Discussion Questions: Week 1

Welcome!
We are going to start on a slow burn. This week everyone should be reading Cantos I-XVI and Infinite Jest chapters 1-5 (ending with Mr. Green on p39 of my edition).

Some questions to start, more to come:

What is the purpose of a disjointed narrative?

How do the interplay of cultures (attic-western-Asian in The Cantos and prep school-trap house-Arab diplomat-ghetto in Infinite Jest) work with or against the disjointed narratives? How do they work as a novel versus an epic poem? Why?

What is the purpose of allusion and what is the difference between classical allusion (as most often seen in The Cantos) and pop allusion (as most often seen in Infinite Jest, though they're both peppered furiously with both)?

We spoiling this?

Hey all, How spoiler-y do we want to get with this discussion? As we go through IJ, there are things that I would like to point out which will be important down the line. Are we comfortable with spoilers or should I be as vague as possible. Check out this editorial from S. Fish http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/what-do-spoilers-spoil/ MG

Infinite Jest: A Scene by Scene guide

Here we have the basis for our "chapters"--these are the sections separated by the moon/eclipse glyphs.

Thanks, Dr. Oneill!

Reading Timeline

Here is the reading timeline.
Discussion questions will be posted as one post for the appropriate sections on the date listed and discussion will continue throughout the week.
Enjoy!

DATE               CANTOS                       INFINITE JEST
6/11                  I-XVI                             1-5
6/18                  XVIII-XXX                        6-9
6/25                  11 New Cantos              10-11
7/2                    5th Decad of Cantos       12-15
7/9                    LII-LXI                               16-17
7/16                  LXII-LXXI                          18-19
7/23                  LXXII-LXXIII                    20-21
7/30                  Pisan Cantos                    22
8/6                    Rock Drill                       23-24
8/13                  XCVI-XCIX                       25-26
8/20                  C-CIX                             27
8/27                  Drafts & Fragments         28

Reading List/Buying Guide

Here are places to get the books. Check for updates!

Infinite Jest
from Amazon (print)
from Amazon (kindle)

The Cantos
from Amazon (print)

Welcome to the Infinite Cantos!

Hi!

Join us as we embark on a summer-long journey to read David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest concurrently with Ezra Pound's Cantos.