Comments on: William Burroughs and the William Tell Legend

By: Patricia

Patricia — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:42:55 +0000

I always thought that William admitted to the dark spirit that gloved his hand that day. I find the idea of denial to be odd. He seemed more to be candid and remorseful, but as one guy in town said to me, he isn’t remorseful enough. I asked, what would be enough. The response was there couldn’t be enough remorse. That William would have to completely change himself and he hadn’t. There was very few people who didn’t have the guts to both have a firm opinion of what and why it happened and to ask or tell him. His life pivoted on that moment. I think he died a bit that day and rose from it. That he found himself without forgiving himself was a remarkable act of living and creation.

By: John Wilson

John Wilson — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:52:22 +0000

The haunted game of skill where the victory can only be decided based on the intention of the archer. The claim of possession by an Ugly Spirit seems to concede the intention, but because it is “possession” it also communicates denial. Denial makes the world go round.

By: jed

jed — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:57:56 +0000

Graham,

Great stuff. check this out

“House Sparrows have long adapted to human habitations, the records of which are lost in mists of time. They are descendants of Old World Weaver Finches, a family of birds distinguished for their resourceful nest-building ability. House Sparrows are mentioned in Classical Greek mythology where they are associated with Aphrodite. In a famous poem by Catallus, Lesbia’s Sparrow is a symbol of divine and enduring love. Another later story tells of how it was the only bird present throughout the crucifixion of Christ, making it a symbol of fidelity and spiritual connection and echoing its classical Greek association with the beloved. For Christians, the enduring beloved is the saviour, Jesus Christ.”

Much to mull over here.

By: Graham Rae

Graham Rae — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:33:37 +0000

With odd synchronicity last night, a few hours after reading this article, I was flicking through Naked Lunch reading at random, as I like to do. First thing I encountered on P117 of the Restored Text was this para:

“Switch envelopes in clip clap joint where fraudulent girls put the B on you in favor of the house 666 and there is no health in them clap broads rotten to the apple corer of my unconsummate cock. Who shot Cock Robin?…The sparrow falls to my trustful Webley, and a drop of blood gathers at his beak.”

After reading this something occurred to me. Cock Robin, the old nursery rhyme, concerns a bird killed by an arrow. The William Tell act concerned using an arrow to shoot an apple from a head. The person here uses a gun in place of an arrow to kill Cock Robin, after a passage of creepy misogyny about how unclean women (admittedly prostitutes in a whorehouse) are. It just occurred to me that it may be another veiled reference in the text to Joan’s death. Just a thought.

By: Graham Rae

Graham Rae — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:57:46 +0000

Very good, insightful piece that addresses the poignancy, pain and plain pathos of Burroughs’ tragically destroyed family. Very human and moving. Interesting to see Billy talk about exposing his father as the ‘Coca Cola machine you write about,’ clearly bitterly equating his father’s work with that of Laura Lee for Coke in the late 30s/early 40s. This would have stuck in his father’s craw no doubt.

By: Gary Lee-Nova

Gary Lee-Nova — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:12:26 +0000

An interesting labyrinth of over-lapping ideas, Mr. Birmingham, and a very inspiring method of exploration for all of those.

I appreciate the depth to which you examine both symbols and semantics in your essay on this difficult, painful and sad topic.

Also, a very appropriate “23″posting date.

Very diligent and fine work. Thank you.