Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 18:35:47 -0500
Subject: Re: MB: a beginning


Tom,

I'm not Tanya and didn't know if you were sending a private email that went
astray to the group, but I found your comments provocative. What about
Blanchot disturbed you? I too worked with Blanchot (pretty intensively) for a
thesis, I too was disturbed in ways I find difficult to articulate, but
perhaps should, and I too think Blanchot has permanently colored my
reading/writing activities in a manner different from the normal "influence"
of others. 

I am at work right now and don't really have the time to delve in to the
topic as I would like...but I will try to word some of my thoughts... I found
Blanchot to be seductive and very powerful, yet covered over with much
subtlety. I was drawn constantly inward to a non-existent, or perhaps
removed, center when reading his work. I feel he is grossly underestimated or
unappreciated or ignored by mainstream American scholarship. People
considered him merely a predecessor, seminal figure for such as de Man and
Derrida; however, I have the sense that his thought is much more radical and
purports such daring things compared to his "successors." While still mostly
living in a fog of confusion and sometime frustration, I, for one, don't plan
on abandoning him. Indeed, I find my mind straying to him at what seems
unusual, bizarre points in unrelated research--such as my current passion and
interest in the fiction of Marquez. How do his ideas fit into the reading of
authors he himself might consider less than worthy (i.e., not Marllame,
Kafka, etc. (forgive the mispellings -- I'm at work w/ no books in
sight--well, none worth while!))? I have many questions buzzing around, but
will refrain from continuing. Actually, I must stop so I may go home.  If any
of you Blanchotian critics have any comments/ideas, please do share!

heatherly
heathy70-AT-aol.com
"My garden grows weeds."