21st Century Literature discussion

This topic is for discussion of the second part of the book, which takes place in 1948. I have decided to separate this from the final part, so that there is a place to comment when you reach the end of each section. Any thoughts on this section would be welcome.

I've just finished this part. I have to admit I am having the same problem on a re-read of this book as I had the first time through. I thought re-reading it with a better understanding of the context might fix that for me, but it hasn't. In essence, I struggle with the lack of humanity in the book, especially after a the first section set things up so well. Everything, to my mind, feels remote and detached. In part one, we had the musings of a man standing waiting for a lift. In part two, we get more musings, this time of a man on a plane. But that's it. Maybe that's the point (discussion?), but for me I would like some more engagement with real life rather than just reflection on it.

Neil, I understand that. For me, the internal side was very interesting but I was interested in Shostakovich before I read the book, and have read quite a lot about life under Soviet communism...

It is a slippery slope on which Shostakovich finds himself. What course of action would you or I have chosen in his place? Could he have rationalized his actions in NYC in such a way as to not feel as he did?

All I have are questions. Questions that I do not know the answers to but which, for me, are the heart of the situations. I am glad that Barnes shows the inner turmoil. I hope that Shostakovich, and anyone in a similar position, experienced such inner turmoil.

To some extent, these questions form the core of part 3, so I won't say too much here. It is obvious that no easy way out was available, and that Nabokov's question on Stravinsky put him in an impossible position.

I think Barnes was brilliant in forming these same questions/thoughts, that did make the reader contemplate and think deeply about the situation these people were in. This section is filled with all of this, and I think that is what really drew me in even further.

Quotes:

"One fear drives out another, as one nail drives out another. So, as the climbing plane seemed to hit solid ledges of air, he concentrated on the local, immediate fear: of immolation, disintegration, instant oblivion. Fear normally drives out all other emotions as well, but not shame. Fear and shame swilled happily together in his stomach." -page 63

"Pushkin had put the words into Mozart's mouth: Genius and evil - Are two things incompatible. You agree?" -page 72

"Turgenev's letters: Russia, my cherished mother - She doesn't take anything by force; She only takes things willingly surrendered - While holding a knife to your throat." -page 73

"Sarcasm was dangerous to its user, identifiable as the language of the wrecker and the saboteur. But irony - perhaps, sometimes, so he hoped - might enable you to preserve what you valued, even as the noise of time became loud enough to knock out windowpanes." -page 91

"He admired those who stood up and spoke truth to Power. He admired their bravery and their moral integrity. And sometimes he envied them; but it was complicated, because part of what he envied them was their death, their being put out of the agony of living." -page 117

Ernie, I so agree! Showing the position Shostakovich was in and his internal struggle of saying things he did not believe in order to stay alive (and protect his family) was really interesting for me to see. I really like the internal perspective. I don't feel detached from the character at all, as others have. I think that detachment feeling was meant to show the impersonality of the situation itself, but I also might be giving Barnes too much credit.

Kay, I don't think you are giving Barnes too much credit at all. I am sure that his feelings of a detachment and distancing were purposely created to place the reader in closer acumen with Shostakovich.

I loved this book and found several Shostakovich symphonies that I listened to while reading.

Thanks to all of you - I think this book has polarised people - it makes far more sense if you see it sociologically rather than musically - I think Barnes is well aware of his limitations as a musicologist but has quite a profound understanding of psychological torment...

Danita L wrote: "Kay, I don't think you are giving Barnes too much credit at all. I am sure that his feelings of a detachment and distancing were purposely created to place the reader in closer acumen with Shostako..."

Thanks, Danita. Now that I have finished it, I see my initial reaction was right :)

Lisa, I always find it interesting how different people react to a book. My feelings are the exact opposite of yours! I felt the inner struggle in this book, while with The Sense of an Ending, I felt disconnected to the characters.

I just finished reading this part. I also feel the inner struggle that Barnes is depicting here more than anything. I thought I would find more details about the music but instead it is more about life under the Soviet regime. I am vageuly familiar with Stalin and his regime so I have to go back and research a bit more, but wow, what it must've been like to live in those times.
I enjoyed the struggle of making music and art in this situation, the same as can you be true to yourself with your art or succumb to Power to survive? it's definitely left me thinking a lot.

I agree with many that this book is more about S's inner struggle than his music. But we get to see his music through his eyes. He is constantly under threat for creating the "wrong" kind of music according to power. I found the parts about whether he put hidden subversive elements in his music interesting. It seemed power was constantly looking for betrayal.

Like Linda, this moral dilemma under which S lived of how to make his music and also be safe left me with a lot to think about. He could have chosen to defect when he was in NYC, but he did not. It seemed that his decision to stay in Russia affected the kind of music that he wrote. It made me think a lot about what I would do in a similar situation where I did not believe in the values of the state. Would I stay and compromise, would I stay and fight or would I figure out a way to defect?

I agree that the book, particularly this section, has a detached, almost emotionless feel even though it deals with S's strong emotions like fear, shame, etc. I was thinking that in a way, this detachment in the writing mirrors S's turning off his emotions in order to deal with the kind of oppressive situation he is immersed in. It reminded me of some things I've read about the psychological effects of racism on its victims - how it "deadens" their emotional life. So I think Barnes has captured this feeling.

He may have had to hide his emotions because of the extreme oppression he suffered from Stalinist Russia; but his music remains packed with feeling.