This Mormon Life

The Future of Mormon Fiction and Camille Paglia, Just For the Hell of It

Warning:  If my last post was a little salty, this one gets a little grand.  Offense is welcome.

After posting my rant on the Great Mormon Novel in response to Jerry Johnston’s article, I didn’t expect it to garner so much subsequent discussion.  Thanks to everyone for the interesting and challenging responses. Over at Motley Vision, both S.P. Bailey and William Morris chimed in with some excellent insights and ideas.  

Bailey refutes Johnston’s idea that Flannery O’Connor and Graham Greene could comfortably move inside and outside their religious circles, writing for both Catholics and the larger literary culture.  It seems that life is always more complicated than newspaper columnists like to explore.

Bailey says:

Johnston’s view of Graham Greene and Flannery O’Connor also fails to persuade. Some “true Catholics” considered them heretical, irredeemably worldly, and decidedly un-Catholic. Just read O’Connor’s letters! Here’s the thing: they were serious Christians who refused to speak the language of their own flock. They told Christian stories in the terms of 20C fiction, and gained literary acceptance in the process. What stops Mormons from doing the same? Nothing. Really! Mormons that go this direction may not be loved (at first) in their own country. But what minor prophet is? Johnston’s assertion that there was no tension between Greene/O’Connor and their faith community is simply false.

And William simply wants everyone to stop worrying about the Great Mormon Novel.

The Great American Novel idea is dead. It’s worn out cliche that barely anybody has the energy for anymore and for Mormons to take up the idea is for us to prove yet again our status as belated moderns. And to play in to the discourse of the literary elites, of the critics and academics and editors and book reviewers who trot out the trope every so often simply to generate energy for their own decrepit ideas is to bow to an authority that Mormons shouldn’t and don’t need to acknowledge. No one is going to tell me what I should be worrying about when it comes to the production of Mormon narrative art.

So I have no worries about this whole Great Mormon Novel thing. I suggest you drop them too. The opportunity to create Mormon narratives, Mormon aesthetics, Mormon discourses, Mormon criticism is the only “great” thing we need to worry about.

Even at Times and Seasons, Kent Larsen has continued the discussion, bringing in Jer3miah into the mix.

The real solution to our image is, of course, to let people see us and understand us. When we portray our sacred in film and fiction, others will believe that our sacred is, in fact, sacred, although, admittedly, at the risk that others will ridicule. The solution is also to let others see that we have problems too, members who do evil and awful things and leaders who sometimes, inadvertently, err.

But, for now, the major Mormon book publishers, the rest of the principle Mormon media, don’t get it. They are stuck in this mentality that our image must be pure. And, as a result, the work they produce seems to say “All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well…”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like where that is headed.

In contemplating all these provocative ideas around the mythic goal of a Great Mormon Novel, I couldn’t help but think about the literary excellence that Mormons have achieved in the novel form, and the possible future of such excellence among a broader audience.  Thought I understand Kent’s view, I’m not despondent in the least.

An idea that seems central to this discussion: is it possible that quality Mormon fiction can cross the divide and please both Mormon readers and a general audience?  I wouldn't be easy, but I really don’t see why it couldn’t happen, other than a lack of imagination.

Since religion is such an important theme in Mormon fiction, it might be commonly perceived that a national audience would not be interested in Mormon life or its spiritual complexities and power.  But why not?

An article by literary critic Camille Paglia addresses the issue of the decline of religion in the arts and argues that the study of religion is necessary for a renaissance in American literature and art.  If you are a Mormon writer who only wants to create more of the same faith-promoting, didactic, storytelling tripe to make yourself feel all safe and sound, then stop here and don’t read further.  But if you are a Mormon writer who cares to create something more, that strives to progress beyond our past, then it would be good to contemplate and consider some points by Paglia.  

I would argue that the route to a renaissance of the American fine arts lies through religion. Let me make my premises clear: I am a professed atheist and a pro-choice libertarian Democrat. But based on my college experiences in the 1960s, when interest in Hinduism and Buddhism was intense, I have been calling for nearly two decades for massive educational reform that would put the study of comparative religion at the center of the university curriculum. Though I shared the exasperation of my generation with the moralism and prudery of organized religion, I view each world religion, including Judeo-Christianity and Islam, as a complex symbol system, a metaphysical lens through which we can see the vastness and sublimity of the universe. Knowledge of the Bible, one of the West's foundational texts, is dangerously waning among aspiring young artists and writers. When a society becomes all-consumed in the provincial minutiae of partisan politics (as has happened in the US over the past twenty years), all perspective is lost. Great art can be made out of love for religion as well as rebellion against it. But a totally secularized society with contempt for religion sinks into materialism and self-absorption and gradually goes slack, without leaving an artistic legacy.

For the fine arts to revive, they must recover their spiritual center.

Paglia offers a provocative and passionate analysis of religion and its influence, or lack thereof, in American literature and art.  She laments the lack of religious education and literacy in an every increasing humanistic American society where partisan politics is the cultural absolute.  She calls on creators to bring about a renaissance in American arts and letters thought the mythic stories and sublime ideas that religion can nourish. (Read the full article: PDF, html).

I think Mormons can be part of such a literary rebirth in the national arena.

We need to look beyond the minutia of the Wasatch Front and have a vision that the Mormon story is an American story, even a global story.

Stories that speaks to the concerns of human nature, sex, love, suffering, adversity, redemption, death, and the terrifying call of the sublime.

Stories that explore the grace and guts of real living, through the eyes and ears of all kinds of characters: good and evil, faithful and apostate, halfway-in and partway-out, Mormon and not-Mormon, but more importantly, everything in between.

A new vision in Mormon letters is essential for future excellence.  Let us tell stories that push us further and father, progressing along a path that will take Mormon fiction to new risks and heights.

Here’s to the future!

A Big Steaming Pile About The Great Mormon Novel

Warning: J. Golden-like language may be invoked.

People who know me would say I'm fairly laid back.  Things usually don't ruffle my feathers.  I don’t rant much.  But this article rubbed me wrong in so many ways it's difficult to know where to begin.

Jerry Johnston in his infinite and insightful wisdom (via the Mormon Times) has provided us with a little nugget of erudite criticism: there can be no such thing as a Great Mormon Novel.

Johnston says that, “the Great Mormon Novel is a dream held by literary types in the church,” but after reflecting on a conversation he once had with Wallace Stegner, he has come to a sure conclusion that the Great Mormon Novel is a pipedream.

"Since that day with Stegner, I've thought often about LDS novels. And I've reached the conclusion that Stegner hadn't found the Great Mormon Novel because ... there can never be one."

Now whether there can be such a thing as a Great Mormon Novel is fraught with all kinds of problems of definition and quality, just as the idea of the Great American Novel is a never-ending quest for some American writers and critics.  And the question whether there exists a Great American Novel doesn’t really matter, because there are plenty of American Novels that are Great: Scarlet Letter, Moby Dick, Huck Finn, Grapes of Wrath, Light in August, Great Gatsby to name a few that come to mind.  Can one be great above all else?  Since novels are so different, they can be Great in a myriad of ways that capture the American experience, while not having to be Thee One.

Marrow: The Mormon Films of Richard Dutcher in Dialogue

In the latest issue of Dialogue (Summer 2009) I have written a review essay about the Mormon films of Richard Dutcher.  I used the idea of marrow from his film Falling as an metaphorical lens in interpreting his other film work. Here is a brief excerpt:

"Marrow as the concealed territory of the blood’s creation, serves as a metaphor of genesis - the source for the Mormon promise of health and Hollywood’s machine of shock and destruction, evoking ideas of divine blessing and redemption alongside the bloody precariousness of human mortality. Marrow, as a metaphor for the conjunction between sacred yearning and profane frailty, can serve as a useful conceit that provides an approach to the films of Richard Dutcher, where he explores Mormonism and the crux of life’s messiness and grace’s beauty..."

To read the entire essay, pick up the issue or subscribe.  I would be very interested in any responses to my thesis about Dutcher's oeuvre.

In the World: Politics as Usual? in Sunstone

In the latest issue of Sunstone (May 2009) I have contributed my next installment of "In the World" summarizing overlooked scholarship and writing that intersect with Mormon culture, with this month's topic covering Mormons, politics, and gay marriage.  The sources covered are:

“Competing Social Movements and Local Political Culture: Voting on Ballot Propositions to Ban Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S. States,” by Arnold Fleischmann (University of Georgia) and Laura Moyer (Louisiana State University). Social Science Quarterly, vol. 90, no. 1, March 2009, 134–149.

“Religious Identification and Legislative Voting: The Mormon Case,” by Damon M. Cann (Utah State University). Political Research Quarterly, vol 62, no. 1, March 2009, 110–119.

Pick up an issue or subscribe.

Thoughts on Beauty & Kitsch

I recently became aware of a new book that got my brain juices flowing: Beauty by Roger Scruton.  From a recent review:

We miss the point if we think that beauty in art or literature or music has finished its job when it provides pleasure. Scruton argues, reasonably, that beauty also makes ethical demands on us. Its existence challenges us to "renounce our narcissism and look with reverence on the world."

Kitsch encourages us to dwell on our own satisfactions and anxieties; it tells us to be pleased with what we have always felt and known. It reaches us at the level where we are easiest to please, a level requiring a minimum of mental effort.

Beauty, on the other hand, demands we consider its meaning. It implies a larger world than the one we deal with every day. Even for those with no religious belief, it suggests the possibility of transcendence. Faith has declined in much of the West, but "art bears enduring witness to the spiritual hunger and immortal longings of our species." As one reviewer has already pointed out, Scruton's "perspective is religious without belief."

I'm very interested in the subject by itself, but I'm also curious how Scruton's book might be discussed in terms of Mormon literature, music, and art.  As we know, Mormons love kitsch.  Does Mormon kitsch encourage a sort of spiritual narcissim?  Does it inspire us to "dwell on our own satisfactions?"  Is that why kitsch, though ironic and playful, is empty of belief and ultimately uninspiring?  And on the other hand, what would quality as Mormon "beauty?"

I'm gonna get my hands on Scruton's book and if I come up with any thoughts, you'll be the first to hear.

Whitney Awards Announced, 2009

The Whitney Awards were announced for LDS literature.  I don't put much stock into awards, but I'm always curious who wins.   Congrats to Angela Hallstrom!  I recently picked up Bound on Earth and I’ve been very impressed.  Too bad the Whitney’s don’t recognize short stories or poetry.  (And who is Whitney, anyhow?)

Here is the complete list:

Best novel of the year - Traitor by Sandra Grey.

Best novel by a new author - Bound on Earth by Angela Hallstrom.

Best romance - Spare Change by Aubrey Mace.

Best mystery/suspense - Fool Me Twice by Stephanie Black.

Best youth fiction - The 13th Reality by James Dashner.

Best speculative fiction - The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson.

Best historical novel - Abinadi by Heather B. Moore.

Best general fiction novel - Waiting For the Light to Change by Annette Hawes.

Lifetime achievement awards - Kerry Blair and Orson Scott Card.

Congrats to all the winners!

Has Deseret Book Stopped Carrying Twilight / Meyer?

At AML List there is a current discussion about whether Deseret Book has stopped carrying the hugely popular Twilight series.  Apparently only Stephenie Meyer's adult novel The Host is available on Deseret Book.com, but all those teenage vampire love stories have mysteriously disappeared from the site.

At this point, it would be speculation why Deseret Book has stopped carrying Meyer's lovable vampires, but it seems obvious that the "sexual" content would be a factor.  If that is the case, then what sense does that make?  Don't the Twilight books promote chastity before marriage? I speculate that the offense might be the indication that the married sex between Bela and her shining dark knight might be a little too rough and bruising.  But, like I said, I'm just speculating.

My New Column in the latest Sunstone

In the latest issue of Sunstone (Feb 2009) I have contributed a new column which I call "In The World," which is placed in the Cornucopia section.  Here is a the brief intro:

Not many years ago, writings by and about Mormons were an irregular occasion in the popular and academic press.  But these days, Mormons are everywhere, from the national media to literary journals to handmade 'zines.  This column gathers some interesting and overlooked items, Mormon and otherwise.

The challenge of such a column is to find and write about pieces that haven't been picked up by the bloggernacle, message boards, and the like.  But I've been pleasantly surprised that I keep finding items that seem to be overlooked (I gotta love those specialized databases!).  I hope I can draw the Sunstone reader's attention to some worthwhile items they may have missed.

The current column centers around the uncertainties of faith, in talking about three pieces by Matthew Bowman, Brian Evenson, and Christian Wiman.  Pick up the latest issue of Sunstone to read more. Also the current issue includes a focus on Asian/Eastern culture and issues, including a fun Book of Mormon manga.

Book Review: Obtaining Your Calling and Election by Kevan & Terri Clawson

Lately I've been doing occasional reviews for the Association of Mormon Letters.  The first I did was a few months ago, but thought I would share here for those interested.

Walking the Line Publications, 2001 Trade paperback:
130 pages
ISBN 10: 0-9714540-3-5
ISBN 13: 978-0-9714540-3-3 Price: $12.00

I must admit I have not read a book like this in a long time. Obtaining Your Calling and Election by Kevan Kingsley Clawson and Terri Hopkins Clawson is a refreshingly bold take on a theological thicket that has usually fallen to fundamentalist authors such as Ogden Kraut and Fred Collier. Subtitled A Study of the Doctrines of Faith, Hope, and Charity, it mixes the simple with the complex in a stew of orthodox eagerness.

Big Love Round Up

 

I plan on watching Big Love tonight (like I usually watch every Sunday) with the added anxious anticipation in how the temple endowment is portrayed (click here for the preview). This seems to have taken everyone by surprise, but LDS viewers should have seen this coming from day one this series began.  I plan on writing a bit about the episode after I collect my thoughts.  But it seems plenty of people have flooded the internet with views and opinions, even thought no one has seen it yet.

Here are a few comments from across the board:
LDS Church Press Release
HBO's and Creators' Statement (via Tribune)
Robert Kirby via Salt Lake Tribune
Orson Scott Card via National Review
Joe Campbell via MormonTimes (i.e. Deseret News)
Vince Horiuchi via Salt Lake Tribune (in respone to Joe Campbell)

For those interested in temples I would recommend the video from the Frontline/American Experience documentary The Mormons by clicking here.

Also the church has also been promoting this video on their homepage for an official presentation:

John Updike, 1932-2009

One of my absolute favorite poems is by John Updike:

Seven Stanzas for Easter

Make no mistake: if He rose at all
it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse, the molecules
reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the Church will fall.

It was not as the flowers,
each soft Spring recurrent;
it was not as His Spirit in the mouths and fuddled
eyes of the eleven apostles;
it was as His flesh: ours.

The same hinged thumbs and toes,
the same valved heart
that–pierced–died, withered, paused, and then
regathered out of enduring Might
new strength to enclose.

Let us not mock God with metaphor,
analogy, sidestepping, transcendence;
making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the
faded credulity of earlier ages:
let us walk through the door.

The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché,
not a stone in a story,
but the vast rock of materiality that in the slow
grinding of time will eclipse for each of us
the wide light of day.

And if we will have an angel at the tomb,
make it a real angel,
weighty with Max Planck’s quanta, vivid with hair,
opaque in the dawn light, robed in real linen
spun on a definite loom.

Let us not seek to make it less monstrous,
for our own convenience, our own sense of beauty,
lest, awakened in one unthinkable hour, we are
embarrassed by the miracle,
and crushed by remonstrance.

When I first read today of Updike's passing I felt an ambiguous loss.  Since my high school days I have always had a fascination and admiration for Updike's prolific and sustained literary output.  I'm not a tremendous fan of his work and I have only read him in fits and starts, but I have always followed his career, and his work is, without a doubt, one of the most important literary contributions to 20th Century American literature.

Some have called in to the conversation whether Chiam Potok would be a good model for Mormon literature.  I think John Updike would be a more interesting model in exploring the possibilities of Mormon literature.  Though his territory may have been the Narcisstic White Male, Updike dissected the vagaries of Protestant guilt, along with it's middle class discontents and pleasures, with precision and eloquence.

But the time for contrast and comparison is for another day.  Tonight I mourn the loss of a literary giant.  I will miss his art criticism in the NYRB.  I will miss his reviews and short stories in the New Yorker.  But most of all, I will miss his erudite and thoughtful perspective in our image saturated age.  He is truly one of the greats writers of the 20th Century.

For more.

The Future of This Mormon Life

After a long deliberation, I've decided to let the next version of This Mormon Life blog to take an indefinite hiatus.  I'm sure no one will be too heartbroken.  The primary reason is that my writing projects have increased significantly over the past couple months, and blogging would take away too much of the little time I have to write.

From time to time I will post updates about my LDS writing projects and interesting links I come across.

And you can also visit my freelance writing blog to keep track of all the stuff I'm doing:

http://www.dallasrobbins.com/

I've been involved with City Weekly for a while now, but in the near future I will be expanding into several other outlets, including a regular column in an LDS-related publication, among other things. So come back occassionaly for some good stuff in the future.