Based upon my recent reading of Tzvetan Todorov's The Fantastic: A Structural Approach to the Fantastic, I add a note to the end of my "Paranormal or Supernatural: What's the Diff?" essay at the bottom of this page. It's quite interesting, if I do say so myself, and worth a perusal.
The minds of even those aspiring to greatness evidently think alike as well, as I've recently completed a four-part essay series on Todorov based on a very recent re-reading.
ReplyDeleteI'll now check out the addenda you mentioned...
I agree with your threefold categorization as to classifying unusual menaces and have been thinking of something along those lines myself. I don't remember if I read your essay before I started thinking about such things in late October, when something or other reminded me of Todorov's distinction between "uncanny" and "marvelous" and I started trying to incorporate aspects of his system into mine (while naturally rejecting the stuff I didn't like). The problem with Todorov is that his main interest is in his conception of his borderline category, "the fantastic," and he doesn't really have that much interest in the hermeneutics of fantasy generally, IMO.
ReplyDeleteI remember one writer, author of a book called MONSTERS AND MAD SCIENTISTS I think, who distinguished the content of horror films as either "supernatural" or "supernormal." For what that's worth.
I'd like to read your study, if you decide to post it somehwere, Gene; it sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteHi Gary,
ReplyDeleteIt may well be more than you want to get into, as the essays on or relating to Todorov now number eight or nine in all.
Here's the earliest, to maybe get you started:
http://arche-arc.blogspot.com/2010/11/todorov-o-todorov-part-1.html
Thanks, Gene. I look forward to reading them, over a bit of a time span.
ReplyDelete