors! That's when the chills go up and down your ~ne, you get goosepimples all over, your blood turns maize and blue, and everybody out there becomes part of the winningest tradition in the history of Big Ten football, as well as the winningest tradition in the history of Big ten athletics! But his true talent was calling the play-by-play and often, Vfer became so ~xcited during the heat of the action, that he hoarsely bellowed some of his classic unplanned lines. For example, during the 1972 game against Michigan State, r:il ('hl:-'~~" thE' "Jersey Jet" created this memorable call: There's the end-around this time to Gil Chapman. He gets a block, he's at the midfield stripe! To the 45, the 40, the 35, the 25, the20, the15, 10,5,4,3,2, I! Gil ChapmanLi Gil Chapman on the end-around! All the way down this sideline! Would you believe that he rambled 58 yards?! Oh, we've lost our voices, but who cares? ! Gil Chapman is gonna keep that pigskin for posterity. He's bringing it back upfield. He's not gonna tum it over to anybody but Mrs. Chapman, his dear little mother. And Michigan really wants to thank Mrs. Chapman for the birth of her son! On the rare occasion that V-M actually lost a game, Vfer did not even come close to hiding his feelings. His call of a last-second loss to Ohio State in 1974: Seventy million people on TV, 88,000 here, and you and 1. And it's going to be srw;med. It's snapped, it's spotted, it's kicked,

it's end-over-end, and it is, it is, it is goodNO GOOD! NO GOOD! Oh, no, No, no, no. No, no. 1 can't believe we missed that fieldgoal. And 1 just hurt in every ounce of my body ... Bu t perha ps Ufer's grea tes t call came fittingly on what will be forever known as "the greatest play in the history of Michigan football." The year was 1979, and U-M was playing it's Homecoming game against Indiana. With the score tied at 21, and six seconds remaining, came this unbelievable play: Okay. Under center is Wrangler, at the 45. He goes back looking for a receiver. He throws downfield to Carter. Carter has it! Carter is AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! CARTER'S SCORED, BY GOD, CARTER'S SCORED ... LOOK AT THOSE WOLVERINES. 95 WOLVERINES ARE GOING INTO THE ENDZONE ... UFER IS GOING OUT OF HIS MIND. I HAVE UEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN ALL MY 40YEARS OF COVERING MICHIGAN FOOTBALL. ANTHONY (ARTEK THE HUMAN TORPEDO, CAUGHT THE PASS. BO SCHEMBECHLER IS LOOKING UP,HE'S LOOKING UP TO FIELDING H. YOST IN FOOTBALL'S VALHALLA AND BO SCHEMBECHLER SAYS THANK YOU, FIELDING YOST. THANK YOU,FIELDING YOST FOR THAT ONE. LOOK AT THE CROWD. YOU CANNOT BELIEVE IT. MEEEEECHIGAN THROWS A 45YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS. JOHNNY WRANGLER TO ANTHONY CARTER WILL BE HEARD UNTIL ANOTHER 100 YEARS OF MlCHIGAN FOOTBALL IS PLAYED. So will you, Bob.

discovering that their desires have been spumed? Should these women have free licence to accuse their superiors of harassment and be held to no objective standard of proof in support of their allegations? I think not. It is unfortunate that the very nature of sexual harassment in the work place makes it a difficult charge for a subordina te woman to prove. Were there a credible methodology for determining whether a woman's superior or coworker had harassed her, including plausible criteria defining "harassment," we could begin to take women like Steiner seriously. But the fact that we presently lack such a methodology does not mean

that we ought to simply throw out the concept of "innocent until proven guil ty." It is even more unfortunate, moreover, that radical feminist man-haters like Steiner are exploiting Prof. Hill's case to further their own vindictive agenda. As long as administra tors like Steiner continue to make blatantly sexist policy statements such as the "psychological rape" theory and her "gut feeling" standard of proof, the men of this campus are in danger. To be safe, I suggest all sensitive and self-interested men follow these rules: 1) Never, ever, compliment a woman, no matter how good she may look. Insults, however, may be spewed freely.

2) Never anger a female co-worker. Be servile and submissive in the presence of your female underlings. 3) Carry a tape recorder with you at all times, and make sure you have it running whenever in the presence of women. Remember, you must save all of your tapes for at least 10 years (even though this is over 20 times the statute of limitations in these cases), so that you may prove your innocence in the event that you fail to stick to the first two rules, which are totally contradictory, anyway.

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Jay McNeill is a sophomore in LSA and the Production Editor for the Review.

Jeff Muir is a senior in general studies and an executive editor for the Review.

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16 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ THE MICHIGAN REVIE~

Satire: Confrontations on the Diag' .

October 23; 1991

\,1"

Take A Walk on the Diag Side! by Ryan Boeskool

After a thrilling discussion of Marxism in my sociology class, it was time to return to the real world and attend my poly sci class. On the way through the Fishbowl I was confronted by a scrubby guy who looked like he had just returned from a three-week hunting vacation. Wearing a sweet flannel shirt, brown corduroys and ten-year-<>ld Reeboks, he asked, "Interested in revolutionary politics?" "Not if I have to dress like that," I replied, and proceeded out the door. As I approached the center of the Diag, yet another Sears reject asked me about revolutionary politics. I was beginning to wonder if this was some rabid pro-gun hunting lobbyist group intent on wearing orange hats. I was all for that. "Sure," I said. To my surprise, he started spewing this stuff about socialism. ''Nice philosophy, but I wouldn't want to live there," I said, and resumed my trek to West Engineering for poly sci. Still en route, I encountered a bleeding heart activist asking me if I would give to one of those infamous "affirmative action" (read: white males need not apply) scholarship funds. "Any spare change would do." I almost ran to the . nearest ATM machine to pull out my savings, when a thought hit me: where were the "only white males need apply" scholarships when I needed them, and how could present injustice really make up for pilISt injustice, anyway? After all, my dad' ~ triple mortgage on the house was no pirnic, and the only scholarship I could wrangle was an obscure little grocery-store-sponsored one. I had to beat ' out two junior college hopefuls for it. The rest of the scholarships through my high school were for black Muslim handicapped bisexuals with partly American Indian ances,try. As politely as I could, I said, "Sorry, I gave in high school." I had some time before class, so I took a seat on a bench and surveyed the scene. It was an extremely busy day on the Diag. Charities, student groups, preachers and clubs were out in full force creating a philanthropical net that virtually no passerby could avoid. After watching these people accost students for a while, it occured to me that most students don't know how to handle these people. Most are content to try to simply walk around them. They suck in their breath, look away, speed up their pace and hope the ranting speaker will sct upon another victim. One poor girl burst into tears and started running away from a coupon distributor. Such frenzied terror is really quite unnecessary.

What needs to be understood is that there is a certain way to deal with these people, a 1eaflet distributor etiquette' if you will. First off, it is poor etiquette to squint your eyes, clasp your hands over your ears and run away screamin& '1 don't see you! I don't hear you!" You only succeed in making a spectacle of yourself. It is also inappropriate to practice the foot sweep that you just learned at yourTae Kwon-Do lesson at the CCRB. What you is a positive outlook on these social leeches. Think of your encounters with them as chances to improve your public relations and sharpen up your keen wit. Case #1: :somebody wants you to give to a "worthy cause." Let's assume it is in fact worthy. Don't bother trying to walk around these UNICEF wanna-bees. Ifit'san Clgttessive parasite, aU it needs is a glaneein its direction and it'll do anything short of following you to your next class, si tting down beside you and insisting that you justify your callous indifference to its particular worthy cause. At the very least, point toanothercharity~ker and whimper "But I just gave to that guy!" Not only does this strategy get you by, but it also promotes competitiveness. If you get the charity case from Hell that tries to make you feel bad, pay him the same favor back, replying, "Instead of drinking that coffee you could be feeding fifty children in Bimbawasby for a month." Don't feel bad; yell, liMy father just went bankrupt and I'm being pulled out of school. Leave me alone or I'll follow you around campus, no rnatterwhere you go to beg, just so I can compete with you and cut your profits in halÂŁ!" They love it when you do stuff like that. If they make you feel so bad that you just have to give them somethin& give them your Canadian currency. Canadian money doesn't fit in Coke machines, and when you leave it as a tip at Denny's the waitress remembers you and spits in your food the next time you visit. Case #2; Somebody wants to give you a flyer notifying you of his group's worthy event. (Instead of burdening the general public with their flyers, they should put up a banner like the rest of the world.) Nonetheless, go ahead and take this wonderful handout, since there are so many fun things to do with it afterwards. AIwaysbegin by asking for twenty or thirty copies; there is a good reason, but even if there weren't, the profound befudd lement it brings on is truly singular. Now, if you are fortunate enough to get a small stack, immediately begin howling-more loudly, and, of course,

need

infinitely more obnoxiously than the original spokesman-that he's a liar and an imposter, and that you are the true representative of worthy event ,;(,{Z. Supposing you can't get more than one, though, take it anyway in order to play "football" with it. As soon as you take the "hike," "hand off" the paper to the next person you see. Or, if you're bold enough, after you take it, start laughing really hard. That really gets 'em. lf it's a coupon distributor, just take the coupon and drop it on the ground a few yards away. Don't throw it into the nearest trashcan: who'll see it there? If we all litter the Diag with flyers and coupons, environmental groups will be sure to prohibit these distributors and well all be much happier. On second thought, use the competing-spokesman strategy for couponbooks, and save the accept-and-ditch technique for all the Earth Day propaganda you'll get-then the Ecofreaks will regulate themsely.~_' into oblivion along with ever;,()QP<p1se.

Case #3: How should one handle the aforementioned" Are you interested in revolutionary politics?" guys? Here's what to do: grab your hair, bug your eyes out, and scream, "Yes I am- I want to rule Bulgaria and have Loni Anderson as my sex kitten!" If it doesn't Scare them off, they'll be impressed, since they didn't think of it first. So do be careful what you say to them, as you might start a new political revolution of which you'll be the leader. If acting is not your forte, then simply respond, with calm, collected confidence, "No, but I am interested in Au thoritarianism", as you proceed to spray the suspected revolutionary with liberal doses of mace. It was time for poly sci, so I made my way acros the Diag to West Engineering. Just when I thought I had left all the living sponges behind me, one more annoying leech appeared.l took his flyer; it read, "Save the Democratic Party!" Ryan Boeskool is a freshman in LSA and a staff writer for the Review.

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October 23, 1991

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Arts: Book Review

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How and Why Literature Died The Death of Literature Alvin Kernan Yale University Press Hardcover, $22.50 230 pgs.

by John J. Miller With the advent of Gutenberg's printing press, first Europe and then the rest of the world experienced i1 paradigm shift: a predominantly oral culture transformed into a print culture, and the attendant changes created a profoundly different world. The ease with which one could print material gave birth to the Renaissance, a time in which old ideas were rediscovered and new ones conceived. Censorship became increasingly uneconomic and a new class of professional writers arose. All of this helped literature in rather obvious ways. But the nature of literature changed and demanded that people ask a fundamental question: what is literature? This is a more difficult question than it appears. Li terature a voids a precise definition, and even generalized descr~ptions can prove troublesome. From 18th century Neoclassicism, in which literature served a didactic purpose, to 19th century Romanticism, in whichaestheticfeatures justified literature' sexistence, ideas surrounding the nature of this written art form have remained in a state of constant flux. Alvin Kernan, a professor of English at Princeton University, suggests that the' la te 20th centu ry is experiencing another paradigm shift as it moves from a print culture to an electronic culture. The shift has already deeply influenced our society, and will continue to do so in ways that we cannot yet comprehend. Common sense says that therepercussions for literature could be devastating, but Kernan intends not to bemoan the death of literature so much as determine its causes. Thus, he takes a somewhat disinterested approach in devising his thesis: "The death of literature looks like the twilight of the gods to conservatives or the fall of the Bastille of high culture to radicals, but my argument is, to put it simply, that we are watching the complex transformations of a social institution in a time of radical political, technological, and social change." One element that has long marked literature is marginalization by the society it inhabits. It never takes the center stage of public policy debates, and one need not be familiar with Hamlet in the same way one needs to be familiar with traffic laws in order to survive in the

19905. Literature lacks the immediacy of politics and the authority of philosophy, and can easily be discarded as frivolous and unimportant. College students who want to major in English (and their numbers are declining on the national level) understand this all too well. They often have difficulty justifying their academic decision to parents who understandably do not want to purchase an expensive degree for a child who, four years later, will lack the skills necessary for successfulcom~

tion in today's world. Kernan out-' lines the historical context of these contemporary facts, and issues an autopsy: literature died partly from suicide, partly from assault. The Romantics unofficially encoded litera ture' s suicidal tendency by emphasizing sensibility over knowledge and feeling over rationality. The Romantic hero was viewed in opposition to the rising middle-class and the industrial age. This created an interesting irony, for the success of literature, "forgetful always of its technological foundations," was itself "a cultural development of a machine, the printing press." This suicidal impulse, however unconscious it may have been, revealed itself in paradoxical fashion at the moment literature attempted to become institutionalized in colleges and universities. Although few people realize that vernacular literature has been a formal subject of study for less than l00years, its institutionalization caused a great stir at Oxford just before the tum of the century. Opponents of the proposal, and there were many, demanded definitions and explanations. What is the difference between linguisties and literature? Will this new field, in the words of history professor Edward Augustus Freeman, produce "mere chatter about Shelleyr' After several years of debate, literature was finally made a formal part of the curriculum, and its place has not since been questioned. The points raised by Professor Freeman and others were never addressed to everybody'S satisfaction, and even today the study of literature lacks a specific, unassailable methodol-

ogy. Kernan shows how this has led to a great deal of legal confusion over such issues as the censorship of D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterly's Lover and Hustler magazine. Neither artists nor critics seem capable of so much as providing an objective analysis of what constitutes an art form. Public debates that somehow involve art soon resemble self-satire and ultimately doom literature, and indeed all art, to the social periphery. This continuing controversy most recently received widespread attention in the National Endowment for the Arts/Robert Mapplethorpe scandal. Attempts at definition have often done more to confuse the matter than explain it. Many modem literary theorists, who, one would think, could increase literature's popular reputation, have actually cheered its death. As poststructuralist critics assert that no difference exists between a scrap of advertising copy and Paradise Lost, they demolish the Western canon and any sense that some' pieces of literature are more worthwhile than others. Deconstructionists, who form a subgroup of poststructuralists, go so far as to claim that we cannot even determine the meaning of any given text. Although deconstruction appears to be waning in popularity, poststructuralists as a whole are flourishing. "Give away, lose, or discredit [the great texts] and literature is out of business," Kernan sternly warns. In humanities departments across the country, which unfortunately value ideology more than knowledge, "literature has been emptied out in the service of social and political causes that are considered more important than the texts themselves, to which the texts are, in fact, only means to a greater end." The second attack upon literature comes from without, and involves the seemingly unstoppable force of technological advancement. As the effortless activity of watching television becOmes the dominant mode of information gathering, the more demanding method of reading has been displaced. This represents a new way of seeing and interpret-

ing the world, the triumph of "image and sound over the printed word." literature might find a niche in this brave new world, but only one significantly reduced from even a marginal sta tus. It will avoid neglect and once again achieve marginalization "only when some new way, plausible and positive, is voiced to claim for the traditional literary works a place of some importance and usefulness in individual life and for society as a whole." And so Kernan concludes his book with a superficially optimistic statement, but one that demands new questions: where do we look for this new way and listen for this voice? And perhaps more importantly, will we find it?

John J. Miller is. a senior in English and editor-at-large of the Review.

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Essay: MarxWatch Response

October 23,1991

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Communism is the Solutioll, Say Maoists Editor'5 Note: In the September 5 issue of the Review, we challenged the Revolutiorulry

Workers' League to answer several daunting questions, the gist of which was essentially, "How dare you advocate communism in this day and age?" By early October, we had not received a response, so we introduced Marrwatch and extended the offer to respond to various other communist organiZiltions, including the Maoist Internatiorull Movement (MIM). The following is the text of MIM's response-thefirstand only we have received to date. We leave it to you, the reader, to evaluate MIM's analysis. The Maoist International Movement (MIM) welcomes the opportunity to reply to the questions put forward in the Oct. 9 issue of the Michigan Review. We are glad to see the Review following MIM' s lead in its decision to distribu te the views of its political opponents. Of course, there is a deep animosity between MIM and the Michigan Review, as there should be. MIM works to bring freedom arid equality to all people, and to cnd the power of all people over other people. While we consider the Review a parasitic newspaper whose main purpose is to advance reactionary ideology in the name of the privileged few, we have always appreciated the coverage the newspaper has given us. For example, when you respond to our flyer demanding the end of profit-making from selling women's \xxiies withacallous joke about selling wdmen's bodies "at cost" 00/9/ 91, p. 2), we think you help women understand who is really on their side. Ukewise, MIM is glad to try to answer your questions about the Soviet Union. Although we disagree with the premises of your questions, they raise important issues which communists today must confront head on. REVIEW: Citizens of the Soviet Union have had more experience with hardline communism than any other group of people on the planet. Since they have soundly rejected that horrid system in their own country, how dare you work for its implemantation in the United States? MIM: From this question it

appears you mean that the Soviet people have recentlyperhaps as recently as this August-rejected commu nism. While we agrce that communism has been rejected in the USSR, it was not rejected by the people, and it was not in 1989 or 1991.

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Socialism in the USSR suffered its worst defeat at the hands of the Khrushchev clique in the 195Os. At that time, the socialist course toward communism was definitively reversed, although it had been ailing well before that. Socialism suffered a defeat at the hands of a resurgent capitalist class within the Communist Party itself. To understand this, it is important to dispel a popular myth about socialism and property. State ownership of industry does not equal socialism. The essential component of private property is control, especially legal control. So state capitalists-running state enterprises and collectives-had much of the control ovEs' their enterprises that capitalists do here, They hired and fired at will, they platmed accordl~g-tb' the demands of the .fro fit system; and amassed great hoards of wealth from,ti1e toil of their wage slaves. State ownership under these conditions is no more than a technicality. This is a capitalist system in everything but name. Not only does MIM dare to struggle for socialism in the United States, we also eagerly await the time when we will be prepared to con tribute to the struggle for the return of socialism in the USSR. We might just as easily ask how Amerikans dare to struggle for capitalism and imperialist domination after those have been "soundly rejected" by the majority of the world's population-from Albania toVietnam to China to Peru. REVIEW: Why would a bureaucracy of statist, leftist Americans be any more effective than those hard-linersresponsible for the Soviet Disunion's present state of backwardness?

closest to realization in China's Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), is expressed as a system based on the principle of "from each according to ability, to each according to need." The "hard-liners" in the USSR have run their society for 35 years upon the principles of exploitation and profit at home, and imperialist aggression abroad. Working people in the USSR, even before August, 1991, were exploited-the surplus they produced was exploited - the surplus they produced they produced was ex. propria ted as profits. Tha tis why the rich got richer and the poor became more poor. This is not socialism, and it is not a system run by communists. Thatsaid,the"hard-liners" -theruling class in the state-<:apitalist systemdid permit unofficial markets to stimulate the economy. State capitalism was and isat a great disadvantage compared to the advanced imperialist countri~. , .. The great industrial advances of.ttfe socialist period in the USSR stalled under the bureaucratic, backward, moneygrubbing ruling class which stole power from the people. The pitiful attempts of the state capitalist system to get ahead-the Soviet government on its hands and knees before the International Monetary Fundare equalled only by the suffering they impose upon the working people in the USSR and in the dependent colonies of the former Soviet empire. REVIEW: Why are the shelves in state stores barren, while private producers have commodities in abundance? MIM: Why are the shelves in Kroger full

MIM: It wouldn't.

R.EVIEW: If free market competitiion is so disastrous and evil, why do the hardest of the hard-liners permit rampant black <read: free) markets? Is it not because, without them, their economies would be in even more desperate shape? MIM: These people called "hard-liners"

today in the Soviet Union are not communists. This is not some puritanical, hair-splitting question of defining terms. It's a simple truth. Socialism, most simply, is a political-economic system based on the principle of "from each according to ability, to each according to work." Communism, whi~h has come

while millions of people go without health care in Amerika? Whilemillionsof people starve in capitalist-<lominated countries every year? The crisis in the state capitalist world was and is a class struggle. The primary actors in that struggle were the bureauera tic bourgeoisie (the "hard-liners") and newer, ascending class of smaller capitalists whose development was hindered by the control over the economy held by the bureaucratic bourgeoisie, who still held state power until recently. The rebellious capitalist class was on the way up for years. They did not control the commanding heights of the economy, but they were able to build power and gain wealth through their control over state enterprises and various private firm? that were allowed. As

the old state capitalists slipped from power, the "private" producers had more stuff to put on their shelves. This question is a lot like asking: "How can you say capitalism is a success when so many businesses fail every year, so many people are drug-addicted and unemployed, the whole Amerikan nation lives off the suffering of billions of Third World people?" The success or failure of socialism can only be measured insofar as it improves over capitalism. Its successes are records of vast improvement. Its failures present lessons to be learned. Socialists ended starvation in Russia in 1917 and ended World War I. Socialism developed the Soviet Union and saved the world from fascism in World War II. The Bolsheviks' economic policies of the late 1920s, which eliminated markets, meant the Soviet Union was untouched by the Great Depression. The people of the Soviet Union have solved a lot of capitalist-<:aused problems, only to find themselves facing yet another crisis of capitalism in 1991. P.S. : MIM has not asked to review an edited copy of this letter. For complete originals, send SASE to MIM, P.O. Box 3576, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3576

Relativism From Page 12 in place and got rid of them. The same thing was done in the Philippines, inLatiI) America, and in many other countries. In these countries, people do see the existence of good and bad in different cultures. They have a sense of absolutes. .These people, like the abolitionists almost 150 years ago, realize that there are standards that extend beyond the narrow borders of culture. Even many of those who repeat the mantra of cultural relativism - "It's not good, it's not bad, it's just different" - do not adhere to its more direct, but less appealing reformulation, "What is simply is, and by its very existence shows its right to exist and itsequality with everything else." That wife-burning, slavery, and human sacrifice are no longer practiced attests to the fallaciousness of relativism. And that themetaethical assumption of relativism requires contradictory facts to obtain-that it requires contradictions to exist-attests to its incoherence. Joe Coletti is a junior in Asian studies, and a staff writer for the Revil?W. Adam DeVore contributed to this essay .

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" THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

October 23, 1991

Arts: Music Review

Freaking Out Over Cakewalk House of Freaks cakewalk Giant Records by John J. Miller House of Freaks first earned a reputation for novelty, but they have since proved their high-quality musicianship. As a two-man band hailing from Richmond, Virginia, this piece of rock and roll Americana delivers a hard shot of Southern angst. They build irresistible songs upon the framework of Brian Harvey's ringing vocals and flaring guitar and Johnny Hott's "scrap metal" percussion, which features not only drums, but garbage can lids, oil drums, and beer bottles. The eccentric duo is perhaps even more notable for a Southern Gothic lyricism in the tradition of Flannery O'Connor. Cakewalk more closely resembles the 1989 EP, All My Friends, and its downhome feel than itdoesthe band's first two releases. Studio out-takes fill the dead . pots tha t n(,nT'I ;:J llv r0m f' tv'twcen songs: here we get phone calls, yawns, and sna tches of vocals and instruments. This offhand attitude transfers onto several tunes, such as "Hymn," an instrumental with lots of rhythmic chatter, and the

bluesy "Magpie Wing," which was recorded on the porch of Hott' s farmhouse. The one song that best captures the the revised Freaks is "I Got Happy." The lyrics make constant reference to songs from the band's first three albums, apparently retracting dark, pessimistic declarations with an addendum: "but I got happy." Cakewalk is not fu 11 of cheer, however. A cer~ tain sense irony accompanies the "1 Got Happy," de}..'''tking the idea that a superficial optimism can resolve life's difficulties. Near song's end, Harvey sings "I saw my father in the grave/But some-

lover with expectations that are perhaps too great, it features a haunting organ at the song's blaring crescendo. "My House" constructs a similar atmosphere, and Harvey solemnly sings "Everything that mattered doesn't matter anymore." Tracks like "Rocking Chair," "1 Confess," and "This is It" recall previous Freaks rockers, but all three of the Freaks' releases have sounded somewhat different from each other. Cakewalk marks a departure from the combined earlier work in that it contains a great variety of influences and genres. This might not be the band's best overall effort, but it does include some of its best material. House of Freaks puts on a tremendous live show, and they played in Pontiac with School of Fish earlier this month. Let's hope that they soon swing through Ann Arbor on their own.

thing went wrong/'Cause now I'm happy."

John J. Miller is a senior in English and editor-at-Iarge of the Review. "

"A Good Man" is one of Cakewalk's " highlights. A slow, brooding ballad to a

Prince and N.P.G.'s New Power Soul \

Prince and the New Power Generation Diamonds and Pearls Paisley ParklWamer Bros. Records by Dave Powell First came 1970s-style synth-popthen gorgeous ballads - enter the funk - add a few riffs - and, faster than you can say "sh'boogie bop," a star was born: /lMynameisPrinceand I've come to play with you." Next, a psychedelic "experiment," followed by an uneven foray into neoclasSicism, a half-baked batch of funkrock, some pretentious pop, and, finally, some more unfinished funk. Toss in two less than spectacular screen performances, an annoying obsession with some nebulous sex-based spirituality, and a star had fallen. Enter Michael Bland and Rosie Gaines, whose big, funky drums and gospelized vocals respectively, promise to hasten the second coming of Prince Rogers Nelson. Together, Bland and Gaines comprise 1/4 of the New Power

Generation (NPG), His Royal Badness' - to officially reinstate the term baddest, funkiest band to date. The result is the 13-song Diamonds and Pearls disc, easily the most band-oriented record in Prince's esteemed career, which, by the way, already spans three decades. "Thunder," which belongs thematically to 1988's underrated Lovesexy disc, is the album's opening track. With its myriad of stops and starts, "Thunder" sounds like a more muscular "Lemon Crush," from 1989's Batman soundtrack. "Thunder" is one of those roof-raising stylistic hybrids we've come to expect from Prince. Next, "Daddy Pop" ushers in the New Power Generation. Sonny T.'s steady-thumping bass keeps time while Prince admonishes his en tics over Gaines' otherworldy organ playing. Never before has a studio track captured the energy and essence of a live Prince performance as successfully as the Gaines-led "Pop." From the very first listen it is evident, in the boasts of NPG lead-rapper Tony

absence of a parental advisory sticker fool you), while "Willingand Able" ishis most stylistically-varied five minutes. Folk, rOCK, gospel, soul, ska, rap- it's all in there. "Cream" and "Live 4 Love" are consistent mid-tempo rockers loaded with hooks and chart potential. "Strollin'" is sonically beautiful, even if its lyrics are a bit silly. The album's centerpiece, however, is "Insatiable," a 7-minute "seduction ballad" -Prince's finest since 1981's "Do Me, Baby" caused a stir - that simultaneously recalls Batman's "Scandalous," and "Adore," from 1987's Sign 0' the Times double disc. Hmm. Diamonds and pearls? You bet. Big. loud, funky gems. Prince is back, with some help from his new friends, of course.

M., that "the New Power Generation is a band Prince does not have to baby-sit." Later, on "Jughead," Prince's vocal contribution is minimal, as Tony M. takes the microphone, instructing the latest Twin Ci ties dance craze of the same name. "Diamonds and Pearls," with its thunderous drums and infectious chorus, may be the most straightlaced pop song Prince has ever written. Like much of the 65-minute disc, however, what "Diamonds and Pearls" lacks in invention it counterbalances with sheer listenability. Diamonds is easily the most listenable Prin~ album since the multiplatinum Purple Rain shook the rock world seven years ago, arguably of his career. Lest you expect to encounter banal 1980s pop, let me say now that Prince's creative madness is in no way absent from Diamonds - just more focused. It is in full-force on songs like "Willing and Able," "Gett Off," and "Walk Don't Walk," the former being some of his strongest material to date. Lyrically, "Cett Off" is Prince at his boldest (Do not let the

Dave Powell is a sophomore in political science and does not want to be confused with David J. Powell, his intellectual superior and a contributing editor for the Review.

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

October 23, 1991

Crusty's Mellencamp Ain't No Pop Singer Corner i;,"!:"<l

Arts: Music Review

John Mellencamp Whenever We Wanted PolyGram Records by Bud Muncher John Mellencamp's two-year hiatus from recording left me in severe withdrawal - my roomate and I were reduced to dancing like the American Fool himself, a la "Small Town./I (How do you dance like John Mellencamp? Look like you're holding something in your left hand, swing your right arm wildly around ,and stomp maniacally with your right foot.) But his new release, Whenever We Wanted, is a solid fix for any Mellencamp junkie, albeit a short one, 10 songs lasting a total 39 minutes. Come to think of it, the cover of the work is reminiscent of heroin addiction. An emaciated Mellencamp jams in a studio filled with his paintings of distorted, ascetic figures. Complementing the picture is a tall, exquisite blond. The new album is a mix of politics,

personality, and solid guitar work. Whenever We Wanted is garage rock from Seymour,Indiana. Mellencamphasgiven up his band) violin and the country feel of Lonesome Jubilee and Big Daddy for a basic, guitar-driven sound laden with impressive hooks. This collection diverges between a few freer, more open-sounding songs like the first single, "Get A Leg Up," and angrier songs like "Melting Pot," which includes a cool hook and a heavy dosage of Mellencamp' s screaming rage. "In the end it's always just some game/ Your heartbreak and laughter's all been in vain," he rants in ''Pot.'' Overall, the. album is more lyrically direct than any o~ his previous efforts, and the music reflects that directness. The album ogens with "Lov,fM\nd Happiness," similar in angst to路1.Hg Daddy's" J.M.'s Question," but twice as,intense - it's blunter and harder. Amid war, domestic decline, and urban blight, Mellencamp observes that "Love and happiness! Have forgot-

ten our names." In between songs lambasting a messed-up world, Mellencamp lets it fly with tunes like "I Ain't Ever Satisfied," and "Get A Leg Up." While they don't match his cover of "Let It All Hang Out" on Big Daddy, they are fun songs. Mellencamp's latest work will not bring him the commercial rewards of such albums as Scarecrow and Lonesome Jubilee. While the album is a solid collection of songs, it has no anthem-like single of ''Pink Houses" or "Cherry Bomb" caliber. Then again, Mellencamp never wanted to be no Pop Singer and if nobody buys his albums, he can always paint.

Bud Muncher personally invites Stony Burke over to the Review office for a bran muffin and a smoke. "",.~

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by Crusty Muncher Stress is the name of the Londonbased trio that will open for Lenny Kravitz this Saturday evening at the Fox Theater. They recently released a very consistent debut full of songs which combine the earthy, retro sounds of new American acts like Maggie's Dream, Jellyfish, and Kravitz with the techno-pop oh-so hip on the other side of the Atlantic. 89X will pick up on this band soon, if they have not already ... If you weren't distracted by the white foamy goo in L.L. Cool 1's armpits on his M1V Unpugged clip of "Mama Said Knock You Out," you may have noticed a guitarist resembling a cross between David Lee Roth and Lenny Kravitz jamming away in the background. His name is Pop's Cool Love and he has released a selfproduced' album of radio-ready hiJrhop calld A Man, His stuff is a little watered down but there are a few decent tracks like "The Elect-Trick" and "Tempt Me," a Soul II Soul scam, complete with a bluesy female vocal accompanyment and an improvized jazz piano solo ... "College rock" hit-maker Lloyd Cole has released a new album entitled Don't Get Wierd On Me, Babe. The album is his second solo release and features the single "She's a Girl and I'm a Man." Pick this up if you want some good, mellow guitarbased study! sex music... Noise Records brings us a.band of Hairspray-era transvestites called Naked Sun. Their music combines the most bizarre elements of jazz, classical music, gothiC metal, and progressive rock. If you dig contemporary tripped-out tunage you may want to look into this band of femmy New Yorkers ... British-pop lamoes EMF are scheduled to perform at Hill Auditorium on November 16. Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine will open ...If you have nothing better to do on Thanksgiving go see Ozzy Osbourne's Theatre of Madness Tour at the Fox in lovely downtown Detroit... Commie shit-stain Billy Bragg will bring all of his nonsense to the Michigan Theater on November 26. The guy has wri tten some cool tunes, it is just too bad that his lyrics are audible ... Dream Warriors, one of hiJrhop's most original acts, will do a show at the Industry on Sunday, November 24 .

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