The context here is: in a work of art. It's too broad, but it can be reasonably argued that in many novels the most memorable scene is one in which "nothing happens", i.e. in which the action/plot is not advanced. E.g.:
Gatsby's party The sermon in PORTRAIT OF THE ARTISTb&. Molly's soliloquy in ULYSSES The legend of the Grand Inquisitor from THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV Levin reaping wheat in ANNA KARENINA The whiteness of the whale in MOBY DICK The fishing trip in THE SUN ALSO RISES In theater, one might cite the Queen Mab scene in ROMEO AND JULIET as a scene where "nothing happens". Or that entire awful play, WAITING FOR GODOT. And LONG'S DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT has also been so cited. Conceded: You might argue that, in all those, things do indeed happen. But a by-the-book editor or dramaturge would maintain that, in a novel of play, "happen" means "action" means moving the "plot" along. Such an editor or dramaturge can be helpful -- but can also unwittingly scuttle the novel/play. In a message dated 11/7/10 11:35:38 AM, [email protected] writes: > The physicists say that time is the measure of motion. If that is so, > then no > time means no motion and thus no implosion.B The flaw in Joseph Berg's > selective > quotation is the pairing of time with the absence of change.B That is an > internal paradox because if time, then change; if not time, then no > change. But > time without change or change without time is an invalid concept.B And > that sort > of illogic is what I object to in so many of the journalists' superficial > articles Berg likes to quote for our reflection.B The virtuosity of the > journalist -- adept at the term-paper sort of essay and usually without > conviction or depth of knowledge -- relies on wit and slick word-craft and > avoids the troublesome point where seemingly related concepts nudge each > other > and expose their separate distinctions. When that occurs we have two > distinct > concepts masquerading one.B The image that I have is an axel with one > round > wheel and one square wheel.B > wc > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Saul Ostrow <[email protected]> > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Sent: Sun, November 7, 2010 6:48:57 AM > Subject: Re: "Great Art Is About Doing Nothing" (recent article) > > Ahhh - truth takes place in an entropic vacuum - but doesn't this cause it > to > implode > > > On 11/6/10 5:23 PM, "William Conger" <[email protected]> wrote: > > How can there be a time when nothing happens? > wc > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: joseph berg <[email protected]> > To: aesthetics-l <[email protected]> > Sent: Sat, November 6, 2010 1:18:28 PM > Subject: "Great Art Is About Doing Nothing" (recent article) > > According to the following: > > - It is the moments in between, when nothing happens and we are fully > alive > to witness it, that truth happens. > > http://www.theatlanticwire.com/features/view/feature/Great-Art-Is-About-Doi > ng > -Nothing-2468 > > > > --
