Interludes In Interludes

Pages Read: 178

Pages To Go: 800

Footnotes: 59 of 388

I really wanted to and expected to love Infinite Jest. All the talk of how challenging it was excited me because I assumed that in order to be considered a masterpiece there would be some reward for trudging through. Plus I had read some of DFW’s short stories and had enjoyed them.

I’m not ruling out that it may still be the case, but I have a feeling that once everything is said and done, I won’t love Infinite Jest. I may not even like it. As impressed as I am by the level of detail and the obvious care that has gone into all of the disparate characters and episodes, the disjointed narrative, purposefully obtuse style, and heavy reliance on jargon means that reading the story is not enjoyable.

I’m left wondering, what’s the point? Not in a good, meaning-of-life, kind of way. But in a what’s-with-all-these-hoops-and-why-is-it-necessary-to-keep-jumping-through-them kind of way. I don’t like going to doctor, or the dmv, but when I walk out with a measles vaccine or my new driver’s license, at least I know it was worth it.

Rest assured, I am not passing judgement yet. I’m just saying that DFW has some serious grovelling to do if he wants me to be happy with the experience.

Vocab Word: Bafflegab Intentionally misleading language.

You are reading my live blog of Infinite Jest. Start at the beginning.