Teatro Grottesco

[Nemonymous]

For the next few weeks (or months), I intend to re-read my Durtro hardback edition of Teatro Grottesco (2006) and make a critique of each story in turn on this thread - followed by my personal 'gestalt' impression of the whole book, hopefully 'disintentionalised' of anything I know about TL as a person.

This means I shall be reading these stories for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th time, but commenting on most of them for the first time.

[Odalisque]

Quote Originally Posted by Nemonymous

my personal 'gestalt' impression of the whole book, hopefully 'disintentionalised' of anything I know about TL as a person.

That would be very easy for me because, on reflection, I realise that I know very little about Thomas Ligotti as a person. Essentially:

He's a man
He's American
He's still alive
He wrote those stories

I'm guessing that he's younger than me -- but, even adding that to the mix, it doesn't make the material for a large biography. ;)

[Nemonymous]

Quote Originally Posted by Nemonymous

For the next few weeks (or months), I intend to re-read my Durtro hardback edition of Teatro Grottesco (2006) and make a critique of each story in turn on this thread - followed by my personal 'gestalt' impression of the whole book, hopefully 'disintentionalised' of anything I know about TL as a person.

PURITY – The narrator is dead pan, logical about illogicality – and, therefore, from among the many narrators I’ve met in all fiction over the years, he or she (here in ‘Purity’) is one of the most dependable, if not 100% dependable. I use ‘he or she’ advisedly.
We never really know what will be under a stranger’s boxer shorts. This is about insulation, disintentionalisation, holding things beyond one’s own ownership, i.e. renting reality from fiction (or vice versa?).
The feel of this story reminds me of ‘Eraserhead’ and ‘House of Leaves’ but something much more which is tantalisingly within my grasp – only to fall into the basement of the story figuratively and literally. The story itself is my (the reader’s) own Candy. The story is not about but is Candy as described by the story,.
“There’s nothing in the attic [...] It’s only the way that your head is interacting with the space of that attic.”
“Nothing that drives anybody makes any sense.”
The Purity is the need to disentangle from the story unscathed, unblemished. Any story title is often a loophole we can cling to.
The Father’s three principles are just a nonsensical decoy or subterfuge (Cf. “Nonsense” elsewhere in Ligotti) for something else that truly tries to get through the layers of disintentionalisation towards me ... and, luckily, today, I escaped. The next time I re-read ‘Purity’, I may not be so lucky. Or maybe I didn’t escape this time, and I’m still there, hanging in its world?

============
Yes, yes, I did get out, because I’m destined to re-read (& comment on) all the other stories in ‘Teatro Grottesco’ as part of this project I’ve set myself.


LATER EDIT: The story is also like the story's own TV that works without electricity. (I doubt if it works on batteries as the narrator proposes!).

[G. S. Carnivals]

Thank you, des. I suddenly find myself re-viewing my own thoughts about "Purity" and its underlying "meaning."

[Nemonymous]

Quote Originally Posted by G. S. Carnivals

Thank you, des. I suddenly find myself re-viewing my own thoughts about "Purity" and its underlying "meaning."

Thanks, GSC. But everyone has their own way to filter fiction into themselves and then to filter it back whence it came. Any fiction is what it it is for you. It is the only ghost we can believe in. My ghost may be different from yours. Aura? Brains of Earth? Pullman?

It would be nice if everyone can share the shape of their 'Purity' ghost here....

[G. S. Carnivals]

The notion of "nonsense" may indeed be the ultimate Ligottian conceit. The essence of My Own Purity Ghost stares at me from a jar of unrefrigerated mayonnaise. Candy understands about the demons which must be siphoned-off like some ghastly ectoplasm - but which must be preserved and kept close at hand for easy reference. Candy makes do and survives the best she can. As must we all.

[Nemonymous]

Quote Originally Posted by G. S. Carnivals

The essence of My Own Purity Ghost stares at me from a jar of unrefrigerated mayonnaise.

Brilliant!

[Odalisque]

I suspect that the essence of my purity ghost might be in a snowstorm paper weight. ;)

[G. S. Carnivals]

Quote Originally Posted by Nemonymous

Quote Originally Posted by G. S. Carnivals The essence of My Own Purity Ghost stares at me from a jar of unrefrigerated mayonnaise. Brilliant!

Thank you for the kind word, des! Here is a blast from the past which should curb most healthy appetites:

The Thomas Ligotti Recipe Book - THOMAS LIGOTTI ONLINE

[Nemonymous]

Quote Originally Posted by Odalisque

I suspect that the essence of my purity ghost might be in a snowstorm paper weight. ;)

Cf: "Surely, a snow-globe to shake would have been better to amuse the clown or to amuse the children who might also arrive soon for Christmas – "
here: Late Arrival - THE NIGHTMARE NETWORK