"Small World" David Lodge p. 1-79

Morris Zapp champions my favoritism in the text thus far, although Persse's in the cloud romanticism and Philip’s “appetite for life” combat as well. A sprightly and experienced American filled to the rim with charisma and layered thoughts. I simply adore his rhetoric and, not jaded, but hardened view on life. The manner in which he addresses his paper’s theory paints an image of an eager professor attempting to spirit away the minds of his students, and searching for the one who will understand and hit every target. It’s just the image I find, and for some odd reason I see Philip Seymour Hoffman as his appearance; cigar in tooth and a retort for every argument. I see a classic knight who has seen it all and warrants respect from his peers; a Gawain-esque character with a twinge of the American hero and, of course, a taste for woman.

I also find myself agreeing with his lecture. The search for understanding and this desire for a certain truth or outcome we find in reading; it is quite “masturbatory.” It translates so smoothly into sexual desire as well as any facet of desire or pleasure. We yearn for the ends and expect it to fully justify the means when in truth the excitement and joy flourish from these “means.” A new desired idea swiftly replaces the accomplished goal or desired outcome by the end. One naturally parallels this concept with the adventures for the grail. The knights ride here, there and everywhere to attain this knowledge, this holy transcendence that to them can only be achieved through the grail. Their desire compels them to risk everything and nothing for this renaissance bound to the concept of a holy grail just as we read each line fed to us by teasing authors to the ends of our very minds or at least the book.

I feel compelled to speak of Philip Swallows and his “appetite for life.” At first I shared little to no love for his character; a loud-mouthed opponent to our, or at least my, heroes of choice; Persse and Morris. Yet I find myself not necessarily admiring, but intrigued by his character as he develops. This scene, this morally absent yet earthy and slightly bestial scene in which he meets and subsequently sleeps with Joy. I found it beautifully written and these illustrated words perhaps are the reason his character has stolen bits of admiration. This anecdotal scene simply captivated me, although anyone could tell where the story led; I found myself as enthralled as Morris. Despite the fact that laying before me on the pages, sat the same skirt-chasing man; his thoughts brewed in a more fascinating and elemental light, yet void of morals and still unsettling. Philip represents the fallen knights we see in the Grail quests, for he embodies something more corrupt.

He enforces these ideas we commonly call immoral, for he stretches away from the academic pursuits and common proper life of an Englishman to sate his “appetite for life.” Yet I find it interesting because it trails into Morris’ argument that we should partake and enjoy the simply teasing of our desires. Although I’m sure Morris’ kept in mind the boundaries of human ethics where Philip’s lines turn to grey or even, as we see, a darker place.

Thus far I can say that Small World captivates my attention and provokes my thoughts, but what the point of it all as Philip boldly states in his retort with Morris. I’ll simply quote Morris, or Lodge truthfully, “The text unveils itself before us, but never allows itself to be possessed; and instead of striving to possess it we should take pleasure in its teasing.”