|
i hear the "style over substance" argument applied to burroughs a lot. and it is redundant. i think when people say that they mean "i can't decipher any of this and don't understand it." which is itself understandable. but if you are not prepared to let the text work on you and eventually come to be able to read it then that's your loss. his cultural position and all the cool attached to him as a figure are what bring people to his writing and what cause many to dismiss it. but it isn't just nonsense. there is a reasonably clear form of narrative in naked lunch which is probably the most difficult and disjointed of his works. it may be a narrative which jumps around seemingly at random but there is reason to the madness if take the time to let it sink into your mind.
i bought naked lunch when i was probably 15 and i couldn't make much of it at all and i dragged it around with me as i moved about until one day when i was utterly broke and had nothing else to do i picked it up and read the whole thing in one glorious sitting.
most people pick up naked lunch and think "ive heard this is supposed to be such genius, but its hard so ill just either leave it there and think its cool or i'll complain that its style over substance." this could not be further from the truth. you should really start with cities of the red night.
excerpts from nova express
“All that they [the Nova Mob] offer is a screen to cover retreat from the colony they have so disgracefully mismanaged. To cover travel arrangements so they will never have to pay the constituents they have betrayed and sold out. Once these arrangements are complete they will blow the place up behind them.
“And what does my program of total austerity and total resistance offer you? I offer you nothing. I am not a politician. These are conditions of total emergency. And these are my instructions for total emergency if carried out now could avert the total disaster now on tracks: “Peoples of the earth, you have all been poisoned. [all italics in original] Convert all available stocks of morphine to apomorphine. Chemists, work round the clock on variation and synthesis of the apomorphine formulae. Apomorphine is the only agent that can disintoxicate you and cut the enemy beam off your line. Apomorphine and silence. I order total resistance directed against this conspiracy to pay off peoples of the earth in ersatz bullshit. I order total resistance directed against The Nova Conspiracy and all those engaged in it.“The purpose of my writing is to expose and arrest Nova Criminals. In Naked Lunch, Soft Machine and Nova Express I show who they are and what they are doing and what they will do if they are not arrested. Minutes to go. Souls rotten from their orgasm drugs, flesh shuddering from their nova ovens, prisoners of the earth to come out. With your help we can occupy The Reality Studio and retake their universe of Fear Death and Monopoly (Signed) INSPECTOR J. LEE, NOVA POLICE2
"Last Words.Listen to my last words anywhere. Listen to my last words any world.Listen all you boards syndicates and governments of the earth.And you powers behind what filth deals consummated in what lavatory to take what is not yours. To sell the ground from unborn feet forever -"Don't let them see us. Don't tell them what we are doing -"Are these the words of the all powerful boards and syndicates of the earth?"For God's sake don't let that coca-cola thing out -""Not the cancer deal with the Venusians -""Not the green deal - Don't show them that -""Not the orgasm death -""Not the ovens -"Listen: I call you all. Show your cards all players.Pay it all pay it all pay it all back.Play it all play it all play it all back.For all to see. In Times Square. In Picadilly."Premature.Premature. Give us a little more time."Time for what? More lies? Premature? Premature for who? I say to all these words are not premature. These words may be too late.Minutes to go. Minutes to foe goal -"Top secret -Classified -For the Board - The Elite -The Initiates -"Are these the words of the all-powerful boards and syndicates of the earth? These are the words of cowards and collaborators traitors.Liars who want more time for more lies. Cowards who cannot face your "dogs" your "gooks" your "errand boys" your "human animals" with the truth. Collaborators with insect people with vegetable people. With any people anywhere who offer you a body forever. To shit forever. For this you have sold out your sons. Sold the ground from unborn feet forever. Traitors to all souls everywhere. You want the name of Hassan i Sabbah on your filth deeds to sell out the unborn?What scared you all into time? Into body? Into shit? I will tell you: "the word." Alien Word "the". "The" word of Alien Enemy imprisons "thee" in time. In body. In shit. Prisoner, come out. The great skies are open. I Hassan i Sabbah rub out the word forever.If you I cancel all your words forever. And the words of Hassan i Sabbah as also cancel. Cross all your skies see the silent writing of Brion Gysin Hassan i Sabbah: drew September 17, 1899 over New York."
|