Crash 1-4

         The first four chapters of J.G Ballard's Crash throw the reader right into the deep end of the mind of the main character and his fantasies.  The book acts as a great example of the moral ambiguity that transgressive novels bring to readers.  Ballard (the character) describes his sexual fantasies without any remorse or apologetic tone, he sees them as no different from any other function that one could take part in.  He can't and won't stop thinking about sex on almost every level, it is very much a compulsion for him and his desire never seems content. 
         This story does have an odd setting taking place in a London that does seem a bit altered and during a vague time. My guess on time would be around when in was published (1973) only because the hospital seems to use apparatus that date the time period.  For instance when talking about the catheters he says they are made of metal where as now they would use some type of plastic for draining his knees, also this correlates to the car crash as well because most modern cars are made of a type of plastic where the ones he speaks of are made of mostly metal. 
         The reader is put in the world of the overly sexually charged characters,  and thrown into a head rush of intensity that does not let up.          

NABOKOV

There is a way in which Nabokov writes that follows the idea of polyphony in the way that the narrator seems to be absent from all the events in the story.  The narrator acts as more of a figure to describe the actions of the characters who themselves hold more power in the "conversation" between the two. This is to say that the characters do more then the narrator ever could.  this follows the ideas of polyphony because it creates a distance to the reader because we become more of an spectator than a traveler along the journey of the story.  This point is emphasized in the portion where Natasha and Wolfe are telling each other the imaginative stories that they want to impress with.  they take the reader out the equation by having this conversation and holding back information much unlike most characters would.  Most of the time we would be told more information by the narrator but because of this distance we are in the hands of the characters.     

Cut Up Poem

Ingat silt flows.

Glossy syntax brings,

growing rectitude but wants to editorialize.

A maggoty shelf of fear above,

the waning floor of

test bungalows.

Major Leonard’s replacement-

-a bioengineering raging of circulation.

Within a sheen church-

-ripple, relation, Hallelujah!

Response to WIlliams Burroughs interview and Selections

I thought that the interview and selections showed a good amount of the personality of Burroughs and his views on his writing and the world as he sees it.  I think the way he speaks about politicians in particular was very interesting because he seems to have removed himself from any side at all.  He says, "In other words, I'm bored by politicians" he is speaking about how they are "dull" to him and they don't interest him.  this however is different from his general views on what he calls the Machine.  He thinks ahead here and talks about how the "southern bell" is changing and on its way out.  I think the oddest thing way a few of the later question speaking on the idea of Psi devices and ways of communicating with them.  It said earlier that he was a science fiction fan and its funny to here someone of the era wanting to "play" with such devices and use them for a writing mechanic.