That is, my feelings. I’m going to be really bratty here and simply say that if this is a classic, I haven’t gotten to that part yet. I can get beyond the unusual writing style–I learned to love Faulkner, after all. But the problem here is the story first, and second, the character of Stephen.
Realizing of course the amost-century of time (yeah, unbelievable, huh? 1916 was that long ago!) will define a difference in society as well as family life, age-characteristics, and language style, it still bugs me no end that this boy is in his first year of college and acts like an eight-year old. Even considering a unique meaning in the use of "college," I would prefer I suppose to have a solid idea of his age.
There’s also nothing of interest to me going on in the story. Maybe because I hated Robert Graves’ Goodbye to All That when I read it for Western Civ II class, this similar schoolboy whining and melodrama is not appealing.
Good student of literature that I am however, I shall continue to plod my way deeper into the book to find its salvation and discover its worth.
But honestly, so far it really sucks.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
Learn when to bail on something that’s not working.
I had a similar reaction when I was reading Rilke – it seemed like so much to plod through to get to those juicy passages that everyone always quotes. I gave up – I can always look up just the quotes!
I’ve got a tenacious streak that won’t let me give in. Also, a huge guilt complex.