[ilds] Selfhood

[Bruce Redwine]

Bill, by muddling along, I assume.  Durrell's idea of "selfhood" seems  
to me one big muddle or a muddle of a muddle.  If not continuous, then  
how did he recognize that same person with a boyhood in India and old  
age in Province?


Bruce


On Oct 4, 2009, at 5:48 PM, Godshalk, William (godshawl) wrote:

> I think that Durrell  would have no truck with the idea that we have  
> a central core of selfhood. He at least seems to believe in a  
> fragmented self, one that is not at all continuous.
>
> But how can we live in a distorted way?
>
> Bill
>
> W. L. Godshalk *
> Department of English    *           *
> University of Cincinnati*   * Stellar Disorder  *
> OH 45221-0069 *  *
> ________________________________________
> From: ilds-bounces at lists.uvic.ca [ilds-bounces at lists.uvic.ca] On  
> Behalf Of Bruce Redwine [bredwine1968 at earthlink.net]
> Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 2:18 PM
> To: marcpiel at interdesign.fr; ilds at lists.uvic.ca
> Cc: Bruce Redwine
> Subject: Re: [ilds] Selected Fictions
>
> Yes.  Most of us, perhaps all.
>
>
> On Oct 4, 2009, at 4:41 AM, Marc Piel wrote:
>
>> There is a central core, but most of us live it in
>> a distorted way.
>> Look up the "Enneargram" !
>> @+
>> Marc
>>
>> Bruce Redwine a écrit :
>>> I opt for question two and answer in the affirmative.  We do have a
>>> "central core of self."  And that answer Durrell himself gives.  A
>>> deathbed conversion?  Read one of his last poems, "Le cercle
>>> refermé."  I hear one voice, not multiple, from the beginning of his
>>> life in India to the end in Provence:
>>>
>>> With lunar leanings, I was crafty in loving,
>>> Or jaunty as a god of the bullfrogs,
>>> The uncanny promptings of the human I.
>>>
>>>
>>> Bruce
>>>
>>>
>>> On Oct 3, 2009, at 3:50 PM, Godshalk, William (godshawl) wrote:
>>>
>>>> Because we do diverse things with our bodies and mind, are we
>>>> different selves when we do different things? Or do we have a
>>>> central core of self that was there when we were born and will be
>>>> there as we die?
>>>>
>>>> Bill