writing - visual - misc - huh?
from the somewhat negative press this book received i was expecting a non-stop racial slur. without having read too much of the commentary around the book, or anything to do with houellebecq's personal politics, i read platform as a reflection of some of the political elements going on in contemporary french society.
it is true that the narrator, michel, has a world view that is opposed by most of the world. he glorifies in human sexuality and sees it as the most touching moment in a life otherwise filled with loneliness, and, in his case, alcoholism. it is his sexual openness that leads him to meeting the woman he falls in love with. it is also the same perspective that makes him a marketing genius in the eyes of a certain tourist company. for a brief time sex tourism become a legitimate venture in this story, though primarily supported in the book by germans (they reckon the north american market will be much harder to crack).
the other theme that platform examines is the concept of the other, in various cultural ideologies. whether it is sex, politics, nationalism or religion, he attempts to show a world in which all of these problems are a natural extension of the human condition.
i found myself sympathizing with michel as he considers a good many issues related to being. regardless of how caustic his thoughts run at times, his cynicism leads him to live what he views as an authentic existence. this honesty to self in the face of bleakness is individualistic yet nothing more than one of many options michel faces. with the apparent collapse in morality around the world, michel's decisions seem justifiable as part of his own system of thought.
the most compelling aspect of any houellebecq novel is the attempt at honesty the narrator makes. it is the same element i find appealing in the books of henry miller or charles bukowski. in the hands of houellebecq the struggle to make meaning is compelling, insightful, and provocative.
{October 20, 2003 06:22 PM}