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Mythic Mailer in An American Dream: Difference between revisions
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<blockquote>... that moment we're feeling most saintly, we may in fact be evil. And that moment we think we're most evil and finally corrupt, we may, in fact, in the eyes of God, be saintly ....{{sfn|Adams|1975|p=214-215}}</blockquote> | <blockquote>... that moment we're feeling most saintly, we may in fact be evil. And that moment we think we're most evil and finally corrupt, we may, in fact, in the eyes of God, be saintly ....{{sfn|Adams|1975|p=214-215}}</blockquote> | ||
The most important part of Mailer's cosmology is the awareness that there is a choice, that the choice has an effect, and that we must choose the best we can. Lennon further discusses Mailer's beliefs about the importance of choice. There is "an extraordinary emphasis on man's free will, his ability to rough-hew not only bis own destiny but to affect God's as well" {{sfn|Lennon|1986|p=147}}. The existential nature of the choices tends towards the absurd and can lead to inaction. But, the resultant void would ensure the Devil's ultimate victory. In ''<u>An American Dream</u>'', Mailer uses the mythic quest to raise awareness and to develop this existential dialectic. "Why write," Mailer asks in an interview with Lennon, "if you are not going to change consciousness?" ({{sfn|Lennon|1986|transctips=3}}). Lennon summarizes Mailer's private mythology on choice: | The most important part of Mailer's cosmology is the awareness that there is a choice, that the choice has an effect, and that we must choose the best we can. | ||
Lennon further discusses Mailer's beliefs about the importance of choice. There is "an extraordinary emphasis on man's free will, his ability to rough-hew not only bis own destiny but to affect God's as well" {{sfn|Lennon|1986|p=147}}. The existential nature of the choices tends towards the absurd and can lead to inaction. But, the resultant void would ensure the Devil's ultimate victory. In ''<u>An American Dream</u>'', Mailer uses the mythic quest to raise awareness and to develop this existential dialectic. "Why write," Mailer asks in an interview with Lennon, "if you are not going to change consciousness?" ({{sfn|Lennon|1986|transctips=3}}). Lennon summarizes Mailer's private mythology on choice: | |||
<blockquote>Choice for Mailer is the forward edge of the quest, existential because it is a foray of unknown strategic value in the war between God and the Devil, yet absolutely necessary because the alternative is entropy.{{sfn|Lennon|1986|149}}</blockquote> | <blockquote>Choice for Mailer is the forward edge of the quest, existential because it is a foray of unknown strategic value in the war between God and the Devil, yet absolutely necessary because the alternative is entropy.{{sfn|Lennon|1986|149}}</blockquote> | ||