I PAGE EIGHT THE MICHIGAN DAILY rRTDAY, MARCh 2",1937 iRe FIELDING TO KAFKA: Prof. Lange Discusses Development of Fiction (4 By ALLAN STILLWAGON An "academic slight of hand"I was used yesterday to demonstrate the dissolution of literature's ob- jective world. Prof. Victor Lange described "Three Ways of Modern Fiction" at Rackham Amphitheater, begin- ning at the "peep-show" of Field- ing and ending in Kafka's alien, paradoxical nightmare. The Chairman of the German department at Cornell University looked back to the fictional story- telling of the 18th century and saw authors sure of what they said, confident of their ability to recognize the truth, absorbed in the entity of the human being. Problematical Beings "But later, as we see in read- ing Dostoevski, individual exper- ience seemed to be insufficient to the novelist," he declared. "The human being has become proble- matical . . . the novel has there- fore lost the entity of the human being, respectable and coherent as it once was. Transition from narration by an " I" or "ego" outside the story to perception of "parables as mod- els of possible spiritual experi- ence" advanced rapidly in the 1880's, according to Prof. Lange. At*that time the individual came to be considered not as an entity "sustained by- forms and faiths," but as a complex organ- ism, affected by "collective ex- perience." Experiences of one person were no longer related to external cri- teria. Throukh psychoanalytic writing, experiences which for- merly could be generalized to all men became mythical. Atomizing Oneself In 20 years, around 1900, the individual takes one more step and loses himself, "atomizes him- self," according to Prof. Lange. It is "tremendously significant," that the novelist now finds him- self in a world he cannot interpret with his ordinary artistic under- standing. This is where Rilka was when worlds were constantly threatened by catastrophy. Like a TV cameraman the writ- er now moves quickly in and out, coming closer and closer until he studies only a small patch of skin, then moving out for a detached, serene view. Constant Shifting The scene shifts constantly, sometimes out, sometimes in, but at no point is the reader allowed to remain in a safe, objective place. "Especially in Kafka, the Sorbonne-Leipzig graduate noted, "He is shocked, overwhelmed, in-, sulted, abused, never left for one moment to contemplate a green meadow, or a clear blue sky." "Imagery has absorbed reality," he observed. "For Proust, the most terrible thing in the world was to be unable to visualize experi- ence. "Prefiguring experience is more and more the object of contem- porary literature, defining, not de- scribing that which would remain vague. Where once the reader wa4 con- fronted by general coherency, he is now faced only by coherent de- tails, focused sharply to "provide a shocking view of incoherence. Uncertainty is the key to Kafka's world." Instead of asking "Who is X, we must ask, "Who is who? Rather than asking, "Where is the castle, we must ask, "Where is where?" "Today the novelist must en- gage in the process of language as a scientist must analyze," Prof. Lange concluded. "At this point of time, the para- ble as a purely experimental func- tion ... where experience cannot be explained by normal chrono- logical-space relationship ... must explore the possibilities of human life. "In our time," he quoted, "The whole truth is only in the chorus of lies." Organization Notices Westminster Student Fellowship, March 22, 6:30 p.m., Lewis Room. Grad- uate supper and discussion: "Modern Rivals of the Christian Faith." * * * Roger Williams Fellowship, splash party at the Tappan School pool, March 22, 7:45 p.m., meet at the Guild House. k s* Hillel, Hillelzapoppin, March 23, 8:00 p.m., An Arbor High Auditorium. . . .* Hillel, services, March 22, 7:30 p.m., Hillel. Speaker: Joseph Katz, "Zionism." * *, * The Congregational and Disciples Student Guild, postponed, Internation- al Party planned for March 22 at Lane Hall. DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN (Continued from Page 4) sign, production and sales. Ethyl Corp., Detroit, Mich.-B.S. or M.S. in Ch.E., Elect., Ind., and Mech. for Summer and Regular Sales ..Hayssen Mfg. Co., Sheboygan, Wis.-- all levels in Mech. for Research, De- sign Development, Production and Con- struction. For appointments contact the Engrg. Placement Office, 347 W. E., ext. 2182. lan Reception For Regents Candidates A reception and coffee hour has been scheduled Monday for Re- publican candidates Alfred B. Connable and Mrs. Ethel J. Watt to the University Board of Re- gents. The affair, sponsored by the Republican State Central Com- mittee, will be held from 10 to 12 a.m. at the Michigan Union. I o THANK YOU For your upport of United Jewish Appeal. RUMMAGE SALE sponsored by the BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S CLUB OF ANN ARBOR Saturday, March 23 V. F.W.,- 314 E. Liberty Doors open 8:30 A.M. the we ART DEPARTMENT UNION ART CONTEST -daily-Norm Jacobs PROF. VICTOR LANGE-"Kafka is not interested in views of life, but in infinite paradoxes ... manners in which statements are made . . . both straight and oblique vehicles of meaning." are sure that your cortribu- tions will be highly appreci- ated by the 100,000 Jews who have fled and are fleeing Hungary. If you have not as yet sent in your contribu- tions, you may do so by mak- ing out a check to United Jewish Appeal, and mailing to Hillel Foundation, 1429 Hill, Ann Arbor. I AND EXHIBIT This ad courtesy of RAMSAY PRINTERS, INC. 119 E. Liberty he wrote, "It is strange to inhabit the world no longer." Each step, Prof. Lange said, was part of the process of disintegra- tion of the artist's relationship vis a vis the world. "Where before one's writing resulted in clarity and versimilitude, there was sea- sickness and dizziness."' Realistic Fantasy The novel, "always before a mirror-image of reality," became increasingly divorced from actual- ity. No novelist had formerly "done without reality", even in fantasy one of the main ingredients was necessarily reality. But now, as the disintegration of perspective continued, the writ- er himself doubted the validity of what he created. He found himself in a world he could not discuss realistically, where he could not trust his own reliability and per- ception. The old taboo that an author must not reflect upon what he sees became meaningless. Unin- volved detachment became no longer possible, as their created 3rd Floor Conference Room - Union 2-8 P.M. Friday 10-8 P.M. Saturday 2-8 P.M. Sunday, 11 9a 0dmwl CO-OP OPEN HOUSE ALL JUNE GRADUATES Cash orders taken for: March 22.23 2-5 P.M. N Open till 10 Graduation Announcements Graduation Booklets Name Cards ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.i. . Wndow 8 UNDERGRAD WOMEN MEN Every nite but Sunday BOB MARSHALL'S STEVENS CO-OP 816 S. Forest LESTER CO-OP 900 Oakland OSTERWEIL CO-OP 338 E. Jefferson NAKAMURA CO-OP 807 S. State GRADUATE WOMEN MARK VIII CO-OP 917 S. Forest OWEN 1017 CO-OP Oakland MARCH 25-29 10-12 A.M. 1-5 P.M. 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