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hello,
sincere post here..im 80 pages in (chapter 3) to the recognitions and am liking it although there seems to be quite a bit that just goes over my head despite how many times i reread.
i can understand the plot, it is pretty straightforward, i am following somewhat consistently with the annotations on the gaddis website when i come across some religious or historical reference i don't know (which happens every other god damn line).
This book is very demanding. I think it is objectively quite difficult regardless of how well-read or intelligent you are.
I loved JR, and while I AM liking this, I feel like so many of the paragraphs of digressions from the actual plot are just over my head.
Also, I mean, just because I KNOW what the religious references are and stuff, it doesn't mean I know WHY they're there.
I just want to know if I should persevere if I'm at the point where I CAn follow, and am enjoying it, but feel like i'm missing quite a bit of the deep detail.
whenever i read or hear of someone talking about whether or not they should continue through infinite jest because they're feeling confused and discouraged, i always say "keep going!! it gets easier, it makes sense eventually, seriously!" and am wondering if this kinda does the same thing. although the plot of the recognitions isn't hard to follow (yet?).
anyway im rambling now
what do u think?
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>>9315009
Yeah it for sure gets easier. After the first quarter a lot of shit is laid down. If you are already using the net you should be okay after that. It also opens up to a bunch of different characters that are way easier to follow. Wyatt and his dad are probably the hardest parts of the books because of history/art/religion.
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>>9315009
>sincere post here
sad say when this becomes necessary
anyways, stick with it and reread it later. Its much easier to explore territory you're somewhat familiar with. you're not going to approach a work like that and just absorb it all in the first round. Don't worry about whether or not you "get it", just get familiar with the characters and scenes and ideas
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Religious stuff... or revealed-truth.
Revealed truth vs acquired knowledge is a common thing with Gaddis shit.
Revealed vs recognition
Revelations... Recognitions
I'm probably talking out of my ass.
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>>9315042
yeah sorry that might've been presumptuous of me but ive just noticed i see a lot of gaddis joke posts cause he's some kinda..totem here.
thanks for the advice!
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>>9315029
awesome, thanks a lot!
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>>9315042
>>9315029
What these anons said is mostly true, it will clarify a bit in the middle then obfuscate further by the end. I would recommend you only venture into the annotations when you are truly curious. You are not going to understand everything on your first go so just enjoy the experience, some things aren't meant to be understood initially, let it unfold. Much of the book is written to evoke the shock of recognition, sudden instances of clarity, moments when you can push through the veil to some new understanding or make a vital connection between ostensibly disparate events. The annotations will clarify these connections but rob you of the joy of discovery.
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>>9315714
Yeah I second this. The most you should do is Google names of painters, religions and translate things. That's it. Maybe read the gaddis website after a chapter of you have to.
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>The annotations will clarify these connections but rob you of the joy of discovery.
very much this everyone who is reading this thread
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You should persevere. Try reading along with Steven Moore's online annotations if you get too bogged down.
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