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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 25. No. 12. 1962

Notes on Argot and Experiment

Notes on Argot and Experiment

Parkyn's "Slice of Rye" overshadows everything else in the book with its superior control and mature deliberation, though I am conscious of a few reservations. It is not as finished as it might be. The opening is excellent, it grips the reader, sets the pace, and gives immediate contact with the story. His truisms are thoughtful, but not particularly effective until we reach his "measure of man's greatness." Here he introduces an extra dimension of irony, which increases in force and effect through the rest of the story.

Irony becomes the dominating mood, and is presented with the lightest of touches. Kramer is well portrayed—his like for the word "distinction", his slight deafness excellently introduced), and above all his proud modesty. Time and again it comes up; his worthiness for his position, his specious arguments for having a mistress, his pseudo-psychological motives for destroying the cheque. Incidentally, a folded cheque is ripped into four only with great difficulty—it should come out as six or twelve pieces. This small discrepancy of detail is by no means typical, but it is not unimportant as it indicates (it is not alone) a lack of consistency.

His "overcoat" theme is an excellent Idea, and gives unity, but is a trifle unreal as it gives the impression of an endless street peopled by grey overcoats. This could easily have been modified by the insertion of a word or two.

We are not prepared for Kramer's use of the word "bitch", it rather detracts from his character as presented. Parkyn's close lacks the force it might have because of the above-mentioned unreality and o because his language is not cadential enough—you are left hanging in the air. He is not a poet, but he could improve his cadences through a knowledge of poetic techniques. His second story is a little too fantastic in idea and treatment to give much reality. However, it points towards "A Slice of Rye" and I hope he keeps going In that direction. His juvenial wallowings in "Seagull" make you wonder if it is the same Parkyn.

I found Miss Allo's verses too passive to be interesting, and her matter is obfuscated by her peculiar poetic manner. The opening of "Requim" is good. Bilbrough presents a confusion of ideas and images that lack control and unity, but he Is perhaps more aware of the value of imagery than man Wendt's story is disappointing, probably because we expect much better from him. His little folk tale in Argot I is excellent, though perhaps a trifle pretentious. His subject in this case has not become an obsession. The verses of Laking and Sim are pleasant and unambitious. They have something to say, and do not waste time in saying it; Sim destroys his cadence by disrupting the form of his verse. Drawbridge has a better poem in Argot 3 in which he shows he has used his eyes at least once (praise in this University). However, it has its share of useless words put in merely for rhyme, etc.

Together with those mentioned above, Argot has given us two poems by Reesby and Turner that at least entertain, and I suppose Schwimmer's "Ecology" is worth mentioning too. That's about all you'll find, though six names Is perhaps a trifle optimistic.

These notes were written with the intention of pointing out what I think is worthy of attention. I should like to congratulate Experiment on attaining respectability, and containing at least one good story.—R. T. Murphy.