Is this book a warning?

no, this is a warning:

get off my lawn

yes, stop being a pseud it says

>>9645494
Yes, it's reminding you to screen for cancer, don't be like stoner and die of ass cancer.

I read in an interview with Williams that he viewed Stoner as being an example of a man who lived the life he wanted to live and at its end could look back on it accomplished and happy.
That is completely counter to what everyone I've spoken to about the book, but if that's what he was going for they must have missed something.

Personally I didn't think it was so much a warning or an example of some guy going through his shitty life - more of a case study of the 20th century western intellectual with all its faults, and the many virtues that outweigh those faults in the eyes of Williams. It almost comes off as a semi-autobiographical fiction in which Williams compiles the "hero" of the university system as he saw it in his time in academia.

>>9646157
Its someone who lives a mediocre life, not an awful one. So despite the hardship in the end he can look back on it and be happy for what he was able to accomplish in that mediocrity. I understand where Williams is coming from.

>>9646157
>>9646207
So Williams is a beta faggot with no real aspirations, no standards and absolutely no willpower to fight for a better life and future.
He must be a real irresponsible and immature little shit who couldn't take care of his children if he had any.

File: 1497477415677.jpg (28KB, 409x389px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 409x389px

>>9646926
have you considered reading the fucking book?

>>9646926
>skims the first few chapters and the wiki
>drops hot opinions
This is why I come to 4chan dot com slash lit slash

>>9645494
yes, to never go into academia. I considered going for a PhD in my field (Statistics) as I am in a Master's Program right now. After reading Stoner I realized I had ignored/not thought about university politics and the idea of it sounds really shitty.

>>9645494
The chapter with Grace and Willy chilling in the study together was the best scene i've read in a long time. Close behind are all the paragraphs described depersonalization. The book is good.

>>9646970
Stoner was pretty content regardless though, and he was decently popular with his students. It didn't sound that bad desu.

>>9645494
on the contrary, it is a celebration of an ordinary story
shows the great beauty and virtue that lay in even the most average of lives

>>9646157
>example of a man who lived the life he wanted to live
This was my impression too and I think it was deliberate that from the outside Stoners life seemed awful and sad, like when Grace asked if she and Edith had been disappointments to him, he says something like "you mustn't...", implying that he was content with the way everything turned out. He didn't even have hard feelings towards Lomax in the end. Amor fati?

>>9645494
When I read the book I couldn't help thinking "geez what a pussy faggot, if he's such a wimp he deserves whatever befalls him".

Like nigga just raise your voice or something.

Lomax was literally an SJW. Honestly. His use of irony to cover up incompetence, his fleeing into academia due to insecurity of his body, the promotion of Walker due to his handicap despite his gross incompetence.

>“I'm going to be very frank with you, Stoner," Lomax said. His anger had quieted, and his voice was calm, matter of fact. "I don't think you're fit to be a teacher; no man is, whose prejudices override his talents and his learning. I should probably fire you if I had the power; but I don't have the power, as we both know. We are--you are protected by the tenure system. I must accept that. But I don't have to play the hypocrite. I want to have nothing to do with you. Nothing at all. And I will not pretend otherwise.”