Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Second Person | Fiction | Choose-Your-Own-Article
You’re in the second person. It’s quite a startling situation for you- as a reader, you’re not used to it. It’s a little intrusive. You’re accustomed to doing the intruding.
1) Try to explore your surroundings. (TURN TO PAGE 17.)
2) Assume you’re in a cheap rip-off of an Italo Calvino novel. March outside to confront the author of this article in a fit of pique. (TURN TO PAGE 6.)
3) Try to remember back to the days of choose-your-own-adventure books. (TURN TO PAGE 8.)
4) Dismiss the use of second-person narrative as a cheap affectation, without real value to fiction. (TURN TO PAGE 243.)
PAGE 8:
Yes, they were good, weren’t they? You think back to Give Yourself Goosebumps.
1) Consider the matter of interactive fiction. Wonder a little sadly at its loss of popularity due to the rise of a more straightforwardly immersive form, in the video game. Imagine the largely untapped, terrifying possibilities of a novel told like a puzzle, in which the reader is trapped inside the head of a protagonist, forced to act out the events of the story, rather than being allowed to remain an untouchable observer. (TURN TO PAGE 81.)
2) Worry about the problems of ‘personas’, and the dangers of a second-person reader/protagonist becoming immersed in the fantastic world around him, to the detriment of ‘reality’. (TURN TO PAGE 34.)
PAGE 69:
You find yourself imagining yourself as part of the threesome. For a short time you find yourself animal, mindless, invincible- inhabiting the sleaziest, most deviant acts without the slightest concern.
Then you wake, and you feel bad about it. But not too bad- the person who did those things already feels far away, like someone with no connection to you whatsoever. You call your mother, and you’re a good son, a good daughter once again; a good person, you tell yourself.
END.
PAGE 81:
No wonder, you think, that the form has largely died out, when it was hiding something genuinely revolutionary beneath stock situations and standard genre worlds. Alternating between giving the reader a potentially empowering control over their actions, and telling them what they think? It’s a genuinely disturbing experience, you tell yourself. Then you scratch your nose, which is feeling extremely itchy. Next you yawn, and consider the importance of empathy- or impressionability- in the reader’s reactions to such stories.
You go on your way, a little enlightened, vowing to tell all of your friends about the literary site called Silkworms Ink.
END.
PAGE 243:
The article doesn’t trouble to inform of you of the surprisingly large number of respected, experimental authors who’ve utilised the second-person, Faulkner and Gunter Grass. Instead, it asks you gently whether there isn’t some interesting game possible using this ‘affectation’- the creation of a multiplicity of narratives, echoing and complementing one another, as if across parallel timelines, often turning in on themselves, for instance. Like The French Lieutenant’s Woman, only not a cop-out.
But you aren’t listening. You tear down the article from the four walls surrounding you, and storm away to read something else. This artificial reality collapses, apologetically.
END.
PAGE 6:
You head outside. Unfortunately, it’s pitch black, and you’re eaten by a meta-narrative.
END.
PAGE 17:
Streams of words. Opinion masquerading as authority. You’re inside an article, all right- and judging from the threesome outside the window, it’s an Internet article.
1) Assume you’re in an Italo Calvino novel. March outside to confront the author of this article in a fit of pique. (TURN TO PAGE 6.)
2) Try to remember back to the days of choose-your-own-adventure books. (TURN TO PAGE 8.)
3) Dismiss the use of second-person narrative as a cheap affectation, without real value to fiction. (TURN TO PAGE 243.)
4) Watch the threesome. (TURN TO PAGE 69.)
PAGE 34:
This one is a genuine worry, you think. Readers are only the most indirect sort of participators- and it may be that level of detachment that gives us room to make up our own minds about the themes, argument, characters of a book. It’s entirely possible that you’ll spend the length of the entire fiction playing the author’s game, rather than hunting him like the Minotaur through the maze he’s constructed.
Or is that an insult towards the reader’s intelligence and independence of mind? Is it, in fact, perfectly possible to immerse yourself fully and utterly, then rise again, refreshed and stimulated?
You think about it, and you make your mind up, one way or another.
By the time you’ve decided, however, someone’s switched off your computer, and you’re forced to spend all eternity in a nearly-state, trapped inside the article; a single, virtual incarnation, lost beneath a billion reproducing brothers and sisters.
END.
-
Jon Ware
Fiction Editor
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Reviews, Keeping Hydrated and Bridal Makeup Inspiration
I'm almost feeling back to normal now after my mad hen weekend! While I was wandering around Edinburgh with my pals, I couldn't help but stop and get Chris a little gift. He has a HUGE sweet tooth and loves any kind of chocolate or sweet things. So when I walked past The Fudge House, I thought I would pick up a few different flavours for him. I got four types of fudge all packaged in a little box...chocolate hazlenut, white chocolate, creme brulee and maple syrup. As you can see from the pic, he has been at it already and there's already some gone!
I'm surprised I managed to resist getting myself some but although my wedding dress is ready to pick up now, I will be having another dress fitting at the end of this month to tweak the fit so I have to be good! I weighed myself after being away at the weekend to see if I had put anything on and low and behold I had put on just under 1lb. That's ok though because I did go all out and eat/drink whatever I wanted. I can lose that again in less than a week so I'm ok with that!
Chris had taken a trip back home to Ireland at the weekend and he returned with two gifts for me from his lovely mum. She kindly bought me a dress from Savida and a skirt from Dunnes Stores. I am so lucky to have a future mother in law who knows exactly what my style is, she always gets me such lovely things! The dove grey dress is a jersey type material with a cream vest lining, tie waist and crochet detail on the bust...perfect for lazy summer days.
The pale grey skirt has gorgeous embellished pockets and is pretty short but just the right length for me...I might wear this on my Aberdeen hen night in July! I love clothes that have beading or intricate embellishments, it just adds a bit of glitz and interest.
After getting back from Edinburgh my skin and hair felt a bit dry...that could be because of the copious amounts of alcohol that was consumed...not big and not clever! I found three products that really infused my hair and skin with hydration again. The first being Loreal Elvive Re-Nutrition Nourishing Fluid which I like to apply both day and night. I work it through the ends of my hair after blowdrying and also at night before I go to bed. I find that it's light enough not to make my fine hair greasy but it works hard at making my hair feel like silk. My hair already feels tons better. Another hair product I really rate is the Sebastian Hydre Deep Moisturising Treatment, this is amazing if you have dry or frizzy hair and if you're blonde, you'll know what I'm talking about! I leave the treatment on in the shower for 5-10 mins and then wash thoroughly...this is important to ensure that all of the product has been washed out of your hair. Otherwise, you will end up with a build up of residue and you're hair will be static all the time. I switch around my hair treatments alot because my hair gets too used to using the same product and it becomes less effective. My favourites are still Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment, Kerastase Chroma Riche Mask and I would say this Sebastian one is now up there with my favourites.
The third product is a skin saviour if you have dry skin. It's the Estee Lauder Hydra Complete Multi Level Moisture Gel Mask. It's described as a 'long, refreshing drink of pure moisture for your skin'. My face feels so soothed after using this and it plumps out my skin texture, softens it and smoothes any dry patches. It's a great mask to use the morning after a big night out because it feeds your skin with the hydration it needs. It's oil free so it's great for sensitive skin. It contains alot of natural ingredients like Cactus Flower and Mohave Yucca and is also great if you work or live in an air conditioned environment where skin can get really dried out.
Onto some things that I have been loving at the moment. First up is the Givenchy Prisme Libre in no.4 Tender Sun. Although the diagram on the bottom of the product indicates that it is intended for use on your cheeks, I love to swirl the four bronzey shades together for an all over face glow. This gives such a luminous but non shimmery radiance to your complexion and it looks very natural. I love the packaging although I don't find the double sided face puff inside that useful as it applies the product too heavily for my liking. I much prefer to use a big powder brush to give an even and natural finish. The palest peachy coloured powder in the quad is really brightening and brings my skin to life. It doesn't look chalky on the skin and because you only need a small amount for each application, it will last for a long time.
I had been trying out a new foundation last week and wanted to share my thoughts on it. It's Lacome Teint Idol Silky Mat Foundation in Beige Diaphane. This foundation claims to provide 18 hours of shine free coverage that's breathable and visibly refines pores. This foundation is a light to medium coverage but it is also buildable. The consistency is very runny and you really don't need alot of product. It has SPF 16 and contains Mineral Siliceum to actively control shine over time. It's described as being hydrating, oil-free, sweat resistant and suitable for all skin types. I would agree that the foundation is very light in texture and it feels natural on the skin, it offered adequate coverage for my skin, however my skin is currently pretty blemish free and even. It gave a nice soft matte finish and didn't look cakey or unnatural. I don't know about the sweat resistant claim though as I did find that the foundation tends to melt a bit after about 5 hours and when you rush around, it doesn't feel fool proof on my face. I think this would be the kind of foundation that I would only wear in the daytime as I need a bit extra coverage and staying power if I'm heading out on the town with the girls. It's a nice foundation for girls who are looking for a light, natural finish. It didn't blow me away but it's certainly a good foundation for summer on lazy days in the sun when you want that no-makeup look.
I am obsessed with having flawless makeup so any kind of primer that will help me achieve that is welcome in my makeup collection! This new concealer and eyeshadow primer from Benefit Stay, Dont Stray is a flesh coloured liquid that can be applied under the eye and on the eye lid to make sure your concealer and eyeshadow stay put. Sometimes concealers can melt or settle into fine lines (it can be due to using an eye cream that's slightly too heavy) and I personally hate it when that happens because it can make you look older. Because I get bad under eye circles, I really need my concealer to stay flawless all day and this product is brilliant at doing that. I just apply a tiny amount with my fingers and pat it gently into my eye area. There's a pump applicator so this keeps everything nice and mess-free. I normally use Mac Paint Pots to prime my eye lid before eyeshadow but this will be more handy for travelling because it kills two birds with one stone. It's particularly useful on nights out when I know I will be bopping around to music and getting sweaty (gross, I know!). It's like a liquid version of Mac Painterly Paint Pot so it's great for concealing uneven pigmentation on the eye lid - you could even wear it on it's own if you were going for the natural look.
I have my wedding makeup trial for myself and my three bridesmaids this Saturday in Glasgow so I'm REALLY excited about that. I have been looking into this for a while and I really want my makeup to be perfect on the big day. I am a perfectionist and I'm kinda scared that I might come across as some kind of diva to the makeup artist. It's just because I am so into my own makeup and I know what works on me. I have a list of products/words to go over with her like...Mac Woodwinked e/s, golden peachy tones, soft matte complexion with highlighted cheekbones, black flicked eyeliner...etc. I am really particular about the coverage of my foundation for example so I want to make sure that I choose the right product for the day. It's so hard because you need a foundation without SPF or at least with a low SPF so you don't get that white cast look in flash photography. Also, you have to get your eyes and lips more defined than you usually would so they show up better on camera. I have been looking for inspiration and I love the skin and eye makeup in this Pixiwoo Bridal Makeup vid, although the lip colour would be too pale...
I know that I want individual false lashes on the day and since my dress is a champagne shade, I think that gold and bronze tones would really compliment the dress and my hair. I really hope I don't come across as really high maintenance to the makeup artist but I know what I want on my wedding day and I won't be happy unless it's perfect but I think anyone could understand that. I am going to try and wear a top that is ivory or champagne coloured so I can get a good idea of how the makeup will look against my dress.
I really want to channel the subtlely sunkissed Charlize Theron vibe for my wedding makeup. I love the way she always has soft definition using golds and bronze:
I think if I used a lipstick like Mac's High Tea then that would add the colour I needed on the lips.
So I will have to take some pics of how the makeup turns out. But meantime, have you got any tips for makeup trials?
Second Person | Poetry | Are You Talking To Me?
If this looks like a poem
I might as well warn you at the beginning
that it’s not meant to be one.
So begins one of my favourite Leonard Cohen poems, The Cuckold’s Song. I wonder if, like me, you thought he was talking to you, the ethereal reader, in those lines? As it turns out, the whole thing is aimed at the chap who has cuckolded him:
I know all about her part in it
but I’m not concerned with that right now.
This is between you and me.
and like a well-orchestrated focus-pull, that word ‘you’ takes on a different shape altogether.
The gender-less second-person pronoun is one of the poet’s most abundant tools for tricks and twists in that game of readerly cat and mouse we so often play with good art. Of course we have that most famous case of Shakespeare’s ‘young man’ who is so often assumed to be female by first-time readers of the sonnets, but beyond that, poetry is a world filled with people who choose to hide their feelings behind the blurred word, ‘you’.
Let us take the poem, Dog, from Mark Waldron’s excellent collection The Brand New Dark. The poem opens:
I had thought of you as I lay fighting
off this sleep. Now I find you as you squat
my dream as a dog…
Now we can almost certainly establish that the ‘you’ of the poem is not a literal dog. What then, should we assume? Our instincts want to tell us that the ‘you’ is a lover, for lovers are what we lose sleep over and who we find ourselves writing poetry for in those restless nights. But then again, what if ‘you’ is me? What if ‘you’ is you as you read this poem. Maybe it is you, or the idea of you that has caused Waldron these sleepless nights as he anticipates your reception of his poetry. An unqualified ‘you’ can prove to be quite the potent bomb of possibility in the hands of the right poet – a cluster bomb catching all in its blast radius with the illusion of address.
For all the refractive possibilities of the anonymous ‘you’ however, some of the most masterful poets have managed to use a specific second-person to create a sort of blurred illusion of sharpness in their address. I am thinking specifically here of Ted Hughes’ Birthday Letters. Of course, these poems are explicitly addressed to Sylvia Plath, but as Hughes’ writing process continued over 25 years we can see that he is writing to infinite versions and reinventions of his late wife. The poem, ‘Portraits’ opens:
What happened to Howard’s portrait of you?
I wanted that painting.
Whilst we take ‘you’ to be the simple address of a husband to his wife, we know that it also stands for so much more. In the context of a portrait, ‘you’ becomes the version of Plath that was held in Howard’s “molten, luminous” depiction of her. As such, the past-tense line, “I wanted that painting”, comes to suggest that Hughes preferred this vibrant, numinous version of his wife and the word ‘you’ is shattered into the thousand people that Plath became throughout her life as is the case with all of us, especially those who have had the misfortune of suffering from depression.
Whilst I shall not dwell on it here for it has been overdone elsewhere, it is this same skill that Eliot uses so well in Prufrock when he manages to make the word ‘you’ stand for the conflicting sides of his psyche:
Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherised upon a table;
Finally, though, the reason I find it so easy to get engrossed in the letters of my favourite writers is ‘you’. When we read Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet, do we not secretly blind-spot the word ‘Mr. Kappus’ and pretend that he is writing to us? I have vivid memories of reading the following section around about my twentieth year:
You are so young, so before all beginning, and I want to beg you as much as I can, dear sir, to be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves like loved rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue.
When we read these words, do we not feel as though the world itself is speaking directly to us? The writers die and re-enter the earth but the words they addressed to other people enter the atmosphere and come to our aid wearing the time-honoured passport to our soul – the word ‘you’.
Phil Brown
Poetry Editor
Mary Dyer executed for religious liberty, freedom of conscience
My other blog, Rooting for Ancestors, has an article about Antinomianism, Puritanism, and (uh-oh) you might even recognize features of religious institutions of the present! Read about Mary Dyer, a martyr for religious freedom, HERE.
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