From: bagr99@hotmail.com
Category: Amis
Date: 7/16/99
Time: 10:35:55 AM
Remote Name: 132.199.3.225
An opportunity missed. With good right most critics of LF point out the sinister bleakness that dominate the novel. The same critics are almost unanimous in their dismissal of the postmodern "tricks" (i.e. the confusion of authorship, the presence of an M.A., the death of one (or rather two) narrators, and so on) that Amis can't help putting into play. This, in turn, has led them to disregard the ending of the novel in which these "tricks" take over the narrative. But by disregarding the ending an opportunity is missed to construct a not-quite-so-unambiguously-depressive interpretation of the novel as a whole. Why does Samson kill Nicola? Well, he does it for Kim. The deal with Guy just prior to the murder includes Samson taking over Guy's role as murderer in return for Guy providing safety for Kim in the future. Love (in the shape of Samson's love for Kim) comes back with a vengeance, then, to beat the other contestants as murder-motive. What anger, disillusion, pride, sadness, and whatever else Keith and Guy can contribute with, are beaten in the end. By love. This interpretation is not the only one possible, but it deserves mentioning, and I wonder why it has been (totally) neglected. Any comments anyone?