Beckett’s “Molloy” and “The Dead” by Joyce

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The Art of the Negative
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Literature just like all other forms of art depicts the emotions and perceptions of the composer, towards one or several aspects of a society. Over the years, writers have preferred to conform to literal styles as dictated by their locality. However, it is also understandable that writers thrive to be creative and unique with regard to how they manipulate these literal styles in order to bring out some important aspects. These considerations give literal works two important perspectives, that can be used as a point of approach aimed at establishing in depth analysis in various literal works. The perspectives are: similarities and differences. Literal styles are like branding of products. Although a product may have existed in the market for long, it takes quite some time for it to have a brand. Modern literature has used the art of negation as a way of creating uncertainty and perhaps giving the story the possibility of multiple dimensions. Negation displays a lot of subtle aspects of literature that may have been otherwise ignored when the meaning of expressions were direct. This manages not only to broaden the perspectives of literature, creating more room for adventures and possibilities. Take for instance in the book “Wasteland” by Elliot where he writes that, “I can connect nothing with nothing” (p. 143). The expression not only displays the exact emotions through negation but also leaves the author with a lot of possibilities as the story progresses. In the book “To the lighthouse by Virginia wolf, she writes that: “…sharing a joke with nothingness.” (p. 87) This expression displays the emotions of desperation using that art of negation. Another similar example is “The nothingness of winter becomes a little less.” (Stevens, p. 48). Beckett and Joyce having been in contact with each other, and Beckett having learnt a lot from Joyce, decided to rebel against the conventional modernism styles of writing and expression by employing the art of negation to add to their literal works, an artistic touch. Beckett and Joyce explored negation with full consciousness and regard of variables such as religion and social disparities, so as to incorporate philosophical aspects common with negation. This paper will analyze the similarities and disparities in the approaches towards negation as employed by Beckett and Joyce, and with special regard to the Books “Molloy and “The Dead.”

The Art of the Negative

The art of the negative has for long time been know as the genesis of most medieval, modern and post modern philosophies. Beckett and Joyce were both able to transcend the conventional literal works by engaging in philosophical postulation through writing. It is notable that they both engaged in the art of negation to emphasize on the philosophical aspect of literature and writing styles. Their expression of words and events gives the impression that what is being outlined is much more than just words and perhaps contains some hidden meaning that should be deciphered. According to Jaurretche, Beckett admitted that: “his language appeared to him like a veil that must be torn apart in order to get at the things behind,” (p. 49) when he was writing a letter to Alex Kaun. Beckett’s concept further postulated that for him to discover the things behind the veil he had to weave the veil first. It can be observed that Beckett attempted to establish a new school of thought, first by criticizing the existing one that he did not agree with. Houppermans writes that “Beckett shares Mikhail Bakhtin’s critism of the repressive monologism that is so characteristic of western thought” (p. 371). The essence is that Beckett was looking for something deeper in his words. Surprisingly he is the same person who created for allowance of not finding anything at all. (Jaurretche, p. 49) The art of negation was simply a tool that Beckett employed perhaps aiming at discovering some deeper aspects of writings. Beckett’s approach was like an experiment where the scientist where the scientists was not sure of the final outcome but hoped to stumble upon something worthwhile in the process.

This approach is however criticized by Richard Rorty as a scientific approach that apparently most philosophers are adopting by thinking of themselves as superior and that it is upon them to employ trial and error and hopeful arrive at some objective. (Jaurretche, p. 52) The same approach is seen when Beckett writes the book “Molloy. “ Molloy opens with a superficial suspense of a man who finds himself in a strange place and contemplates how he got there in the first place. With regard to Beckett’s postulations it is understandable that afar from the apparent suspense there is some hidden aspect of the story. The plot of the book goes back and forth and it is rather difficult to decipher the objective of Beckett. In the story there are two characters who both engage in internal monologue. In the beginning the characters are different with regard to their morals as one is a vagabond and the other is a detective. The vagabond goes on a crime spree that necessitates the need for him to be caught. The vagabond speaks of the things that he did in the past and the reader knows him from this. The detective and the vagabond known as Molloy and Moran respectively are separated by space and time. The constant use of internal monologue is aimed at letting the reader discover much deeper aspects about the characters thereby eliminating the aspect of bias. From Molloy we can hear: “A little more and you will go blind. It’s in the head. It doesn’t work any more, it says. I don’t work any more.” (Beckett, p. 9). It gives the implication that Molloy is in state of internal conflict. It has been postulated that perhaps Molly and Moran are one and the same person. When the state of the two characters is reconciled it leaves a sense of emptiness and the reader s left to ponder at the outcome of the story. Moran is a detective but at some point he commits murder without any apparent reason. The emptiness is seen when Molly doubts whether he is a person of good morals or bad morals when he says that: “It seems to me sometimes that I even knew my son, that I helped him…I tell myself it’s impossible…impossible that I could have ever helped anyone. There is a sense of emptiness that surrounds him.

It is notable that the two writers having had contact with each other would draw writing styles from each other. Jaurretche explains that during an interview of Beckett by Israel Schenker, Beckett explained that as, “he was working on impotence as an alternative to Joyce’s omnipotence.” (p. 49) Their styles might have varied at various levels by they still shared similarities. Joyce also used the art of the negative but took a rather different approach. Understandably Joyce had a significant influence on Beckett’s literal styles. Gluck (p. 71) explains that most of the first poems written by Beckett were perhaps a test of whether he had mastered to write in Joyce’s styles. The art of direct dialogue can seen in Joyce’s book the dead; (p. 11).

-And what are galoshes, Gabriel?

-Goloshes, Julia exclaimed her sister. Goodness me, don’t you know what galoshes are? You wear them over your…over your boots, Gretta, isn’t it?

The same art of also be seen in the monologue in Beckett’s Molloy. (p. 8)

Here it is. It gave me a lot of trouble. It was the beginning, do you understand? Whereas now it is nearly the end. Is what I do now any better?

Oral performances used by Joyce and Beckett cannot only be seen in “The Dead” and “Molloy” respectively, but it also in other works such as Ulysses.

As much as Joyce employed the art of the negative, he believed that attempting to discover hidden things in words might only lead to further entanglement. This is unlike the approach employed by Beckett. Perhaps Beckett hoped to discover more literal aspects by following such a blind route. Joyce presumed that behind the veil there could be anything. In her book the dead Joyce does not engage much in negative aspect such as emptiness but treads carefully. Unlike Beckett’s art of the negative, which is dull and lacks humour, Joyce manages to include instances of humour in his art of the negative. Perhaps he uses this approach to provide tranquillity, but it is also understandable that he avoids too much emptiness. Joyce displays emptiness with a light touch and avoids too much seriousness. This can be seen when Mrs. Cassidy is recorded to have said that: “Now Mary Grimes, if I don’t take it, make me take it, for I feel I want it.” (Joyce, p. 15). The light touch with which the sentence is outlined may escape the notion of negation. However, it still gives the subtle feeling that there is some aspect of emptiness and uncertainty. In fact it even draws some aspect of humour. Joyce decides to display his art of the negative using a party. The character of focus is Gabriel and what we know about him is whatever is said in the party. Just like Beckett, Joyce’s characters are without substance unless they open their mouths and speak. Gabriel is displayed as a carefree person who is struggling with his insecurities. For instance Gabriel is slightly upset when the ladies tease him concerning the ‘goloshes’ that he had insisted that his wife should wear,

-O, on the continent, murmured Aunt Julia, nodding her head slowly…it’s nothing very wonderful because Gretta thinks it very funny because she says the word reminds her of Christy Minstrels (Joyce, p. 12).

The negative outlined in this case is that it is obvious that Gabriel must have insisted that Gretta wore the ‘goloshes’ because he personally liked them. However, since he is in the company of a crowd that don’t understand the ‘goloshes’ very well, he decides to brush it off as a minute thing. The confusion within Gabriel is displayed lightly but it reflects significantly on his insecurities. A moment of crisis is arrived at in a light tone when Gabriel is told of a love affair that his wife had when he was young. Although, readers expect that finally this might bring a change to Gabriel’s perceptions, the author avoids making it obvious and leaves the readers to speculate. Furthermore, it is not clear the nature of change that Gabriel might experience.

Joyce in the book, “The Dead,” introduces the writer with the intrigues and the suspense of postmodernism in a negative aspect. The title of the book carries with it a heavy suspense that slowly unfolds as the story progresses. The book opens with a high partying note that in comparison to the title leaves the reader yearning for the moment of crisis where things turn around and tragedy looms. However as the story unfolds there is the realization that tragedy existed from the beginning, but the author kept it conveniently hidden. There is a lot of energy as seen through the activities seen at the “Misses Morkan’s annual dance.” (Joyce, p. 4). Beckett also manages to use the same intrigues and suspense by beginning the book “Molly,” a characteristic of post modernisms. The suspense in “Molloy” is much heavier as the persona poses several question that only leaves room for contemplation. There are a lot of uncertainties surrounding the situation of the room where the persona dwells in. It gives the feeling that the story might take a turn in any direction at any moment which is a characteristic of post modernism. Both authors use suspense as a tool for keeping the reader glued to their stories while at the same time allowing for reader participation through contemplation. The two authors demonstrate boldness by beginning their stories midway and later unfolding details as the stories progress. This expresses similarity in writing styles with reference to the two writers. Both books begin with high notes that wiggle the feelings and emotions of the reader. The back and forth and detailed description of details is also observed in the two stories.

Beckett spares nothing in providing detailed description of emotions and feelings of the characters in “Molloy.” This serves well in building the plot of the story as most of it is based on emotions. In the opening the story describes a person in a state of uncertainty. The emotions of confusion are emphasized as the persona is not certain about the events of the past. The persona does not even know the events that led him to his current position. The author even uses first person narrative to emphasize on the emotions. The mention of an ambulance shows that the persona did not get in the current state in a good condition. “I don’t know how I got there…in an ambulance, certainly a vehicle of some kind.” (Beckett, p. 1) The emotions of desperation are also outlined as it becomes apparent to the persona that his life is almost over. The persona speaks of “saying goodbyes and finish dying” (Beckett, p. 1). The emotions used by the author are detailed and are more emphasized through the use of first person. In the same sense Joyce uses every opportunity to express the emotions felt by the characters. The author describes the events of a traditional party. The party is used to introduce us to various aspects about the characters. In the book “The Dead,” emotions form the basis of the plot and as a result emotions are used throughout. The party is full of a jovial mood that expresses positive emotions and these emphasize the state of confusion and insecurity that comes out of the actions and words of Gabriel.

The theme of insecurity is brought out by the extensive use of emotions as expressed by various characters. Both authors use emotions to emphasize on themes and to build the plots of their stories. The same detailed description of rather opinionated aspects can be observed in the famous book by Joyce called Ulysses. In the book Joyce even employs direct dialogue to bring out emotions felt by characters. For instance Ulysses exclaims that: “The bard’s noserag…you can almost taste it?” (Joyce, p. 3). All these aspects seem to be rebellious towards the conventional modernist creations. Both Joyce and Beckett use the characters as their primary tools for bringing out various emotions. Furthermore, the aspect of providing detailed description of these emotions displays a rather escape from modernism towards post modernism. This is because it is very difficult to predict the reaction of the characters in the various situations that they encounter.

The aspect of rebellion to modernism is also displayed when the two writers explore the possibility of using other languages to express various aspects of negation. For instance Joyce managed to learn Latin and Greek and occasionally would express her ideas using these languages. Jaurrateche (p. 18) exclaims that Joyce was fluent in Latin and had also learnt some Greek. He further provides evidence of the knowledge of Joyce of Greek by stating that the knowledge empowered Joyce to understand and analyze the Homer. Beckett on the other hand managed to write not only in English but also in French.

The tones and literal languages employed by the two writers also seem not only different from each other but also rebellious towards modernism. “The Dead” generally can be considered to have a varying tone of excitement, uncertainty and discomfort. The fact that the author focuses on Gabriel makes it obvious that he is the protagonist and that the essence of the story will be brought out through him. For instance the feelings of Aunt Kate towards Gabriel are completely contradicting to what we soon discover. Aunt Kate says that: “Gabriel is here…easier in my mind when he is here.” We are also informed that Gabriel was a favourite of his Aunts. These aspects express excitement. However, we soon realize that Gabriel is insecure and the author aims at driving the character Gabriel to a point where he can confront his insecurities. The use of such contradictory elements within a single space outlines conflict and eventually brings the aspect of nothingness. This is because what was thought to be is not. In “Molloy” by Beckett we also encounter the same reconciliation of positive and negative that leaves the context with an empty void.

Conclusion

Negation is a literal style that has enabled writers to explore the infinities that previously seemed unreachable. Negation does not completely eliminate the consideration of other variables such as religion or social and cultural disparities. On the other hand it enriches these aspects making them more complex and artistic. The limitless nature of negation can be outlined by looking at the similar and different ways with which Beckett and Joyce have utilized the literal style. Beckett has approached it with a stern and serious tone perhaps to bring out the state of conflict between Molly and Moran. On the other hand Joyce uses negation with a light touch and even manages to include humour. The essence is to outline the normal challenges that apparently normal people in a society might encounter. Beckett having learnt a lot from Joyce decided to rebel against the conventional modernism styles of writing and expression by employing the art of negation to add to their literal works, an artistic touch. Beckett and Joyce explored negation with full consciousness and regard of variables such as religion and social disparities, so as to incorporate philosophical aspects common with negation.

References

Beckett, Samuel. Molloy. New York: Grove Press, 1995.
Elliot and Kermode, Frank. The Wasteland and other Poems. New York: Penguin Books, 1998.
Gluck, Reich. Beckett and Joyce: Friendship and Fiction. New Jersey: Associated University Presses, 1976.
Houppermans, Sjef & Uhlmann, Anthony. After Beckett. New York: Rodopi, 2004.
Jaurretche, Collen. Beckett, Joyce and the Art of the Negative. New York: Rodopi, 2005.
Joyce, James. The Dead. California: Coyote Canyon Press, 2008.
Stevens, Wallace & Kermode, Frank. Collected Poetry and Prose. California: Library of America, 1997.
Woolf, Virginia & Bradshaw, David. To the Lighthouse. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

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Beckett’s “Molloy” and “The Dead” by Joyce

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