Losing the Plot

More about the book

Exploring the interplay between literature and cinema, this work examines how modernist writers like Nella Larsen, Djuna Barnes, and William Faulkner grappled with the constraints of traditional plot despite their desire to break free from it. Dabashi highlights the influence of early film on these authors, revealing a tension between their novelistic forms and the characters' yearning for narrative structure. The analysis delves into the complexities of modernist aesthetics versus the human need for plot, illustrating a profound longing for narrative amidst the chaos of existence.