Robert Louis Stevenson: Treasure Island (2016, Creative Media Partners, LLC)
English language
Published 2016 by Creative Media Partners, LLC.
Traditionally considered a coming-of-age story, Treasure Island is an adventure tale known for its atmosphere, characters and action, and also as a wry commentary on the ambiguity of morality — as seen in Long John Silver — unusual for children's literature then and now. It is one of the most frequently dramatized of all novels. The influence of Treasure Island on popular perceptions of pirates is enormous, including treasure maps marked with an "X", schooners, the Black Spot, tropical islands, and one-legged seamen carrying parrots on their shoulders
One of the books that I am embarrassed to admit to reading and liking way too much at the time I read it. For what it is, it isn't bad, but the inherent wish fulfillment is apparent in every page: because geniuses are frequently misunderstood loners, the author, who is a misunderstood loner, must be a genius. Eurgh.
I like Carroll. I think part of the reason for that is because Carroll's world is always emotionally valid. The characters have insane things happen to them, but it's always a reflection of their inner feelings -- the fantasy arises from the inner dialogue and struggle being externalized.
That is, when Isabelle has to travel back to see her lover, she has past selves and behaviors trying to derail her and throw obstacles in her path. In this world, there are literally copies of her trying to run her off the road and throwing giant rocks ahead of her on the freeway.
With this in mind, it makes sense if you realize that Carroll is talking about emotional truth. It's not supposed to make sense. It's the insanity of realizing that the world around you is as crazy as you are.
The irony is that I don't like Murakami, because …
I like Carroll. I think part of the reason for that is because Carroll's world is always emotionally valid. The characters have insane things happen to them, but it's always a reflection of their inner feelings -- the fantasy arises from the inner dialogue and struggle being externalized.
That is, when Isabelle has to travel back to see her lover, she has past selves and behaviors trying to derail her and throw obstacles in her path. In this world, there are literally copies of her trying to run her off the road and throwing giant rocks ahead of her on the freeway.
With this in mind, it makes sense if you realize that Carroll is talking about emotional truth. It's not supposed to make sense. It's the insanity of realizing that the world around you is as crazy as you are.
The irony is that I don't like Murakami, because on the spur of a moment a character can find himself brutalizing a stranger with a baseball bat, and feel fine about it afterwards. Carroll never does that -- even the death and the amnesia, although cliched, makes sense in context of the forbidden affair and breakup. That's because, under the hood, they are the same thing.
