A Faustian Bargain?
In today’s New York Times Book Review George Packer examines the already much praised and notorious “authorized biography” of V.S. Naipaul. Packer begins:
A great writer requires a great biography, and a great biography must tell the truth. V. S. Naipaul wanted his monument built while he was still alive, and, sticking to his own ruthless literary code, he was willing to pay the full price.
And ends:
Naipaul’s code of accountability lies in facing the truth, but it’s a limited truth, with no sense of agency. He cannot begin to see himself as his biographer or reader sees him, for the pain of others always reverts back to his own. And yet this bottomless narcissism, together with the uncompromising intensity of his vision, holds the key to Naipaul’s literary power. He had the capacity in his writing to project himself into a great variety of people and situations, allowing him to imbue his work with the sympathy and humanity that he failed to extend to those closest to him in life.
“A limited truth, with no sense of agency … bottomless narcissism:” sounds pretty much like the unredeemed human condition to me.
Very much unredeemed. I flinch when such thugs are praised for their literary genius. And give me a break with: “allowing him to imbue his work with the sympathy and humanity that he failed to extend to those closest to him in life.” My bet is that the sympathy and humanity had himself as a lens always. Why should anyone read someone who beats his sexual partner whether she is grateful or not. He berates his own wife while flouting his exploits.
Such narcissism cannot see that it is his notoriety which attracts women to him so that in the end he makes a connection with no one. Really, full of sound and fury, ugly, repulsive and depicting the worse in human nature. Nice that one can turn a phrase but unredeemed is always reprehensible in any form.
Contrast that with the Lord Jesus. “All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I
am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest.”
As interesting as the review itself is this blog post Packer wrote about Naipaul’s influence on his own career: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/georgepacker/2008/11/the-artist-as-m.html.