Sterling HolyWhiteMountain, Jones Lecturer at Stanford, reads and discusses Roberto Bolaño's 'Labyrinth.' The hosts explore Bolano's power in restoring faith in fiction writing. They delve into the intricacies of 'Labyrinth,' the interconnected lives of characters, and the photograph that inspired the story. The conversation also touches on the erotic nature of the narrative and the author's recursive structure.
The story intertwines real details with fictional elements, blurring the line between imagination and reality.
The labyrinthine structure and unresolved tensions contribute to a haunting and unsettling reading experience.
The story highlights the discrepancy between outward appearances and internal realities, exploring loneliness and alienation.
Deep dives
The Intrigue of the Photograph
The story opens with a detailed description of a photograph, featuring a group of French writers and intellectuals in a cafe in Paris. The author becomes fascinated by the photograph, delving into the imagined lives and relationships of the individuals depicted. The story intertwines real details with fictional elements, blurring the line between imagination and reality.
The Labyrinth of the Mind
As the narrative unfolds, the story takes on a labyrinthine structure, with various tangents and digressions. Through vivid descriptions and introspective musings, the author explores his own thoughts and experiences, the complexities of human relationships, and the nature of fiction itself. The structure echoes the wandering and recursive nature of the author's mind.
A Sense of Dread and Impending Doom
Throughout the story, a sense of dread and impending doom looms, often hinted at through eerie moments and cinematic scenes. The author masterfully creates an atmosphere of tension and mystery, never fully revealing the source of this dread. The labyrinthine structure and the unresolved tensions contribute to a haunting and unsettling reading experience.
The Complex Dynamics of Loneliness and Alienation
The podcast episode delves into the theme of loneliness and alienation among a group of French literary theorists. Despite their success and outward appearances of togetherness, the characters in the story are portrayed as deeply unhappy and disconnected from each other. The story highlights the discrepancy between their image in the photograph and their internal realities. Through a blend of irony and sincerity, the podcast explores the meanness and fascination with exploring this kind of alienation and longing for connection.
The Illusion of Factuality in Fiction
The podcast episode also discusses how the story utilizes elements of fact and fiction. The author, Roberto Bolaño, plays with the boundary between reality and imagination, presenting details that seem factual but are actually fabricated. This manipulation of factuality adds to the voyeuristic and gossipy nature of the story, allowing readers to speculate on the true lives of the characters. The episode emphasizes the author's ability to create an aesthetic object that functions poetically rather than as a documentary, injecting irony and unflattering portrayals of the characters.
Sterling HolyWhiteMountain joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Labyrinth,” by Roberto Bolaño, translated from the Spanish by Chris Andrews, which was published in The New Yorker in 2012. HolyWhiteMountain is a Jones Lecturer at Stanford, and grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana.
