Weird Studies Episode 156: The Only Possible End: On Donna Tartt's 'The Secret History'
Oct 25, 2023
Exploring Donna Tartt's novel 'The Secret History' as a work of weird fiction, discussing its machinesque writing style and supernatural possibilities. Gratitude expressed towards patrons and listeners for their support. Origins of dark academia genre explored, highlighting Tartt's influence. Nostalgia for college experience and impending doom discussed. Metaphysical and psychological aspects of the novel analyzed, character as fate and absence of redemption explored. Loss of classical departments and performances in academia emphasized. Internal conflict of following the heart or conforming to society examined.
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Subtle, Persistent Strangeness
- Donna Tartt's The Secret History is a novel whose strangeness is subtle and often goes unnoticed until re-reading.
- The book invites readers to entertain supernatural possibilities without committing to them, creating lasting indeterminacy.
Origin Of Dark Academia Vibe
- The Secret History helped spawn the dark academia aesthetic by portraying an exclusive, cloistered academic world.
- Tartt's novel functions as a miniature universe where esoteric knowledge feels transformational and dangerous.
Genre As Retrospective Discovery
- Dark academia is partly a retrospective genre created by later readers spotting themes across works.
- Tartt's novel is rediscovered and repurposed by new generations, giving it multiple lives.