'y, Januory 15, ;1,969 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page N h yJanuary 15, 1969 THE MICHIGAN DAILY .,. i n lectures Kosinski: The writer as Comrade -Daily-Jay Cassidy Finding the artistry of edioting reality By HENRY GRIX The Odessa steps of Sergei Eisenstein's classic silent film Potemkin may be the Steps of Jerzy Kosinski's latest novel. And then again they may not. "I rely on whatever it is that makes me do it," the writer-in-residence says. But parallels between literature and film are evident and the topic of Kosinski's lecture last night in Rackham, "Montage in Cinema and Modern Fiction." "The novelist can learn a lot from movies;" Kosinski says, sug- gesting that "montage, putting things together, editing" is becom- ing more a part of art. He adds that the sharp editing of films like Bullitt set an artistic pace that "few novels dare to follow." "Looseness of composition is part of the structure of the mod- ern novel or film," the writer explains. "The less you give the aud- ience the more the audience will make the movie or write the book." "To communicate by not communicating, by involving the aud- ience in the creative process," is the goal of modern film directors and novelists. The art of the novelist or cinematographer, lies in presenting a "composite work of art," in selecting the details which will stimulate the audience to join in the creative effort. Kosinski feels audiences have been conditioned in creativity, "trained by movies and via TV," to supplying events suggested by' a novel or film. He cited an experiment which indicated rich de- tailing inhibits the minds of viewers or, readers. Ironically, Kosinski shies from the suggestion of turning either of his fictional works into films. "The Painted Bird was written as a novel," Kosinski explains, "and it never occurred to me that it could become anything other than that." In fact, Kosinski pleas ignorance of an extensive knowledge of film. He claims his closest connection with cinema came when Hollywood sought to make a film of The Painted Bird, a grim chronicle of inhumanity. But Kosinski wouldn't sell out. Especially when they insisted on making a musical version. By MARCIA ABRAMSON "You have a doctor in your book, comrade? Do you know medicine? Have you been a vol- unteer? Why not? They need volunteers, comrade." The work of the writer in a socialist state is under constant scrutiny, from preliminary out- line on, Jerzy Kosinski explain- ed yesterday. The writer must answer to other writers of vari- ous lusters, to semi-literary po- litical figures, to editors and publishers-of state publishing houses, of course. IN And even if the work passes all the inspections before publi- cation, a sudden change in the "political temperature" may pre- cipitate disaster in the reviews. Kosinski, who left Poland only 11 years ago, knows the dilem- ma of the writer in a socialist state. But the problem with his analysis of the situation in yes- terday's afternoon discussion was that he spent too much time analyzing the mechanical structure of the socialist system without getting into the per- sonal and psychological ramifi- cations that his lecture suggest- ed must exist. For example, Kosinski said that being published abroad is the closest thing tos uicide. "Just getting in touch with a foreign publisher is an act of courage," he explained. But he did attempt to explain what makes some men commit this kind of suicide, while others stay with the system. Kosinski's talk left many questions of this nature unan- swered. Do some potential writ- ers give up without trying, knowing that they will be stif- led, but not willing to publish abroad? Is the accepted writ- ing any good? Do some of the writers become literary hypo- crites, or do most of them be- lieve in the system? Kosinski did not say. The system is fairly simple to grasp. To be able to publish, you must be recommended for and join the writers' union, and then subject yourself and your pro- posed work to constant criti- cism. You meet with your peers, the other new writers. You meet COME TO Student Book Service and visit NEFF WELLIN SQUIRREL with more accepted, published writers. You meet with a tape- recorder at all the meetings. You are observed not only as a writ- er but as a citizen. "Your file," Kosinski explained, "develops right along with you." The ra- - tionale for these sessions is that the work does not belong to the author alone, but to society. How serious and cutting the cri- ticism is depends on the politi- cal climate of the particular moment. In any case, the younger writ- er is in the most perilous posi- tion. More accepted writers are under less political pressure from the system. But even they do not choose to use what freedom they may have in defense of the less orthodox. In answer to questions from a receptive - and percep- tive - audience, Kosinski said the large body of Soviet writers are reactionary. However, he did not quite explain why this is so. Kosinski added that he con- sidered the writer's position most tragic in the socialist country. "They may be the only ones who are really aware," he explained. "The others are more-or less comfortable; so- ciety moves forward and pro- duces material goods for them." Kosinski was only beginning to talk about the writer's per- snal dilemma when it was time for him to run off to a dinner engagement. It is too bad that he could not have gone on, since so much more could have been added. Psychoballet' A film of a "psychoballet" and a lecture on the use of art in spiritual development will be pre- sented at 8 p.m. tomorrow in Rackham Assembly Hall by a composer-turned-psychologist, Dr. Daniel Jordan. The program is sponsored by the Baha'i Student Gorup. There is no admission. The most complete supply of NEW and USED TEXTS and PAPERBACKS is at the Student Book Service I I . . !I R 1 a r. ft r, d ' w E , aka F E s, l e , k. ". Enjoy Yourself - Joi the Daily Staff Today! I - I. Today at 8:00 P.M. PRESIDENT FLEMING speaking "The Role of Fraternities" U