Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
James Nicoll wrote:
Here's an excerpt from Davies' speculative stream-of-consciousness story simulacrum - whose pointless plotlessness makes it merely a wannabe
story despite all of its fine wordmanship. Its anti-Christian narrative
hits me square between the eyes with the stupid hammer.
He shot the beam of his flashlight into the scrub, and in
that bleak, flat light we saw a tramp and a woman in the
act of copulation. The tramp rolled over and gaped at us
in terror; the woman was Mrs Dempster.
It was Hainey who gave a shout, and in no time all the men
were with us, and Jim Warren was pointing a pistol at the
tramp, ordering him to put his hands up. He repeated the
words two or three times, and then Mrs Dempster spoke.
"You'll have to speak very loudly to him, Mr Warren," she
said, "he's hard of hearing."
I don't think any of us knew where to look when she spoke,
pulling her skirts down but remaining on the ground. It was
at that moment that the Reverend Amasa Dempster joined us;
I had not noticed him when the hunt began, though he must
have been there. He behaved with great dignity, leaning
forward to help his wife rise with the same sort of
protective love I had seen in him the night Paul was born.
But he was not able to keep back his question.
"Mary, what made you do it?"
She looked him honestly in the face and gave the answer that
became famous in Deptford: "He was very civil, 'Masa. And he
wanted it so badly."
Don wrote:
James Nicoll wrote:
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
Thank you for the embedded link to _The Hireling Shepherd_. It's another
example where an artistic image's blatant symbolism clobbers me in the
head with the force of the stupid hammer.
_The Hireling Shepherd_ brings to mind a similar sexual situation in
_Fifth Business_ (Davies). The author, apparently an aficionado of
Shakespeare, kindly defines Fifth Business in his preface. Perhaps you,
in your role of theater staff member, also recognize the phrase, James.
Fifth Business … Definition
Those roles which, being neither those of
Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain,
but which were none the less essential to
bring about the Recognition or the dénouement
were called the Fifth Business in drama
and opera companies organized according
to the old style; the player who acted these
parts was often referred to as Fifth Business.
—Tho. Overskou, Den Danske Skueplads
Davies invented the term, and this quotation.
It's a very fine novel nonetheless. I like it more each time I read it.
Don wrote:
James Nicoll wrote:
<snip - discussion of Robertson Davies's "Fifth Business">
Here's an excerpt from Davies' speculative stream-of-consciousness story
simulacrum - whose pointless plotlessness makes it merely a wannabe
story despite all of its fine wordmanship. Its anti-Christian narrative
hits me square between the eyes with the stupid hammer.
He shot the beam of his flashlight into the scrub, and in
that bleak, flat light we saw a tramp and a woman in the
act of copulation. The tramp rolled over and gaped at us
in terror; the woman was Mrs Dempster.
It was Hainey who gave a shout, and in no time all the men
were with us, and Jim Warren was pointing a pistol at the
tramp, ordering him to put his hands up. He repeated the
words two or three times, and then Mrs Dempster spoke.
"You'll have to speak very loudly to him, Mr Warren," she
said, "he's hard of hearing."
I don't think any of us knew where to look when she spoke,
pulling her skirts down but remaining on the ground. It was
at that moment that the Reverend Amasa Dempster joined us;
I had not noticed him when the hunt began, though he must
have been there. He behaved with great dignity, leaning
forward to help his wife rise with the same sort of
protective love I had seen in him the night Paul was born.
But he was not able to keep back his question.
"Mary, what made you do it?"
She looked him honestly in the face and gave the answer that
became famous in Deptford: "He was very civil, 'Masa. And he
wanted it so badly."
"speculative stream-of-consciousness story simulacrum - whose pointless plotlessness makes it merely a wannabe story"
The Deptford Trilogy, from which "Fifth Business" comes, is the only
(three) thing(s) by Davies that I've ever read. But I find this characterization very surprising.
Davies's writing seems to me to be quite conventional old-fashioned storytelling. Not experimental at all. First-person narrative is not stream-of-consciousness. I feel the novels have plots:
beginning/middle/end, setup/conflict/resolution, mystery/revelation, whatever.
"Conventional" and the rest of what I have said above is intended as
neither praise nor condemnation; simply a statement of how it appears to me.
Likewise, this comment is not intended as a conemnation of your characterization or opinion. The only thing I'm willing to say with
absolute conviction is that "different people read things differently".
But its great difference from my reading did surprise me.
"Its anti-Christian narrative hits me square between the eyes with the
stupid hammer."
Could be. C.S. Lewis's pro-Christian anti-science Space Trilogy
certainly hit me between the eyes with ... well, I'll tone it down a
little and simply say that, as a non-Christian, I found the militancy to
be very offensive.
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
William Hyde wrote:
Don wrote:
James Nicoll wrote:
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
Thank you for the embedded link to _The Hireling Shepherd_. It's another >>> example where an artistic image's blatant symbolism clobbers me in the
head with the force of the stupid hammer.
_The Hireling Shepherd_ brings to mind a similar sexual situation in >>> _Fifth Business_ (Davies). The author, apparently an aficionado of
Shakespeare, kindly defines Fifth Business in his preface. Perhaps you,
in your role of theater staff member, also recognize the phrase, James.
Fifth Business … Definition
Those roles which, being neither those of
Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain,
but which were none the less essential to
bring about the Recognition or the dénouement
were called the Fifth Business in drama
and opera companies organized according
to the old style; the player who acted these
parts was often referred to as Fifth Business.
—Tho. Overskou, Den Danske Skueplads
Davies invented the term, and this quotation.
It's a very fine novel nonetheless. I like it more each time I read it.
It was thrown against the wall by me after its Stupidity Hammer hit
readers with hobo homosexual rape fantasies.
Danke,
James Nicoll wrote:
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
Thank you for the embedded link to _The Hireling Shepherd_. It's another example where an artistic image's blatant symbolism clobbers me in the
head with the force of the stupid hammer.
_The Hireling Shepherd_ brings to mind a similar sexual situation in _Fifth Business_ (Davies). The author, apparently an aficionado of Shakespeare, kindly defines Fifth Business in his preface. Perhaps you,
in your role of theater staff member, also recognize the phrase, James.
Fifth Business … Definition
Those roles which, being neither those of
Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain,
but which were none the less essential to
bring about the Recognition or the dénouement
were called the Fifth Business in drama
and opera companies organized according
to the old style; the player who acted these
parts was often referred to as Fifth Business.
—Tho. Overskou, Den Danske Skueplads
Here's an excerpt from Davies' speculative stream-of-consciousness story simulacrum
story
hits me square between the eyes with the stupid hammer.
Don wrote:
James Nicoll wrote:
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
Thank you for the embedded link to _The Hireling Shepherd_. It's another
example where an artistic image's blatant symbolism clobbers me in the
head with the force of the stupid hammer.
    _The Hireling Shepherd_ brings to mind a similar sexual situation in
_Fifth Business_ (Davies). The author, apparently an aficionado of
Shakespeare, kindly defines Fifth Business in his preface. Perhaps you,
in your role of theater staff member, also recognize the phrase, James.
    Fifth Business … Definition
    Those roles which, being neither those of
    Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain,
    but which were none the less essential to
    bring about the Recognition or the dénouement
    were called the Fifth Business in drama
    and opera companies organized according
    to the old style; the player who acted these
    parts was often referred to as Fifth Business.
    —Tho. Overskou, Den Danske Skueplads
Davies invented the term, and this quotation.
Don wrote:
William Hyde wrote:
Don wrote:
James Nicoll wrote:
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
Thank you for the embedded link to _The Hireling Shepherd_. It's another >>>> example where an artistic image's blatant symbolism clobbers me in the >>>> head with the force of the stupid hammer.
_The Hireling Shepherd_ brings to mind a similar sexual situation in >>>> _Fifth Business_ (Davies). The author, apparently an aficionado of
Shakespeare, kindly defines Fifth Business in his preface. Perhaps you, >>>> in your role of theater staff member, also recognize the phrase, James. >>>>
Fifth Business … Definition
Those roles which, being neither those of
Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain,
but which were none the less essential to
bring about the Recognition or the dénouement
were called the Fifth Business in drama
and opera companies organized according
to the old style; the player who acted these
parts was often referred to as Fifth Business.
—Tho. Overskou, Den Danske Skueplads
Davies invented the term, and this quotation.
It's a very fine novel nonetheless. I like it more each time I read it.
It was thrown against the wall by me after its Stupidity Hammer hit
readers with hobo homosexual rape fantasies.
The hobo did not commit rape but was a victim of a saint's beneficence.
There was perhaps rape of the youth by the fair worker though it was not clear whether consent was granted. Minor details.
You have denied yourself a great read. If you haven't done so, I would recommend you read one of his other trilogies which have nothing in
common with the Deptford IIRC.
Dudley Brooks wrote:
On 6/9/24 1:30 PM, William Hyde wrote:
Don wrote:
James Nicoll wrote:
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
Thank you for the embedded link to _The Hireling Shepherd_. It's
another
example where an artistic image's blatant symbolism clobbers me in the >>>> head with the force of the stupid hammer.
    _The Hireling Shepherd_ brings to mind a similar sexual
situation in
_Fifth Business_ (Davies). The author, apparently an aficionado of
Shakespeare, kindly defines Fifth Business in his preface. Perhaps you, >>>> in your role of theater staff member, also recognize the phrase, James. >>>>
    Fifth Business … Definition
    Those roles which, being neither those of
    Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain,
    but which were none the less essential to
    bring about the Recognition or the dénouement
    were called the Fifth Business in drama
    and opera companies organized according
    to the old style; the player who acted these
    parts was often referred to as Fifth Business.
    —Tho. Overskou, Den Danske Skueplads
Davies invented the term, and this quotation.
I've only read that he admitted to making up the quotation, not the
term itself. I could completely believe that it's a real theatrical
or operatic term -- it makes perfect sense. But I never heard it
while performing with San Francisco Opera Ballet. And I can't find it
in the OED, at least not the online version. So I guess Davies did
make it up. Â Â (But I'm going to ask a friend who owns the complete OED
to check.)
Please do. I know he worked at the Old Vic for some years, and wrote
plays himself before turning to novels.  So he might have known the
phrase if it existed, or made it up as it is useful.
Titus G wrote:
Don wrote:
William Hyde wrote:
Don wrote:It was thrown against the wall by me after its Stupidity Hammer hit
James Nicoll wrote:
Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student
Thank you for the embedded link to _The Hireling Shepherd_. It's another >>>>> example where an artistic image's blatant symbolism clobbers me in the >>>>> head with the force of the stupid hammer.
_The Hireling Shepherd_ brings to mind a similar sexual situation in
_Fifth Business_ (Davies). The author, apparently an aficionado of
Shakespeare, kindly defines Fifth Business in his preface. Perhaps you, >>>>> in your role of theater staff member, also recognize the phrase, James. >>>>>
Fifth Business … Definition
Those roles which, being neither those of
Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain,
but which were none the less essential to
bring about the Recognition or the dénouement
were called the Fifth Business in drama
and opera companies organized according
to the old style; the player who acted these
parts was often referred to as Fifth Business.
—Tho. Overskou, Den Danske Skueplads
Davies invented the term, and this quotation.
It's a very fine novel nonetheless. I like it more each time I read it. >>>
readers with hobo homosexual rape fantasies.
The hobo did not commit rape but was a victim of a saint's beneficence.
There was perhaps rape of the youth by the fair worker though it was not
clear whether consent was granted. Minor details.
You have denied yourself a great read. If you haven't done so, I would
recommend you read one of his other trilogies which have nothing in
common with the Deptford IIRC.
Allow me to belated thank William for clarifying the origin of the
"Fifth Business." Lesson learned - epigraphs are every bit as
fictional as the rest of the story.
Davies is gifted. He masterfully expresses himself. He excels
at symbolic imagery. Davies even magnanimously hints at how readers
can pull themselves up by their own bootstraps to become polymaths.
(Yeah, right?)
Does it surprise anyone at this point for Davies to now become anti-
grist for my Love-Hate mill?
Davies' Gnostic attitude about all denominations being more-or-less the
same ?snake oil? in different bottles rubs me the wrong way. Then
there's the tacit approval of a false face presented in public, passed
off as virtue.
Here's his hobo homosexual fantasy:
Funny how fierce it gets when the body is ill fed and
ill used. Tramps are sodomites mostly. I was a young
fellow, and it's the young ones and the real old ones
that get used, because they can't fight as well. It's
not kid-glove stuff, like that Englishman went to
prison for; it's enough to kill you, you'd think,
when a gang of tramps set on a young fellow. But it
doesn't, you know. That's how I lost my hearing, most
of it; I resisted a gang, and they beat me over the
ears with my own boots till I couldn't resist any
more. Do you know what they say? "Lots o' booze and
buggery". they say.
For a moment, put yourself into my shoes. According to more than one
reader on the Inet, _Fifth Business_ allegedly contains a Roger Bacon character.
"Where's Roger Bacon?" my mind ponders when the above passage
gobsmacks me. It's been patiently waiting for Bacon a long time by
this point in the story. And all its patience is rewarded with the above passage?!?
It finally dawns on me how the Bacon character's a subverted expectation. An illusory allusion or something.
In the end, there's more than enough evil encountered by me in
real life. There's no need whatsoever for me to fantasize about it.
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