Pictures from an Institution: A Comedy, by Randall Jarrell 9.4 out of 10
Pictures from an Institution: A Comedy, by Randall Jarrell
9.4 out of 10
Pictures from an Institution is included on the 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read list.
It is exceptional for this reader in that, albeit the magnificence, immense value, inventive humor, sharp insight, effervescent writing, inspired characters, somehow the undersigned has lost connection with the book, perhaps one third of the way to the end...or was it half way?
Speaking of which, one of the incredibly appealing techniques used by the marvelous author was to say once in a while that he does not remember what state it was, only that it started with an I, perhaps it was Iowa, maybe Idaho...
At other times, it is some other detail that is allegedly forgotten, when in fact it is just an amusing, endearing, creative idea, for of course, the writer is making things up and he could well put one name, date on it, or simply decide to obliterate the passage, of it really is some aspect he cannot recall, but again...I love it, maybe because I also use it, without the same talent of course.
The Institution from the title has a name:
Benton.
It is a women's college where strange, peculiar things happen.
The accent is not on 'traditional' methods of education.
Benton is more concerned, indeed, exclusively dedicated to teaching 'Life'.
Unlike other misguided teachers and educators, those from here know that all subjects, information or classes that do not concentrate on Life are useless, perhaps damaging.
This is evidently part of the humor, the delicious satire of this exquisite, intelligent, sophisticated work.
In fact, thinking back at the reading experience, it might just be that this novel is too clever for is reader.
I could not keep the same concentration throughout the text, when some unknown music composers were mentioned, demands on general knowledge have been made.
Once some insight, hidden, inaccessible treasures are lost in one place, then another, the tempo is lost and attention is drifting, losing pearls even when and where I could have been able to see them.
Perhaps we can all identity somebody in our entourage, past or present, that shares traits with Gertrude Johnson...I am thinking of a philosophy teacher from Mishu, or maybe the Paleontology Professor from University.
Gertrude is a writer and she seems to be the main character.
She is so difficult, bizarre, atypical, overbearing that 'she would have come from paradise and complain to God that the apples were not the right sort'
Something similar would happen after the Arc Voyage, which would lead her to the travel agency that she had been most disappointed at not finding Mount Ararat' ...words to that effect, or close...Insha'Allah!
Randall Jarrell is mesmerizing, fabulous, a genius who has a magnificent way with words.
He describes 'a salad that was exactly like a Still Life by Soutine'
His references are erudite, amusing, complex - too elevated, coming from a height that was dizzying, inaccessible for this reader, in parts of the masterpiece.
He adds with hilarious inspiration to the salad...
'Had I not been poor, I should have had it varnished and framed'
A quote from Chekhov is very interesting...'something of this kind must be true, for who in God's name could have made it up?'
About the afghans Ying and Yang I have some qualms, having had five borzois, puppies and an Afghan, Okwe.
Of course, they add a resplendence, nobility, jubilant note to the novel and any tableau, home, art form, being not just the most majestic, spectacular of dogs, but of all creatures.
But having said that, they are not even dogs, but Afghans, as people who have 'invented' them say and their behavior is unpredictable, to say the least, haughty, extremely independent, superior beings that they are.
Ying and Yang therefore appear to be either a different breed, or, considering artistic license, they are just as outre among Afghans as Gertrude is among humans.
Some other phenomenal quotes:
'It was as if a giraffe had come to a taxidermist and beg to be stuffed...
Most of the people of Benton would have swallowed a. Porcupine if you had dyed its quills and called it Modern Art'
Pictures from an Institution is a fantastic, flamboyant, eccentric, subtle Comedy that deserves your full attention.
Pictures from an Institution is included on the 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read list.
It is exceptional for this reader in that, albeit the magnificence, immense value, inventive humor, sharp insight, effervescent writing, inspired characters, somehow the undersigned has lost connection with the book, perhaps one third of the way to the end...or was it half way?
Speaking of which, one of the incredibly appealing techniques used by the marvelous author was to say once in a while that he does not remember what state it was, only that it started with an I, perhaps it was Iowa, maybe Idaho...
At other times, it is some other detail that is allegedly forgotten, when in fact it is just an amusing, endearing, creative idea, for of course, the writer is making things up and he could well put one name, date on it, or simply decide to obliterate the passage, of it really is some aspect he cannot recall, but again...I love it, maybe because I also use it, without the same talent of course.
The Institution from the title has a name:
Benton.
It is a women's college where strange, peculiar things happen.
The accent is not on 'traditional' methods of education.
Benton is more concerned, indeed, exclusively dedicated to teaching 'Life'.
Unlike other misguided teachers and educators, those from here know that all subjects, information or classes that do not concentrate on Life are useless, perhaps damaging.
This is evidently part of the humor, the delicious satire of this exquisite, intelligent, sophisticated work.
In fact, thinking back at the reading experience, it might just be that this novel is too clever for is reader.
I could not keep the same concentration throughout the text, when some unknown music composers were mentioned, demands on general knowledge have been made.
Once some insight, hidden, inaccessible treasures are lost in one place, then another, the tempo is lost and attention is drifting, losing pearls even when and where I could have been able to see them.
Perhaps we can all identity somebody in our entourage, past or present, that shares traits with Gertrude Johnson...I am thinking of a philosophy teacher from Mishu, or maybe the Paleontology Professor from University.
Gertrude is a writer and she seems to be the main character.
She is so difficult, bizarre, atypical, overbearing that 'she would have come from paradise and complain to God that the apples were not the right sort'
Something similar would happen after the Arc Voyage, which would lead her to the travel agency that she had been most disappointed at not finding Mount Ararat' ...words to that effect, or close...Insha'Allah!
Randall Jarrell is mesmerizing, fabulous, a genius who has a magnificent way with words.
He describes 'a salad that was exactly like a Still Life by Soutine'
His references are erudite, amusing, complex - too elevated, coming from a height that was dizzying, inaccessible for this reader, in parts of the masterpiece.
He adds with hilarious inspiration to the salad...
'Had I not been poor, I should have had it varnished and framed'
A quote from Chekhov is very interesting...'something of this kind must be true, for who in God's name could have made it up?'
About the afghans Ying and Yang I have some qualms, having had five borzois, puppies and an Afghan, Okwe.
Of course, they add a resplendence, nobility, jubilant note to the novel and any tableau, home, art form, being not just the most majestic, spectacular of dogs, but of all creatures.
But having said that, they are not even dogs, but Afghans, as people who have 'invented' them say and their behavior is unpredictable, to say the least, haughty, extremely independent, superior beings that they are.
Ying and Yang therefore appear to be either a different breed, or, considering artistic license, they are just as outre among Afghans as Gertrude is among humans.
Some other phenomenal quotes:
'It was as if a giraffe had come to a taxidermist and beg to be stuffed...
Most of the people of Benton would have swallowed a. Porcupine if you had dyed its quills and called it Modern Art'
Pictures from an Institution is a fantastic, flamboyant, eccentric, subtle Comedy that deserves your full attention.
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