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From:
Louis Cabri <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
- Ezra Pound discussion list of the University of Maine <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 1 Sep 2000 03:13:22 -0400
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Thanks for the organic style, Charles -- it raises an interesting question
about Pound's own style. If I may quote from Charles's last email,
in order to raise an issue about Pound. Charles Moyer writes:

"Why does German art have to be tainted because it got used by some bad
folks? Isn't this like saying the Bible is all propaganda because the
Devil has been known to quote from it? Now how about Ezra Pound? Don't you
turn heads at a cocktail party if you say you enjoy reading the Cantos?"

The logic of this passage -- moving from the subject "German art"
qualified with "tainted," to "Bible" qualified with "all," to "Pound"
qualified with "you"-- undermines its own rhetorical efforts to persuade
the reader that these introduced subjects are identically qualified. But
of course, logically, a "taint" cannot be "all"; and moreover, "all" does
not necessarily go so far as to assume the reader shares not only the
writer's views (eg that the reader "enjoys" The Cantos) but also his
personal circumstances (that the reader goes to cocktail parties, where
heads can "turn").

In contrast, I never get the feeling Pound is doing this, i.e. implicating
the reader in and assuming that s/he shares his own views. And I feel this
to be the case regardless of how harshly, or sweetly, Pound might swear by
the particular view he is stating. I feel this is so despite Pound's
overall style, too, which is one that assumes the reader always knows what
Pound is writing about (the latter is, of course, a longstanding
observation about his work, shared by detractors and admirers alike). I
don't even feel the sort of rhetorical insinuation demonstrated in
Charles's text, to exist in Pound's prose, which for the most part eagerly
embraces the "plain reader" in an effort to educate him/her. I find this
to be paradoxical.

I just began reading this listserv last week, and have enjoyed the time
I've spent on it. As September roles around, it will become increasingly
difficult for me to participate -- let alone read -- as much of the
listserv as I'd like. In any case, my own rhetorical strategy, given my
limited time, is to try and focus on Pound's texts alone, and as
the historical documents that they are, and not much else. I have learned
in this week how much of a challenge it will actually be to try deal with
Pound in a classroom: pedagogical stories and strategies, another
subject for another time, I guess.... Best to all,

Louis

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