Barney\'s Version PI - Prof. Rob Winger PDF

Preview

Summary

Prof. Rob Winger...

Description

Barney’s Version Space and Place Lecture 10 28 November Barney’s Version - The footnotes in the novel are corrected by Michael, Barney’s son - Some mistakes were made on purpose to make himself look better, but some are true mistakes because he has early onset Alzheimer’s disease From the 1079s to Barney’s 1990s - 1950s; 1960-1996 - WWII, Canadian affluence, 1970s Canadian culture - 1980s conservatism, backlash - Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms (1982), and Canadian Multiculturalism Act (1988) - “Family values” vs. cultural diversity, new policy - Second and third-wave feminism - “Masculinity studies” and “identity politics” - 1990s political correctness “Identity Politics” - Claiming new voices (In the Skin of a Lion; Cultural histories being rediscovered and put into the public record) - “Political positions and activism based on an aspect of identity (e.g. ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual orientation) shared by a group which feels that its concerns are not adequately represented” o Feminism, gay activism, religious fundamentalism Political Correctness - “Careful choice of words in spoken and written communications and actions, intended to avoid giving offense to ethnic, racial, cultural, or sexually oriented groups, disabled persons, and other designated groups that may be stigmatized. The aim is worthy, but implementing it can lead to circumlocution or mealy-mouthed utterances and subtle shifts in the meaning of words. An example is replacement of the suffix “man” in genderless words, such as chairman or alderman, by neologisms, such as chairperson, often abbreviated to chair.” o The words you use, not the pre-conceptions behind the qwords (using these words doesn’t mean it changes how people feel) - BP’s attitude prototypical of 1990s o Clings to values of hard work, justice, lack of pretension

o Delights in being contrary when teasing those who take themselves very seriously About Clara - Charnofsky’s abuse of Clara (150-153) o Mental illness and treatments (electroshock therapy, lobotomy, etc.) -

-

Did Clara love Barney? (157) Ms. Morgan What does Barney think? Politically incorrect yet comments on his dislike of the ‘N’ word Clara and Barney may have worked things out o Was she distraught because Barney did not show up? Or because her money was gone? o Is Barney even telling the truth? Sets up the foundations for female artists o What does he really believe?

- Boogie and Terry say they see Clara’s talents; Barney doesn’t Barney’s Anti-P.C. Attitudes - Declared Enemies: vegetarians, environmentalist, women, professors o Exceptions: Serge, Blair (eventually) -

Letters: (practical jokes on various enemies; satirizing political views held dear by object of Barney’s jokes: sex toys for Blair, Black nationalism for Cedric, “Wimyn” for Clara) Leo’s fame (saying it’s undeserved, etc.) o Exception: talk with Leo about hollowness of fame Cedric’s politics (Crap, 254) o Telling Mr. Charnofsky not to say the ‘N’ word

o Setting up, in his will, a scholarship fund for black student in the arts under Cedric’s name - Being contrary to Second Mrs. Panofsky’s guests (295) o Defending Blair to Kate Women and Men - Rationalizing his one-night stand o Trying to excuse the behaviour that ruined his life o Does he believe what he’s saying? Is it true? Various Nationalisms - British and American - Canadian - Quebecois/e Quebec Nationalism

- Richler’s favourite satirical topic later in life - Richler/Barney: Anglo-Jews in Montreal - Language Laws and anti-English feeling (11) - Separatists and the 1995 Referendum - Quebec as racist and sexist, according to Barney - Michael’s mention of “the burgeoning tribalism” (414) of Montreal after the referendum Sports Culture as Belonging - Montreal and the Montreal Canadiens o Identity as a Habs fan is stronger than as a Canadian o Vs. Senators (122); National identity of Canada; reflecting on old Montreal glory - Barney’s second wedding (193, 206, 214) o Wants to slip out of his wedding to catch the score and final period o Meets Miriam here; she gives him the score (214); thinks Miriam gets him - Father-in-law’s snobbery (211, 246-247) Barney and Jewish Identity 1. Shares Jewish heritage with children – important part of identity o Not a practicing Jew but he’s involved in the Jewish community o Seen as this central community who sees Canadian ‘others’ as out to get them o The Jewish outsider (Pre-1950s), Non-whites (Post 1950s) 2. Makes fun of heritage to lampoon racist stereotypes propagated by non-Jewish characters o Informed by his father; he is the victim of terrible racism in the police force o When Barney is taken in and they find out Izzy is his father, they treat him extra poorly o Moments of wisdom in which Barney says he hates himself 3. Tells Mr. Charnofsky not “from an observant family,” but have assumed bond despite huge differences o Completely rejecting characters like Clara’s father (Clara totally rejects her Jewish heritage, sexually assaulted by a Rabbi as a child) 4. Impersonates a respectable Jewish man for 2nd Mrs. Panofsky o Clara’s prediction/prophecy o O’Hearne’s jokes/insults while beating Barney up during initial investigation after Boogie disappears o Second Mrs. P (vs. Clara): ultimate example of lampooning Jewish culture in Canada (or petty cultures of any kind)

The Second Mrs. Panofsky

- Finds out Barney has been sending Miriam flowers weekly - “Why did you marry me, Barney?”/“It was wrong of me” (286) Irv Nussbaum - Excitement over anti-Semitic hate crimes o New donations will come in - After Barney passes initial test with Irv (pretending he doesn’t drink), Nussbaum shares strategy for getting donations (189) - Nussbaum thinks the referendum will be good for Jewish sympathy; on PC culture (202203) Structure: Organized Around Wives Part 1: Clara, 1950-1952 (1-157) - Wild youth, experimentation - Paris Part 2: The second Mrs. Panofsky, 1958-1960 (159-298) - Middle class, boringly rich, responsible - Laurentians and Montreal Part 3: Miriam, 1960-[1996] (299-403) - Family, love, regret - Montreal and Toronto At least two time frames: 1990s era of each section Structure: Afterword and Footnotes by Michael - Footnotes by Michael; also fictional; created by Richler - Kate tells Mike his errors were actually traps baited for him o Mike has to read the novel to correct them - Corrections: factual erroes, plagiarism, memories, histories - Pseudo-documentary/memoir/non-fiction - Title = a version of the truth Alternate versions make us decide for ourselves: - The referendum - How Barney loses Miriam - What happened with Boogie before he died - What Boogie and Terry really think of Barney...