the magic of the matrix

8/10/2019 The Magic of the Matrix

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-magic-of-the-matrix 1/65

Lucrare de licenţă

The Magic of the Matrix

Coordinator ştiinţific : Lector dr. Merilă Isabela Student : Badachi Raona



C!"T#"TS

Introduction $

Cha%ter &'The (ostodern Condition.Text and )uthor *

&.&'+riting )bout +riting &,

Cha%ter -'ohn /o0les1) (ostodern )rchitect &2

Cha%ter ,'The Code of a Matrix -&

Cha%ter $'The Magic /ictional Realit3 -*

Cha%ter 2'Siulacra of 43%errealit3 $*

2.&'The Matrix

2-Conclusions *&

Bibliogra%h3 *,

5lossar3 *$

-



I"TR!67CTI!"

This %a%er intends to elaborate on the idea of an analog3 bet0een literature

and fil1 on the i%leentation of %ostodernist conce%ts through 0riting

and o8ie'a9ing. +e 0ill atte%t to establish 0ithin the next %ages the

connection bet0een a cultural entalit3 of the -th. centur3 ex%ressed ostl3

through literature and its reflection on the big screens through the scri%ts of

the 4oll30ood 0riters.

(ostodernit3 a3 be %ercei8ed as a reaction to the eternal ;uestion of

all great inds: <+hat is the %u%ose of e8er3thing=<1 <4o0 real is realit3=<

(ostodernist %rinci%les dee%en the uncertaint3 of the real1 its ulti%le

existence. !ne of its theorists1 ean Baudrillard relates to this trend as the

outcoe of our era of a consuer societ3 and ass'culture that nourished a

cult of catastro%h31 a taste for the a%ocal3%tic1 all caused b3 the absence of5od1 b3 the loss of one>s eaning or %ur%ose for being.

Therefore1 the %ostodern literature1 going through an identit3 crisis

laents <the loss of eaning<?as ean'/ran@ois L3otard suggestsA in a text that

is no longer %reoccu%ied 0ith sending a essage but re8eals itself as %erfectl3

a0are of its status as truth of the %age. The text is being denied tie linearit31

subect and e8en author. Instead it breathes self'consciousness1 a0areness of

its <recursi8e structure< ad infinitu ?5erard 5enette1 <6iscours du recit<A.Thus it becoes a etatext1 fiction about fiction1 %roduct of a <0riter 0riting

about 0riting<.

The o8ie 0e are about to ta9e into consideration is <The Matrix<. /or

the un'initiated1 this fil %resents ost abru%tl3 the idea of a realit3 outside

another realit3. !ur reader 0ill therefore a9no0ledge the etafictional %attern

of the Russian babush9a dolls1 of fiction 0ithin fiction.

,



There in lies the connection: etafiction is <the atrix< and it is the

%ostodernis that %ro8ides it 0ith the %araeters1 the conditions1 the

reasons for its existence.

Cha%ter t0o introduces ohn /o0les1 an <architect< of <the

atrix<./o0les is an existentialist 0riter that a3 be considered as a

%redecessor of %ostodernis. 4e de8elo%s soe of the %ostodern conce%ts

in his %hiloso%hical 0or9 called The Aristos. )ctuall3 he a%%roaches

%ostodernis b3 rooting in the sae existential dilea of the birth of the

7ni8erse1 of the existence or absence of a higher )uthorit3 or an ultiate

%ur%ose.4e 0ill ta9e u% to anal3se these ideas in The Aristos and a%%l3 the

to his fictional 0or9.

(ertaining to the to%ic at hand is the %lot and structure of one of his

no8els1 The Magus10hich underta9es the idea of the ain character>s 0a3 to

self'disco8er3 through an ellaborated godgae. Much li9e /o0les> character1

"icholas 7rfe1 the o8ie hero1 "eo1 also ex%eriences the ad8enture of his life

0hich 0ill e8entuall3 lead hi to a0a9ening1 to start seeing <the desert of

realit3<1 to a;uire freedo of his o0n consciousness. "icholas 7rfe and "eo both becoe a0are of their reiterating conditions their alter'egos1 their lesser

8ariants too9 %art in the sae godgae an3 ties before1 and <the atrix<

0on>t sto% at the1 it 0ill 9ee% re0inning in search of the fla0less subect

0hich gi8es it %ur%ose.

"ot %retending to be inno8ators 0e 0ill round u% this %a%er 0ith a

cha%ter that is to be dedicated to the <h3%errealit3< theor3 of ean Baudrillard.

4e released the idea of <the ne0 edia realit3'ore real than real'<in his %hiloso%hical treat3 entitled Simulacra and Simulation ?the boo9 is to be seen

in one of the scenes in <The Matrix<A 0here he argues that the i%losion of

edia essages and o8er0heling ;uantit3 of inforation annihilates

eaning and signification and it leads to a re8ersal of the relation bet0een

re%resentation and realit3.

The ;uestion reains: <+hat is the %ur%ose of all realit3=<

$



C4)(T4#R &

THE POSTMODERN CONDITION . TEXT AND ATHOR

The ter D%ostodernE cae into the %hiloso%hical lexicon 0ith the

%ublication of ean'/ran@ois L3otard>s <La Condition (ostoderne< in &FGF

?#nglish: <The (ostodern Condition: ) Re%ort on Hno0ledge<1 &F$A1 0here

he e%lo3s +ittgenstein>s odel of language gaes ?see +ittgenstein &F2,A

and conce%ts ta9en fro s%eech act theor3 to account for 0hat he calls a

transforation of the gae rules for science1 art1 and literature since the end of

the nineteenth centur3. 4e describes his text as a cobination of t0o 8er3

different language gaes1 that of the %hiloso%her and that of the ex%ert. +here

the ex%ert 9no0s 0hat he 9no0s and 0hat he doesn>t 9no01 the %hiloso%her

9no0s neither1 but %oses ;uestions. In light of this abiguit31 L3otard statesthat his %ortra3al of the state of 9no0ledge Da9es no clais to being original

or e8en true1E and that his h3%otheses Dshould not be accorded %redicti8e

8alue in relation to realit31 but strategic 8alue in relation to the ;uestions

raisedE ? L3otard1 <The (ostodern Condition< ! &F$1 GA. The boo91 then1 is as

uch an ex%erient in the cobination of language gaes as it is an obecti8e

Dre%ortE.

Soe critics see %ostodernist fiction as a de8elo%ent ofJfroodernist fiction: <(ostodernis extends odernist uncertaint31 often b3

assuing that realit31 if it exists at all1 is un9no0able or inaccessible through a

language gro0n detached fro it. (ostodernis in8estigates instead 0hat

0orlds can be %roected or constructed b3 texts and language.< ?Randall

Ste8enson1 <Modernist /iction<1 &FF,A

2



Mc4ale 0rites that soe of the issues 0ith %ostodernis coe as a

result of the ter itself. 4e 0rites1 Dthe ter does not e8en a9e sense. /or if

Kodern eans K%ertaining to the %resent1 then K%ostodern can onl3 ean

K%ertaining to the future1 and in that case 0hat could %ostodernist fiction be

exce%t fiction that has not 3et been 0ritten= E?Mc4ale ! <(ostodernist

/iction<1&FGA.Mc4ale brea9s the 0ord a%art a little later1 sa3ing that

%ostodernis does not coe Dafter the %resent<1 but instead Dafter the

odernist o8eent.E Thus gi8ing us %ostodernis as a Dreaction against1

the %oetics of earl3 t0entieth ' centur3 odernis1 and not soe h3%othetical

0riting of the future.E 4e is against the notion that odernis ended and then

there 0as %ostodernis 1 but instead that %ostodernis is a continuation of

the odernist o8eent1 and that %ostodernis is odernis 0ith a ne0

face. )nother influential theorist of %ostodernit31 ean Baudrillard1 relates to

the conte%orar3 culture as the ob8ious outcoe of doinance in odern

ca%italist societies of consu%tion o8er %roduction and of the signifier o8er

the signified. 4is intensi8e criti;ue of technolog3 in the era of edia

re%roduction turns into increasingl3 a%ocal3%tic and h3%erbolic stateents thatannounce the sensationalist essages of <the loss of the real< and of the

a%%earance of the culture of h3%er'realit31 in 0hich odels deterine 3et

underine the real ?ta9e for exa%le the Barbie doll1 a odel for all teenage

girls1 0ho 3et1 0ould be loo9ed at as unfit and artificial in the real societ3A. In

a 0orld in 0hich there is tal9 about the transition fro signs that dissiulate

soething to signs that dissiulate ?theA nothing1 the tie has coe for the

theolog3 of truth to be re%laced 0ith the doga of the iage that has nothingto do 0ith realit31 being its o0n siulacru. Thoas (3nchon>s character1

6ic9 4iggins has a re8elator3 line: <+hich 0orld is this = +hat is to be done

in it= +hich of 3 sel8es is to do it=<

The un%recedented de8elo%ent of technolog3 in the nuclear era

brings about the consuer societ3 and the ass ' culture1 0hich in their turn

0ill lead to the great thees of %ostodernis: the cult of catastro%h31 the

*



taste for the a%ocal3%tic and the 8oid1 the re%laceent of the e8ent 0ith the

ha%%ening1 the contingent1 the exhaustion anarch3 and absence. Thus

%ostodernit3 is ar9ed b3 the nostalgia of the long' gone ties of <blessed

innocence< and the %anic of a de8elo%ing identit3 crisis 0hich gro0s as a

reaction of the being 0ho no longer 9no0s 0ho it is1 in 0hich of the 0orlds it

is1 and1 abo8e all1 if it is. Man has alread3 lost the essence and eaning of his

existence once he cae to acce%t the absence of 5od and he returns to his

roots in an otological need for s%iritual regeneration. The odernist

e%isteological doubt ?ho0 and if 0e can 9no0 the real 0orldA is re%laced

0ith the ontological one ?0hat is the nature of realit31 0hat are the %ossible

0orldsA.et1 the identit3 crisis otif goes bac9 to the origins of an9ind fro

"hilgames#s E$ic to The name o% the Rose1 all the literar3 heroes ha8e existed

through the fer8our the3 %ro8e 0hen longing after their sel8es or see9ing the

essence and eaning of life. Man has ne8er left the ;uest for his identit3 but

the crisis a%%eared the oent the self began to dissol8e and disa%%ear1 0hen

the artist subits to otherness and the old'fashioned haron3 in the uni8erse

is re%laced b3 chaos. The loss of traditional 8alues faces the author 0ith his o0n

disintegration he is no longer a creator of 0orlds but a ere %roduct of the

text1 de'%ersonaliNed and de'constructed b3 language. <The author should die

once he is done 0ith hi. In all fiction1 language is re%resentational1 but of a

fictional >other> 0orld1 a co%lete and coherent >heterocos> created b3 the

ficti8e referents of the signs. In etafiction1 ho0e8er1 this fact is ade ex%licit

and1 0hile he reads1 the reader li8es in a 0orld 0hich he is forced toac9no0ledge as fictional 0riting1 not to trouble the text>s direction< sa3s

7berto #co thus reinforcing a ne0' found authorit31 that of the text 0hich

becoes so %reoccu%ied 0ith itself that it turns into a etatext ?7berto #co1

Postscri$t to The Name o% the Rose1 &F$A.

/ollo0ing the thee of the a%ocal3%se and the end of histor3 in

%ostodernis1 Mc4alle tal9s about the te%oralit3 of stasis 0hich creates a

G



uni8erse of <ulti%le and une8en ties or non's3nchronicit3 or 0hat ean

/rancois L3otard refers to as the <sci'fi te%oral dis%laceent rather than

s%atial ?inter%lanetar3A dis%laceent< ?'/ L3otard1 <The (ostodern

Condition<1&F$A.

In an3 conte%orar3 ?or %ost'odernA 0or9s of fiction1 the authors

do not 0ant to ust tell a stor3 the3 0ant to dra0 attention to ho0 the3 are

telling the stor31 %erha%s in order to in8ol8e the reader1 to a greater degree1 in

the <construction< or inter%retation of that stor3. Such stories force the reader

to interact 0ith the stor31 to acti8el3 a9e eaning1 as o%%osed to ore

%assi8el3 acce%ting a <%re'ade< eaning.

<In all fiction1 language is re%resentational1 but of a fictional >other>

0orld1 a co%lete and coherent >heterocos> created b3 the ficti8e referents of

the signs. In etafiction1 ho0e8er1 this fact is ade ex%licit and1 0hile he

reads1 the reader li8es in a 0orld 0hich he is forced to ac9no0ledge as

fictional.<?L3nda 4utcheon1 <) (oetics of (ostodernis: 4istor31

Theor31/iction< &FA L3nda 4utcheon touches here soe 9e3 features of the

%ostodernist narration such as direct address to the reader as reader or textualself'reference1 that is1 other reinders that the boo9 is a boo9. #8er3 0ord

contains e8er3 other 0ord b3 association1 and be3ond that1 the eaning of

e8er3 0ord is al0a3s deferred b3 circustances eaning is that 0hich

differs1 and 0hich defers. Thus1 for 6errida1 it is ade dialecticall3''it lies

al0a3s in a tension bet0een the binaries1 and there is no central eaning

?<absolute signified<A holding it all together. +ithout eaning1 then1 there can

be no TR7T4 and no )7T4!RIT1 and so %o0er relations fall a%art. Thecentre 0as a <construct1< rather than soething that 0as si%l3 true or there.

<This is not to sa3 that there are no truths1 but to %ut it in a soe0hat

con8oluted anner1 the truth of TR7T4 is that there is no truth this is

TR7T4>s truth<?. 6errida1 <!f 5raatolog3<1&FG*A. Rather than ourning

the fixit3 of eaning1 one can %la3 along1 reoice in ulti%licit3 and affir the

%ro8isional nature of all eaning. Thus the %oststructuralist is of the 8ie0 that



the obect'text can be construed in an alost infinite nuber of 0a3s1 none of

0hich is ore faithful to the text itself than an3 other.

(ostodern fiction re;uires of its readers the sus%ension of belief as

0ell as that of disbelief. 7berto #co argues that %ostodernis

characterised b3 a loss of innocence because of an a0areness ?through ass

ediaA of so uch that has gone before ?histor3A or been re%resented before

?cultureA. +e are saturated 0ith iages and inforation. The %ostodern

indi8idual is a >tourist> ?and sho%%erA and the t3%ical %ostodern s%ace is

6isne3land ' a fantas3 0orld 0here dreas1 %leasure1 indulgence1 and one3

circulate and %ursue each other in an isolated1 agical >9ingdo>. The

%ostodern no8el reects %roecting %resent beliefs and standards onto the %ast

and asserts the s%ecificit3 and %articularit3 of the indi8idual %ast e8ent. It also

suggests a distinction bet0een e8ents and facts that is one shared b3 an3

historians. Since the docuents becoe signs of e8ents1 0hich the historian

transutes into facts1 there is onl3 one conclusion: that the %ast once existed1

but that our historical 9no0ledge of it is seioticall3 transitted. There is no

coherent historical continuit31 there is onl3 a %ast a8ailable to us in the sae0a3 that the %resent is a8ailable ' as a series of artefacts and discourses.

(atricia +augh s%o9e of the< den3ing of tie< O<the %resent is undefined1 the

future has no other realit3 than as %resent ho%e1 the %ast is no ore than

%resent eor3<?(. +augh1 <(ostodernis: ) Reader<1&FF-A.

)s L3otard notes1 DLaenting the Kloss of eaning in %ostodernit3

boils do0n to ourning the fact that 9no0ledge is no longer %rinci%all3

narrati8eE ?L3otard1 &F$A.Indeed1 for L3otard1 the de'realiNation of the 0orld eans the

disintegration of narrati8e eleents into DcloudsE of linguistic cobinations

and collisions aong innuerable1 heterogeneous language gaes.

/urtherore1 0ithin each gae the subect o8es fro %osition to %osition1

no0 as sender1 no0 as addressee1 no0 as referent1 and so on. The loss of a

continuous eta'narrati8e therefore brea9s the subect into heterogeneous

F



oents of subecti8it3 that do not cohere into an identit3. But as L3otard

%oints out1 0hile the cobinations 0e ex%erience are not necessaril3 stable or

counicable1 0e learn to o8e 0ith a certain nibleness aong the. The

inconsistencies of character in %ostodernist fiction ser8e to underine the

reader>s %ossible atte%t to %in the >character> to a list of ;ualities or %ro%erties

' to resist essentialis and notions of identit3. ) notable ?but not necessar3A

feature of ost self'conscious narrati8es is1 soe0hat tautologicall31 the

%resence of a self'conscious narrator. +hile this ost often ta9es the for of a

figure 0ho is siultaneousl3 a character in the stor31 the stor3>s narrator1 and

the i%lied author1 there are other %ossible configurations1 as 0ell '' such as

the narrator 0ho either o8ertl3 or indirectl3 adits to the existence of the real

author behind his creation. )dditional characteristic attributes of narrati8e self'

consciousness include1 as discussed abo8e1 a ar9ed tendenc3 to alienate the

reader b3 illusion'brea9ing and direct address1 as 0ell as logical

inconsistencies1 contradictions1 or o8ert oraliNation in the narrator'author>s

o0n 8oice. The creati8e authorJsubect is a 3th: 0e are constantl3 borro0ing

and alluding1 0hether 0e 9no0 it or not %ostodernist texts do this o%enl3.Conse;uentl31 ters of intertextualit3 figure %roinentl3 in discussions of

%ostodernis: %arod31 co%31 %lagiaris1 %astiche1 %ali%sest1 siulation1

etc. (ost'structuralis suggests that the best iage for the %ostodernist text

is the Lab3rinth: <The text as a reified locus of deterinac3 is re%laced b3

textualit31 often figured b3 the eta%hor of the lab3rinth. )s it incor%orates

decentring1 difference1 deference and other graatological o8es1 the

lab3rinth ?iage of the textA %laces 0riting before us as the setting of theab3ss. Mise en ab3e ?to thro0 into the ab3ssA P the 8ertigo %roduced b3 the

endless %la3 of signifiers. The 0orlds that are created in the %ostodernis

are %urel3 textual1 subect to erasure1 and contradiction and ulti%le endings

and non'endings.?B. Mc4alle1 <(ostodernist /iction<1&FGA .

/redric aeson?in <(ostodernis and Consuer Societ3<1&F2A

lists the features of %ostodernis in these ters: the death of the subect the

&



culture of the siulacru the %roliferation of tro%e l>oeil ?%ainting in 0hich

the surface gi8es the illusion of de%thA art co%ies 0ithout originals textualit3

loss of historicit3 ?as a sense of teleological linear tieA %astiche etc. )ll of

these categories are an atte%t to den3 de%th and to ebrace surface.

(ostodernist criticis is siilarl3 sce%tical of de%th readings of texts ' those

that tr3 to discern >the figure in the car%et.> ' <6ecentred1 allegorical1

schiNo%hrenic...4o0e8er 0e choose to diagnose its s3%tos1 %ostodernis

is usuall3 treated1 b3 its %rotagonists and antagonists ali9e1 as a crisis of

cultural authorit31 s%ecificall3 of the authorit3 8ested in 0estern euro%ean

culture and its institutions. That the hegeon3 of euro%ean ci8ilisation is

dra0ing to a close is hardl3 a ne0 %erce%tion since the id'fifties1 at least1 0e

ha8e recognised the necessit3 of encountering different cultures b3 eans

other then the shoc9 of doination and con;uest.< ?C.!0ens ;uoted in <The

#%ire +rites Bac9<1 B.)shcroft #t al.1Routledge &FFA.

&&



C4)(T4#R &.&

&RITIN" A'OT &RITIN"

<The )uthor1 0hen belie8ed in1 is al0a3s concei8ed of as the %ast of his o0n

boo9: boo9 and author stand autoaticall3 on a single line di8ided into a

before and an after. The )uthor is thought to nourish the boo91 0hich is to sa3

that he exists before it1 thin9s1 suffers1 li8es for it1 is in the sae relation of

antecedence to his 0or9 as a father to his child. In co%lete contrast1 the

odern scri%tor is born siultaneousl3 0ith the text1 is in no 0a3 e;ui%%ed

0ith a being %receding or exceeding the 0riting1 is not the subect 0ith the

boo9 as %redicate there is no other tie than that of the enunciation and e8er3

text is eternall3 0ritten here and no0Q+e 9no0 no0 that a text is not a line of 0ords releasing a single

>theological> eaning?the essage of the )uthor O5odA but a ultidiensional

s%ace in 0hich a 8ariet3 of 0ritings1 none of the original1 blend and clash.<

?Barthes &F*1in Lodge1<#ssa3s on /iction and Criticis<1 &FFA.

Lodge o%ens thus the to%ic of the etafiction 0hich he defines as

<fiction about fiction<1<stories about 0riters 0riting stories<. Metafiction

becoes the literar3 ex%ression of conte%orar3 0riters b3 0hich the3 claiself'a0areness at a oent of histor3 0hen need 0as to relie8e the %ressure

of the <anxiet3 of influence<?as the literar3 critic1 4arold Bloo %uts itA1 that

is the fear that 0hat e8er the3 ight ha8e to sa3 has been said before. This

self'consciousness gi8es the 0riter ground for introducing ?selfAcriticis into

his text and thus re;uiring for a reader 0ho is 0ell'infored and read3 to oin

his ex%erients in the narrati8e techni;ue 0ith ulti%le fictional 0orlds and

&-



0ith changing identities both of the characters and the author>s. It is the %ath

on 0hich aes o3ce 0ith his auto()iogra$hical(no*el(a)out(a()o+(,ho(

,ill(gro,(u$(to()e(a(,riter 1 nael3 A Portrait o% the Artist as a -oung Man 1

started1 6.4.La0rence follo0ed 0ith Sons and o*ers and 0here the

tradear9 0as definitel3 %laced b3 ohn Barth>s ost in the /unhouse1 ohn

/o0les>s The /rench ieutenant#s &oman and Hurt onnegut>s Slaughterhouse

/i*e.

The iediate effect of the etafictional 0riting is that in its intention

of establishing an absolute le8el of realit31 the realit3 of the %age1 it actuall3

relati8iNes realit3. The ;uestion that arises here is: 0ho is to sa3 that if there is

a realit3 that hides an illusionar3 other1 it is not itself an illusion= Therfore the

absolute realit3 of the author becoes ust another le8el of fiction and thus the

reader enters the c3cle of the etafictional frae'brea9ing. /rae'brea9ing

a%%ears once at the le8el of the fictional 0orld created and again at the le8el of

the author1 0hich is no0 considered hiself a fiction. )t the end of the chain

there reains onl3 one incontestable realit3: the 0riting itself 0hich is ore

real than the act of 0riting that ga8e birth to it.Thus the central issue reains that of the TR7T4. The critics ha8e

found a solution in the corres%ondence bet0een fiction and fact1 in aditting

that the obects in fiction a;uire a certain status that soeties atches

%erfectl3 the status of obects in the real 0orld.

#bedding a narrati8e in the narrati8e1 <nesting< as 5erard 5enette

calls it in his <6iscours du recit<1 etafiction follo0s the %attern of the

Chinese box 0orlds or that of the Russian babush9a dolls as a strateg3 toulti%l3 0orlds in a <recursi8e structure< ad infinitu.

&,



C4)(T#R -

0OHN /O&ES. A POSTMODERNIST ARCHITECT

ohn /o0les ?born &F-*A 0as an a0ard 0inning %ost +orld +ar II no8elist of

aor i%ortance. +hile his 0or9s are reflecti8e of literar3 tradition reaching

bac9 to 5ree9 %hiloso%h3 and Celtic roance1 he 0as 8er3 uch a

conte%orar3 existentialist and1 if 0e dare sa3 so1 a %redecessor of

%ostodernis. It is the denial of tie linearit31 the uncertaint3 of realit3 that

recoends /o0les as a %ostodernist.

<)nd 3et1 and 3et . . . 6en3ing te%oral succession1 den3ing

the self1 den3ing the astronoical uni8erse1 are a%%arent des%erations andsecret consolations. !ur destin3 is not frightful b3 being unreal it is frightful

because it is irre8ersible and iron'clad. Tie is the substance I a ade of.

Tie is a ri8er 0hich s0ee%s e along1 but I a the ri8er< ?#ssa3: <) "e0

Refutation of Tie1< &F$*.A

/o0les> first serious atte%ts at 0riting too9 %lace on S%etsai1 aidst

the natural s%lendors of the 5ree9 landsca%e. 4is ex%erience of the 3ster3and aest3 of this island 0as a %o0erful influence. "ot onl3 did he 0rite

%oetr31 0hich a%%eared later in his collection <(oes<1 but this setting also

%ro8ided the ins%iration for The Magus1 a 0or9 that 0ould obsess the 0riter

for an3 3ears. Lea8ing 5reece 0as a %ainful ex%erience for /o0les1 but one

that he sa0 as ha8ing been necessar3 to his artistic gro0th. <I had not then

&$



realiNed that loss is essential for the no8elist1 iensel3 fertile for his boo9s1

ho0e8er %ainful to his %ri8ate being.<

+hile bac9 in #ngland and teaching in a 8ariet3 of %ositions in the

London area1 /o0les 0or9ed on se8eral anuscri%ts but 0as dissatisfied 0ith

his efforts and subitted none for %ublication until &F*,1 0hen The Collector

a%%eared. The Collector is the stor3 of /rederic9 Clegg1 a %oorl3 educated

cler9 of the lo0er'class and an aateur le%ido%terist1 0ho becoes obsessed

0ith a beautiful 3oung art student1 Miranda 5re3. Clegg 0ins a large su of

one3 in a football %ool1 enabling hi to carr3 out a %lan of 9idna% and

i%risonent. The narrati8e shifts1 0ith the first %art of the boo9 told fro

Clegg>s %oint of 8ie0 and the second recounting the i%risoned Miranda>s

%ers%ecti8e. The characters of Miranda and Clegg1 set in o%%osition1 ebod3

the conflict that /o0les1 reaching bac9 to 4eraclitus1 finds central to an9ind

' the fe0 8ersus the an31 the artistic 8ersus the con8entional1 the aristoi

8ersus hoi $olloi. )s /o0les noted1 <M3 %ur%ose in The Collector 0as to

anal3se1 through a %arable1 soe of the results of this confrontation.< This

thee1 as 0ell as a concern 0ith freedo and authenticit3 and %arallelrealities1 recurred in later no8els. Miranda1 according to /o0les1 <is an

existential heroine although she doesn>t 9no0 it. She>s gro%ing for her o0n

authenticit3.<

The coercial success of The Collector enabled /o0les next to

%ublish The Aristos1 A Sel%(Portrait in Ideas. )s the title suggests1 this 8olue

consists of a collection of %hiloso%hical stateents co8ering di8erse areas but

aied at %ro%osing a ne01 ideal an for our ties ' the )ristos. The %ublication of this boo9 at that tie %robabl3 o0ed soething to the fact that

The Collector 1 in s%ite of its %o%ular rece%tion1 0as denied critical

consideration b3 an3 0ho failed to loo9 %ast its thriller forat.

In &F*F ohn /o0les %ublished another boo9: The %rench ieutenant#s

&oman. This boo9 0as as successful as The Aristos 0as unsuccessful. This

tie /o0les did 0rite in a different for and st3le: allegor3. This tie he

&2

http://www.answers.com/topic/dissatisfied

http://www.answers.com/topic/clegg-film


http://www.answers.com/topic/embody

http://www.answers.com/topic/heraclitus


http://www.answers.com/topic/hoi-polloi

http://www.answers.com/topic/parable

http://www.answers.com/topic/heroine



http://www.answers.com/topic/embody


http://www.answers.com/topic/hoi-polloi

http://www.answers.com/topic/parable


http://www.answers.com/topic/dissatisfied



ade sure his %ill 0as sugar'coated The /rench ieutenant#s &oman is

coated 0ith enticing oents of %iercing self'exaination and oents of

un%redictable %assion. /o0les anages to allo0 the reader to ex%erience

ictorian #ngland through the e3es of a stereot3%ical 3oung lad31 an educated

and refined gentlean1 and an ousted 0oan'the 3sterious Sarah. The

reader also ex%eriences &*G fro the 8antage %oint of an additional one

hundred 3ears1 i.e.1 through the e3es of a t0entieth'centur3 and literall3

intrusi8e author highl3 concerned 0ith the tension bet0een <the then< and

<the no0.< /o0les craftil3 0ebs a stor3 that confuses the line bet0een 0hat is

real and 0hat is iagined. 4e counicates little'9no0n facts about the

ictorian )ge he turns %ro%het as he %roects characters into their futures

and he lea8es the reader no alternati8e but to o8e to0ard existentialis: the

reader ust exercise indi8idual freedo and choose ho0 to end /o0les>s tale.

/o0les brilliantl3 uses all of these a8enues to counicate1 once again1 his

8ie0s on life1 his existential %hiloso%h3.

The stor3'line in this ost co%lex no8el'the triangular lo8e %lot'is

not co%lex: it is sur%risingl3 unoriginal and eas3 to follo0. It is the stor3 of aan 0ho ust exercise his free 0ill b3 a9ing a choice. The no8el begins in

&*G. The setting is L3e Regis <on the south coast of #ngland<. Charles

Sithson1 a thirt3't0o'3ear'old Londoner and a baronet>s ne%he01 and his

t0ent3'one'3ear'old fiancee1 #rnestina /reean1 are ta9ing a %ro%er ictorian

stroll along the Cobb. The3 notice a dar9 figure gaNing out to sea. #rnestina

infors Charles that the figure is feale1 a 3sterious and ostraciNed creature

0ho she refers to as <%oor Traged3.< She hints at Traged3>s sin: the ex'go8erness 0as defiled and deserted b3 a shi%0rec9ed /rench na8al officer.

Charles is intrigued b3 the scarlet 0oan. The next da31 0hile he hunts fossils

in the 7ndercliff1 he stubles across the slee%ing Sarah in a <tender and 3et

sexual< re%ose ?*&A. Sarah and Charles 9ee% stubling into each other'finall3

into each other>s ars. Charles gi8es u% all %retense of aintaining a

relationshi% 0ith #rnestina and deterines to a9e Sarah his 0ife. 4e brea9s

&*



off his engageent. )las1 0hen he returns for Sarah1 she has disa%%eared 4e

searches for her e8er30here he hires a detecti8e to intensif3 efforts to find

her. 6ri8en b3 des%air1 ousted b3 societ31 Charles esca%es to )erica. /inall31

a telegra arri8es stating that she is found. Charles iediatel3 returns to

London and once again faces Sarah. This tie she decides not to let Charles

lea8e 0ithout re8ealing that she has had a child b3 hi naed Lalage. Cha%ter

* ends 0ith the three of the e8identl3 on the threshold of soe 9ind of

future together. Cha%ter *& begins 0ith the bearded narrator in front of Sarah>s

house 0ith a 0atch1 0hich he sets bac9 fifteen inutes and dri8es off. The

narrati8e resues 0ith the sae %iece of dialogue fro cha%ter *1 about

t0isting the 9nife. In this 8ersion of the con8ersation1 Charles sees that she

cannot arr3 0ithout betra3ing herself1 and that he cannot acce%t her on ore

inde%endent ters. 4e lea8es 0ithout realiNing that the child he notices on the

0a3 out is his. The narrator ends the no8el b3 noting that Charles has at least

begun to ha8e soe faith in hiself1 des%ite his not feeling that he understands

Sarah1 and that the reader should not iagine that the last ending is an3 less

%lausible than the one before it./o0les> next %ublished 0or91 The Magus1 0as1 according to its author1

<in e8er3 0a3 exce%t that of ere %ublishing date Q a first no8el.< 7sing

S%etsai as his odel1 /o0les created the island of (hraxos 0here "icholas

7rfe1 a 3oung #nglish schoolaster1 eets Maurice Conchis1 the enigatic

aster of an island estate. Through a series of biNarre <godgaes1< Conchis

engineers the destruction of "icholas> %erce%tion of realit31 a necessar3 ste% in

the achie8eent of a true understanding of his being in the 0orld. +hile TheMagus 0as first %ublished in &F*21 /o0les issued a re8ised edition in &FGG in

0hich he had re0ritten nuerous scenes in an atte%t to %urif3 the 0or9 he

called an <endlessl3 tortured and recast cri%%le< 0hich had1 nonetheless1

<aroused ore interest than an3thing else I ha8e 0ritten.<

In &FG$ E)on+ To,er 1 a collection of stories1 a%%eared. The 0or9 0as

tele8ised & 3ears later. The title stor3 is a concise re'e8ocation of the

&G

http://www.answers.com/topic/purify

http://www.answers.com/topic/recast

http://www.answers.com/topic/purify

http://www.answers.com/topic/recast



confrontation bet0een the %seudo'so%histicated an of the 0orld 0ith the

reclusi8e shaan 0ho shatters his %oorl3 concei8ed notions of realit31 a thee

ore broadl3 enacted in The Magus. This 8olue contains a translation of a

&-th'centur3 roance 0ritten b3 Marie de /rance1 and in a %ersonal note

%receding this translation /o0les %aid tribute to the Celtic roance1 stating

that in the reading of these tales the odern 0riter is <0atching his o0n birth.<

/o0les> original title for this collection 0as ariations 0hile these stories are

original and uni;ue1 the3 are connected to each other and to the earlier 0or9s

b3 an underl3ing sense of loss1 of 3ster31 and of a desire for gro0th.

In &FF*1 a ne0 edition of /o0les> essa3 The Tree 0as %ublished1 and

along 0ith it the essa3 The Nature o% Nature1 0ritten soe &2 3ears later 0hen

the author 0as a%%roaching G1 suffering fro a cri%%ling illness and ta9ing

0hat one re8ie0er described as <a ore iediate loo9 at last things.< In The

Nature o% Nature1 /o0les 0rote: <Illness has 9e%t e e8en ore alone than

usual these last t0o 3ears and brought e closer to being1 though that hasn>t

al0a3s been 8er3 %leasant for 3 bod3. +hat has struc9 e about the acutel3

rich sensation of beingness is ho0 fleeting its a%%rehension Q the ore 3ou0ould ca%ture it1 the less li9el3 that 3ou 0ill.<

+hile /o0les> re%utation 0as based ainl3 on his no8els and their

fil 8ersions1 he deonstrated ex%ertise in the fields of nature1 art1 science1

and natural histor3 as reflected in a bod3 of non'fictional 0ritings. Throughout

his career1 /o0les coitted hiself to a scholarl3 ex%loration of the %lace of

the artist in conte%orar3 societ3 and sought the %ersonal isolation and exile

that he felt essential to such a search. +hile his roots in +estern culture 0ere broad and dee%1 he earned a re%utation as an inno8ator in the e8olution of the

conte%orar3 no8el. 4e 0as a s%o9es%erson for odern an1 stee%ed in

science1 3et e8er a0are that 0hat he ore dee%l3 needs is <the existence of

3steries . "ot their solutions.

T0o 3ears after The Collector had brought hi international

recognition and a 3ear before he %ublished The Magus1 ohn /o0les set out his

&

http://www.answers.com/topic/reclusive


http://www.answers.com/topic/apprehension

http://www.answers.com/topic/spokesperson



http://www.answers.com/topic/apprehension




ideas on life in The Aristos. The chief ins%iration behind the 0as the fifth

centur3 BC %hiloso%her 4eraclitus. In the 0orld he sa0 in constant and

chaotic flux the su%ree god 0as )ristos. /o0les argued that he 0as tr3ing to

define an ideal of huan freedo in an unfree 0orld. 4e called a aterialistic

and o8er'conforing culture to rec9oning 0ith his 8ie0s on a 3riad of

subects ' %leasure and %ain1 beaut3 and ugliness1 Christianit31 huanis1

existentialis and socialis.

In The Aristos /o0les la3s do0n soe of the %ostodernist conce%ts

concerning the indi8idual>s consciousness or ere a0areness of his realit31 the

atter of the tie Ori8er'li9e1 sliced or c3clic'1 and once again the dilea of

an>s origins seen as related to the existence or absence of 5od.Thus he

anages to set the %araeters of <the atrix< of a recurrent1 self'i%ro8ing

realit3.

&F



C4)(T#R ,

ARISTOS. THE CODE O/ A MATRIX

<M3 chief concern1 in The Aristos is to %reser8e the freedo of

the indi8idual against all those %ressures'to'confor that threaten our centur3

one of those %ressures1 %ut u%on all of us1 but %articularl3 on an3one 0ho

coes into %ublic notice1 is that of labeling a %erson b3 0hat he gets one3

and fae for' b3 0hat other %eo%le ost 0ant to use hi as. To call a an a

%luber is to describe one as%ect of hi1 but it is also to obscure a nuber of

others... B3 stating baldl3 0hat I belie8e I ho%e to force 3ou to state baldl3 to

3ourself 0hat 3ou belie8e. I do not ex%ect agreeent. If I 0anted that Ishould ha8e 0ritten in a 8err3 different for and st3le1 and 0ra%%ed 3 %ills

in the usual sugar coating. I a not1 in short1 %leading a case<. ?/o0les, The

Aristos1 &F*$A

In The Aristos! /o0les %resents his %ersonal inter%retation of the

4eraclitean %hiloso%h3 0hich infors The Magus. )ccording to /o0les1

4eraclitus described an9ind as di8ided into a oral and intellectual elite1

the aristoi1 and an unthin9ing1 conforing ass1 the hoi $olloi. These are t0o4eraclitean extrees1 but bet0een the there are infinite gradations of oral

and intellectual acuit3 0hich can be ?and areA actualiNed in en and 0oen.

In fact1 /o0les argues1 <the di8iding line bet0een the /e0 and the Man3 ust

run through each indi8idual1 not bet0een indi8iduals< ?F'&A. ie0ed in this

0a31 /o0les and other odern 4eracliteans can identif3 the good 0ith the

thoughtfull3 considered oral actions of the aristoi1 0ho %ossess 0hole sight1

-



and e8il 0ith the thoughtless actions of the blinder'0earing hoi $olloi 0ithout

ustif3ing an3 s3ste of totalitarian or aristocratic rule ?in the odern sense

of the 0ordA1 for each of us contains 0ithin oursel8es eleents of both the

aristoi and the hoi $olloi. This is 0h3 the onl3 eaningful area in 0hich

oral or social change can be discussed or actualiNed is 0ithin the

consciousness of a single indi8idual ?cf. Hier9egaard -F',-A. Initiall3 an

<existentialist1< it is not sur%rising that /o0les shares this Hier9egaardian

a0areness 0ith Caus1 0ho also recogniNed the abilit3 of art to bring about a

renascence of <ustice and libert3< ?Caus1 <)rtist< -&'&-A through the

reestablishent of a 4eraclitean e;uilibriu ?Caus1 <4elen>s< &'F&A. /or

/o0les1 a %erson 0ith 0hole sight 9no0s that <0e all li8e at a crossroads of

irreconcilable %oles< 0hose 8er3 irreconcilabilit3 <constitutes our esca%e.<

+ith 0hole sight1 a %erson 9no0s that <the Man3 are li9e an audience under

the s%ell of a conuror1 seeingl3 unable to do an3thing but ser8e as aterial

for the conuror>s tric9s< e8en though <the true destin3 of an is to becoe a

agician hiself.< This re;uires that a %erson li9e "icholas acce%t the liited

nature of the freedo a8ailable to the indi8idual1 acce%t the ine8itabilit3 of %ersonal isolation1 and acce%t the res%onsibilit3 of learning to use his

%articular %o0ers to <huaniNe the 0hole< ?)ristos -&,'&$A.

) brief descri%tion of /o0les>s existentialis as outlined in The

Aristos is in order. /o0les states here: </reedo of the 0ill is the highest

huan good< ?-*A. Indeed1 all other %rece%ts discussed in this dogatic and

difficult 0or9 are discussed relati8e to a liberated self. /o0les ta9es great

%ain to ex%lain that indi8idual freedo ust be liited b3 the 3ster3 of haNard ?chanceA and the %ri8ilege of res%onsibilit3. /o0les 0arns against the

irres%onsible use of illicit sexual ex%erience and cautions that the

conte%orar3 affaire de cor%s is usuall3 <a flight fro realit3 and if children

are in8ol8ed1 a flight fro res%onsibilit3< ?&G-A. /o0les>s )ristos conce%t of

free 0ill reflects his desire for greater e;ualit31 for art that huaniNes1 for

gods that assist in the <necessar3 but erciless< ?2*A becoing %rocess.

-&



/o0les 0holeheartedl3 belie8es that indi8idual acce%tance of his )ristos

%rece%ts 0ill result in <huaniNing the 0hole1< i.e.1 creating a better 0orld'an

aristos 0orld'for all an9ind: <that is the best for this situation< ?-&$A.

2 The 0hole has no fa8ourites2 .? Aristos1,-A. Considering an essential1

existentiall3 %er%etuating dillea1 that is the atter of our uni8erse1 its birth

1its rules of functioning1 /o0les %oints out the ob8ious necessit3 of t0o

o%%osite %rinci%les: the La0 0hich is the organiNing %rinci%le and the Chaos1

the distructi8e one. These t0o find thesel8es in a %eranent state of conflict

0hich is actuall3 the 8er3 essence of our existence. The La0 and the Chaos

are the t0o %rocesses that create1 touch and destro3 the being1 thus %ro8iding

it 0ith an indi8idualit3 and ar9ing it 0ith res%onsibilit3. et in this uni8erse1

in this 0hole there is no unustice1 this conflictual state creates an e;uilibru

fair to all.

<4uanit3 on its raft. The raft on the endless ocean. /ro his

%resent dissatisfaction an reasons that there 0as soe catastro%hic 0rec9 in

the %ast1 before 0hich he 0as ha%%3 soe golden age1 soe 5arden of #den.4e also reasons that soe0here ahead lies a %roised land1 a land 0ithout

conflict. Mean0hile1 he is iserabl3 en %assage this 3th lies dee%er than

religious faith<. ? Aristos1&&A.

The huan condition is liited. It has a beginning and an end1 therefore

0e tend to see and ex%lain all that is related to the nature of our existence1 of

our uni8erse in ters of )l%ha and !ega. /o0les does not assert to this

si%le %hiloso%h3: an>s tie is 0ithin boundaries but the uni8erse is infiniteand in a continuous change. It is %robabl3 this eternit31 the Lost (aradise or

the (roissed Land1 that the huan being sees to constantl3 search for and

it is the reason for its banishing1 for its being denied a %ri8ileged condititon

that it tries to a9e sense of.

--



<!nl3 in an infinitel3 %roliferating cosos can both order and

disorder coexist infinitel3 and the onl3 %ur%oseful cosos ust be one that

%roliferates infinitel3. It 0as therefore not created1 but 0as al0a3s. ... +hat is

easier to belie8e= That there 0as al0a3s soething or that there 0as once

nothing= ... Christianit3 sa3s that creation has a beginning1 iddle and end.

The 5ree9s claied that creation is a tieless %rocess. Both are correct. )ll

that is created and is therefore indi8idual has a beginning and an end but

there is no uni8ersal beginning and end<. ()ristos1 &FA

/o0els touches here the to%ic of the %er%etual re'birth of the uni8erse1

of the reiteration of an9ind>s creation and end. The )rchitect in <The

Matrix< utters the exact sae idea as the eans to an end: re'enacting the

atrix o8er and o8er until the e;uation is sol8ed1 the higher %ur%ose is

disco8ered. <4aNard has conditioned us to li8e in haNard. )ll our %leasures are

de%endant u%on it. #8en though I arrange for a %leasure and loo9 for0ard to

it1 3 e8entual eno3ent of it is still a atter of haNard. +here8er tie

%asses1 there is haNard. ou a3 die before 3ou turn the next %age.<(1The

Aristos1-,A

4uanit3 is 3et endo0ed 0ith free 0ill1 the ultiate %ri8iledge. It is

free 0ill that deterines us to act according to the la0s of the cosos1 that

hel%s us entain the e;uilibriu at the sae tie the reaction effect is that

this e;uilibru subects huanit3 to haNard1 to chance ?since huans ha8e a

tendenc3 to self'destructionA. /o0les does not belie8e in 5od.< If the uni8erse

had had a cretor his second act 0ould be to disa%%ear. There is onl3 one tieof creation1 the tie of our existence1 the %resent.< +hat the #nglish 0riter is

denouncing is1 in fact1 the absent %resence or the %resent absence of the

creator and its ultiate effect1the lac9 of %ur%ose?see MatrixA.

<+e build to0ards nothing 0e build <.? Aristos1,,A.

<6eath is all that 0e are not in e8er3 oent of our

existence1and e8er3 such oent is the 8er3 oent that the dice rests. +e

-,



%la3 the Russian roulette at all ties. In fact1 facing u% to the finalit3 of death

is a liberation it a9es life itself ore %recious: <The idea that death is not

absolute consoles the childish indi8idual1 but %re8ents societ3 fro being

adult. If it 0ere %ro8ed that there is an afterlife1 life 0ould be irretrie8abl3

s%oilt. It 0ould be %ointless and suicide1 a 8irtue.<?)ristos1,FA.

Li9e an3 another existentialist't3%e thin9ers1 /o0les cobines a

cosic %essiis 0ith a reforer>s dri8e to i%ro8e the 0orld. Less

interesting and less o8ing on such to%ics as c3bernetics and birth control1 he

is nonetheless einentl3 sensible1 and his strictures aied against all

dogatic ca%s are shre0d: <) Christian sa3s1 >If all 0ere good1 all 0ould be

ha%%3.> ) socialist sa3s1 >If all 0ere ha%%31 all 0ould be good.> ) 3stic sa3s1

>If all 0ere li9e e1 ha%%iness and goodness 0ould not atter.> ) huanist

sa3s1 >4a%%iness and goodness need ore anal3sis.> )n existentialist tries to

coit hiself to 0hat is best of the best %hiloso%h3 for the gi8en situation.<

-$



C4)(T#R $

THE MA"IC /ICTIONA REAIT-

4uanit3 is going to need a substantiall3 ne0 0a3 of thin9ing if it is to

sur8i8e" ()lbert #instein). !ur 0orld is in great trouble due to huan

beha8iour founded on 3ths and custos that are causing the destruction of

"ature and cliate change. +e can no0 deduce the ost si%le science

theor3 of realit3 ' the 0a8e structure of atter in s%ace. B3 understanding

ho0 0e and e8er3thing around us are interconnected in S%ace 0e can then

deduce solutions to the fundaental %robles of huan 9no0ledge in

%h3sics1 %hiloso%h31 eta%h3sics1 theolog31 education1 health1 e8olution andecolog31 %olitics and societ3.

This is the %rofound ne0 0a3 of thin9ing that #instein realised1 that

0e exist as s%atiall3 extended structures of the uni8erse ' the discrete and

se%arate bod3 of an illusion. This si%l3 confirs the intuitions of the

ancient %hiloso%hers and 3stics.

In ohn /o0les>s The Magus1 as in his %oe 'ar)arians1 the real threat

to huanit3 can be found not onl3 inside the 0alls of +estern culture1 butalso ensconced 0ithin the 8er3 0alls of our o0n indi8idual consciousnesses.

This is re8ealed as "icholas 7rfe ta9es %art in the godgae of self'disco8er3

0hich ob8iates the barbaris 0ithin his o0n self'construct1 0ithin each of his

assu%tions and %resu%tions. It is a barbaris 0hich blinds hi to the

subconscious existence 0ithin hiself of life'sustaining 8alues as 0ell as to

an a0areness of his interconnectedness 0ith others. It is a barbaris ' and this

-2

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/evolution-ecology-nature-culture-society.htm


http://www.spaceandmotion.com/environmental/climate-change-global-warming.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Most-Simple-Scientific-Theory-Reality.htm


http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Cosmology.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/mathematical-physics/logic-truth-reality.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/metaphysics.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/theology-morality-god-world-religions.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Education.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/health/index.htm



http://www.spaceandmotion.com/society/politics-economics-truth-utopia.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/albert-einstein-god-religion-theology.htm



http://www.spaceandmotion.com/environmental/climate-change-global-warming.htm



http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Cosmology.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/mathematical-physics/logic-truth-reality.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/metaphysics.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/theology-morality-god-world-religions.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Education.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/health/index.htm



http://www.spaceandmotion.com/society/politics-economics-truth-utopia.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/albert-einstein-god-religion-theology.htm



is the central %reiss of /o0les>s godgae ' 0hich can onl3 be reo8ed fro

+estern culture through the %rocess of indi8iduals1 li9e "icholas1 disco8ering

0ithin thesel8es the freedo to act in 0a3s 0hich are not dictated b3 the

outoded social structures of the culture the3 0ere born into.

The Magus is a no8el <about the difficulties of attaining %ersonal

freedo1 es%eciall3 in ters of disco8ering 0hat one is. But this tas9 is

co%lex because /o0les is confronting one of the basic constructs of +estern

culture1 a dee%'seated belief in an <authorial ci8iliNation< 0hich <runs hand in

hand 0ith 8arious barbariss that reside in the ost culti8ated %ersonalities1

in oursel8es as 0ell as others< ?2A. This belief in <authorial ci8iliNation<

anifests itself 0hene8er a %erson or an institution1 fro a %osition of %o0er1

establishes 9e3 conce%ts as in8iolable so that no real dialogue on certain

issues is %ossible because the %erson in a %osition of %o0er ?e.g.1 "icholasA

belie8es that his %osition rests on a foundation 0hich is absolute and

unchangeable. It also anifests itself 0hen a 0riter atte%ts to control the

actions of his characters or the res%onses of his audience. !ne 0a3 for a

0riter to a8oid %artici%ating in the <authorial ci8iliNation< he is ;uestioning isto a9e the <author< as uch a fiction as the <characters< in the text he

0rites. This is 0h31 in leading "icholas to0ard a disco8er3 of the true nature

of %ersonal freedo1 /o0les constantl3 reinds his readers of the 0riter>s

godli9e %o0er to create and control fictional 0orlds. Li9e Conchis1 /o0les is

%la3ing a godgae 0ith the inds of his readers: he is ex%erienting 0ith the

%ossibilit3 that his readers> e3es1 li9e those of 6aniel Martin1 can be o%ened to

the ex%anded 0orld of 4eraclitean <0hole sight.< Thus1 in The Magus1 thereis a blending of for and function. The 0riter as 0ell as the reader <ust li8e

the 3th< as it is coing into being for although fiction re;uires a creator or1

at least1 an assebler or a co%iler1 it does not re;uire the hea83 hand of a

controller. /o0les argues in The Aristos that if the uni8erse had had a creator1

<his second act 0ould ha8e been to disa%%ear< ?&FA1 ust as Conchis and Lil3

disa%%ear after the conclusion of the godgae in The Magus so that a changed

-*



"icholas can confront his 0orld 0ith the 9no0ledge that he too has the %o0er

to control the gae?ust li9e "eo does in the end of our o8ieA. )s such1 the

godgae is an instruent of liberation. /o0les 9no0s that for The Magus to

succeed1 his readers1 li9e "icholas1 ust enter the <arriage< of

co%leentar31 s3ncretic o%%osites 0here1 in the tension bet0een a ultitude

of 4eraclitean extrees1 life trul3 exists ?cf. )ristos ch. *A. 4eraclitus

co%lained that the %eo%le of his tie did not understand ho0 <a thing agrees

at 8ariance 0ith itself< ?fragent GA1 ho0 <the li8ing and the dead1 the 3oung

and the old1 the ortal and the iortal are one and the sae< ?fragents F-

F,A. /or 4eraclitus1 all life exists in the li8ing tension bet0een

co%leentar3 %airs of o%%osites 0hich he %ercei8ed as single forces %la3ing

against each other li9e the <bo0 and the l3re< %roducing usic1 haron3

?0hich #%edocles called )%hrodite or Lo8eA1 the counter%art to Strife or

Conflict. The 4eraclitean 0orld is one based on <the %rinci%le of %ro%ortion

or agreeent 0hich creates a haronious unit3 out of %otentiall3 hostile

%o0ers<. It is a 0orld in 0hich <Conflict is ustice< ?fragent -A and <Man>s

character is his fate< ?fragent &&$A1 a 0orld 0here e8er3 entit31 0hether fictional or actual1 is free to act naturall3.

Rather than den3ing the 8alidit3 of the non'rational1 the 0iser Conchis

sees that 8ie0ing art and science as 4eraclitean extrees allo0s huan

understanding to exist and freel3 de8elo% in the tension bet0een the. 4e

tells "icholas that <)ll good science is art. )nd all good art is science<.

Conchis>s obection to science as religion is siilar to his obection to the

intellectual 0ord'0orlds of the no8el1 for he is failiar 0ith no8elists 0ho1li9e the scientists of the <Societ3 of Reason1< create fictional 0orlds 0hich

re%eat the Socratic error .4is conscious decision to abandon the 0orld of %ure

reason cae in t0o ste%s. /irst there 0as the intellectual understanding of the

realit3 of ex%eriences 0hich cannot be ex%lained scientificall3. Later there

0as the %ersonal ex%erience of an actual 0orld 0here science1 logic1 and

rationalit3 0ere of no use in a9ing i%ortant1 life'and'death decisions.

-G



Thus1 Conchis obects to an3one 0ho creates a fictional 0orld 0hose

logicall3 coherent s3ste ignores the realities of the actual 0orld1 defining a

standard 0hich /o0les stri8es to li8e u% to.

Conchis achie8ed his intellectual etaor%hosis through his 8isit 0ith

5usta8 "3gaard in the reote north of "or0a3. Though he 0ent to "or0a3

in %ursuit of his scientific interests in ornitholog31 Conchis soon de8elo%ed a

scientific interest in the case of 4enri9 "3gaard1 5usta8>s brother1 0ho

a%%eared to ha8e lost all of his rational faculties. 4enri9 li8ed on a %oint of

land utting into the ri8er 0hich 0as the site of an ancient La%% dolen. In

4enri9>s cabin1 Conchis finds t0o bible ;uotations1 one fro #xodus and one

fro #sdras1 0ritten in blood. Both of these ;uotations refer to the guidance

of god as light 0hich a%%ears in a %illar of fire. Conchis disco8ers that the

dolen and the %illar of fire are one and the sae. The3 are iages of 5od1

e8idence of the 0isdo of 5od1 but the3 are not 5od because the3 ha8e

aterial existence. In The Aristos1 /o0les 0rites1 <Loo9 out of the 0indo0:

e8er3thing 3ou see is froNen fire in transit bet0een fire and fire<. The

uni8erse1 all that there is1 is ade of fire. But for 4enri91 the dolen isabsolute and unchangeable1 a concrete anifestation1 a realiNed extree

0hich has ceased to %artici%ate in the transit of life through the uni8erse1

rather than erel3 a te%oral state of existence. 4enri9 is a ansenist 0ho

belie8es in a cruel god 0ho has selected hi for torent and %unishent

thus1 the froNen %illar of fire he sees is the iage of a 8engeful god in the

)r3an tradition. 4enri9>s belief in his god is sincere and total e8en if it is not

rational. 4e is caught u% in1 and %artici%ates in1 the fierceness of his god.Conchis obser8es1 <I had ne8er seen a face that ex%ressed such 8iolent

deterination ne8er to co%roise1 ne8er to de8iate. "e8er to sile<. 4enri9

is so incensed b3 the intrusion of Conchis and scientific in;uir3 into his 0orld

that he becoes a berser9er1 attac9ing Conchis 0ith an axe. In this blending

of for and function1 4enri9>s hoicidal beha8ior reflects the cosic ission

of the god he faces.

-



The original edition of The Magus ?&F*2A1 unli9e the re8ised edition

?&FGGA1 0as ;uite s3%athetic to "icholas. It 0as dedicated to )starte1 the

(hoenician earth goddessJ;ueen 0hose inter8ention in the sacrifice of her son

b3 Isis led to the resurrection of !siris and the establishent of a religion

0hich %roised eternal life to all 0ho 0ere initiated into its 3steries. et1

the original ends 0ith "icholas turning his bac9 and 0al9ing a0a3 fro

)lison in a 9ind of ale 8ictor3. In this 8ersion1 the etaor%hosis achie8ed

consists in "icholas becoing <as fir as )lison herself< in his deterination

to control his o0n life. The re8ised 8ersion 0hich is less s3%athetic to

"icholas and lac9s the dedication to )starte1 ends 0ith the sus%ended iage

of )lison still tr3ing to con8ince a recalcitrant "icholas that 0ithout her he

0ill <ne8er be ore than half a huan being<. In the re8ised 8ersion1 the

;uestion of 0hether or not !siris 0ill acce%t reaniation in a religion of life

is left o%en1 as it still is in the 4eraclitean tension of our o0n 0orld.

#ach of the characters in The Magus is an indi8idual anifestation of a

s3ncretic entit3. "icholas 7rfe re%resents the consciousness of the a8erage

#nglish an1 ust as ohn Briggs1 "ic9>s re%laceent on (hraxos1 both in thenext school 3ear and in the next c3cle of the godgae1 re%resents the

consciousness of the a8erage )erican ?the i%ro8ed 8ariants of the !neA.

)fter "icholas eets Briggs1 he coents1 <I began to understand 0h3

Conchis had %ic9ed hi. If one had ta9en a illion 3oung college'educated

)ericans and distilled the do0n into one ;uintessential exe%lar one

0ould ha8e arri8ed at soething li9e Briggs<. The characters are s3ncretic

because the godgae is a 9ind of ex%erient to test the %ossibilit3 of etaor%hosis 0ithin the consciousness of the a8erage educated +estern

ale. The e8ents of the godgae are eant to be instructi8e. The3 are not

eant to be understood as literal truth1 but rather as eta%horical descri%tions

of co%lex odes of feeling. In the godgae1 "icholas ust be 8ie0ed as an

anti'hero. 4e is an !xford'educated ale 0ho feels that !xford>s greatest gift

to ci8iliNed life is the sae <Socratic honest31< a %roduct of our <authorial

-F



ci8iliNation1< that /o0les ex%oses in Daniel Martin. )s a result of his training1

"icholas %laces a higher 8alue on 0ords and a%%earances than on substance.

In his club at Magdalen1 <Les 4oes Re8oltes<1 <"icholas1 sho0ing rare

0hole sight1 hints at ho0 the no8el should be read as he ex%lains ho0 he and

his friends argued about being and nothingness and called a certain 9ind of

inconse;uential beha8ior <existentialist<:<Less enlightened %eo%le 0ould

ha8e called it ca%ricious or ust %lain selfish but 0e didn>t understand that the

heroes1 or anti'heroes1 of the /rench existentialist no8els 0e read 0ere not

su%%osed to be realistic. +e tried to iitate the1 ista9ing eta%horical

descri%tions of co%lex odes of feeling for straightfor0ard %rescri%tions of

beha8ior. +e dul3 felt the right anguishes. Most of us1 true to the eternal

dand3is of !xford1 si%l3 0anted to loo9 different. In our club1 0e did.<

+hen "ic9>s <existentialist< %hiloso%h3 is %ut to the test of suicide1

"ic9 t0ice fails to %ull the trigger because suicide does not satisf3 the

deands of a%%earance. 4e had sought a Mercutio death1 <a death to be

reebered1 not the true death of a true suicide1 the death obliterate<.

"ic9>s conce%tion of honest3 is also a atter of a%%earances rather than substance. 4is <Socratic honest3< consists of con;uistadorial

ustifications of his o0n narcissistic beha8ior. This is %erha%s ost e8ident in

his attitude to0ard 0oen. 4ere1 "ic9 is not e8en honest 0ith hiself1 as

e8idenced b3 stateents such as <I didn>t collect con;uests1 but b3 the tie I

left !xford I 0as a doNen girls a0a3 fro 8irginit3<. +ith 0oen1 "icholas

is cold and calculating1 using the at his o0n con8enience. +hile he clais

that he ade sure <the current 8icti 9ne01 before she too9 her clothes off1the difference bet0een cou%ling and arr3ing1< he adits that he allo0ed his

relationshi% 0ith anet1 a girl he <didn>t lo8e and 0ould ne8er lo8e< to reach a

%oint 0here he 9ne0 that she belie8ed that the3 0ere to be arried. )s the

stor3 de8elo%s1 /o0les uses1 because <arriage< is the 4eraclitean odel1 the

;ualit3 of "icholas>s relationshi%s 0ith 0oen as a 9ind of litus test to

,



deterine 0hether or not he has understood the lesson 0hich Conchis is

tr3ing to share 0ith hi1 to deterine 0hether he has attained 0hole

To the unenlightened "icholas1 <the feeling of relief that dro%%ing a

girl al0a3s brought< 0as e8idence of his <lo8e of freedo<. !n the island1

0hen Conchis tells "ic9 that )lison1 unli9e anet1 is able to see through hi1

"icholas res%onds in defeat1 <I su%%ose I don>t 9no0 0hat lo8e is1 reall3. If it

isn>t all sex. )nd I don>t reall3 care a dan an3 ore1 an30a3.< "icholas>s

defense is that he is the re%resentati8e of odern +estern an. <It>s not all

e1< he clais. <It>s in the age. In all 3 generation. +e all feel the sae<.

Clearl31 "icholas is a barbarian1 or at least he contains the barbarian 0ithin

hi. 4e recogniNes this fact after tal9ing to the dishonest neo'"aNi Mitford at

the conclusion of the godgae1 but b3 this %oint1 he also recogniNes 0ithin

hiself soething of the %ious Le8errier 0ho had achie8ed etaor%hosis

through a %re8ious c3cle of the godgae.

+hen "icholas reaches 5reece1 he iediatel3 realiNes that he is

entering another 0orld1 a 0orld 0hich contrasts shar%l3 0ith his o0n 0orld

of !xford'ins%ired Socratic rationalis. /or "ic91 5reece has a sinister'fascinating Circe'li9e ;ualit3. 4is initial reaction is an unconscious

recognition of the realit3 of the 4eraclitean 0orld 0hich he 0ill ex%erience

on (hraxos1 for the true setting of this no8el is not in 5reece or #ngland1 but

in "ic9>s oral consciousness. The 0orld of consciousness that "icholas

enters 0hen he goes to 5reece is as different fro the #nglish consciousness

0hich he carries around 0ithin hi as the 5ree9 landsca%e is different fro

the #nglish. It is a 0orld of consciousness 0hich is call3 aristocratic in a4eraclitean sense that is1 it is a consciousness %ossessing 0hole sight1 a

consciousness in 0hich1 in the 0ords of 4eraclitus1 <Conflict is ustice<1 a

conce%t foreign to "ic9>s barbarian understanding.

"icholas is guided into this ne0 0orld b3 Maurice Conchis1 the ecee of the

godgae1 a 9ind of %s3chological and 0orshi%ful 8enture into 8irtual realit3.

In the ancient 0orld1 gaes1 s%orts1 and dancing de8elo%ed out of religious

,&



0orshi% associated 0ith the goddess religions. These gaes1 uch li9e

Conchis>s godgae1 0ere intended as celebrations of huan life and %h3sical

%otential and thus 0ere <%la3ful< acts of 0orshi% in 0hich there 0ere no real

losers. That is 0h3 "ic9 is fre;uentl3 reinded that the gae is better if he

%retends to belie8e and 0h3 Conchis is concerned 0hen "ic9 recei8es a

%h3sical inur3 in the %ortion of the gae 0here he is arrested b3 <5eran<

soldiers. The %la3ful1 non'hierarchic1 non'co%etiti8e nature of a sacred gae

li9e the godgae1 is1 in itself1 a telling negation of the stern %o0er and

assued i%ortance of an3 for of totalitarianis1 including the

totalitarianis of oni%otent celestial gods1 or en 0ho act as if the3 0ere.

Co%etiti8e gaes and s%orts1 on the other hand1 reinforce the cultural 8alues

of the )r3an in8aders 0ho dis%laced the goddess religions of #uro%e.

"icholas1 in his )r3an ind'set1 0ants to 0in the godgae. In his barbarian

ind1 he thin9s the gae is an ego'satisf3ing co%etition for %o0er1 rather

than a ci8iliNed celebration of life in the ancient 5ree9 tradition.

/o0les %la3s an3 gaes 0ith naes in The Magus1 besides the

ob8ious one 0ith the identities of Lil3Julie and RoseJune. "icholas>s fail3nae is 7rfe1 0hich /o0les ex%lains in the fore0ord to the re8ised edition is

his o0n childhood %ronunciation of <#arth<. "icholas clais to be related to

4onore d>7rfe1 the author of a se8enteenth'centur3 %astoral called #Astree! or

<The Star1< 0hich "ic9 does not read until after he lea8es (hraxos. "ic9>s

roots1 as his nae suggests1 are clearl3 in the earth1 but his %retensions are

0ith the gods in the s93. +hen he finall3 reads #Astree! he disco8ers that the

%astoral is a stor3 of earthl3 rather than celestial 8alues. It is his o0n stor3:the stor3 of a an 0ho has been dishonest in lo8e1 0ho ust struggle to 0in

bac9 the trust of his lo8er. #8en this gae 0ith naes suggests that "icholas

has 0ithin hiself1 in his heritage1all that is necessar3 to achie8e a

etaor%hosis of %erce%tion 0hich 0ill allo0 hi to li8e in haron3 0ith

%resent realities.

This gae of naes continues 0ith Maurice Conchis. )n issue is ade

,-



of the %ronunciation of the <ch< in his last nae. The islanders %ronounce

<Conchis< 0ith a hard <ch1< so that it is hoo%honic 0ith the %lural of

<conch1< the s%iraled gastro%od 0hich is often used to s3boliNe feinine

3ster3 and a%%ears in 3tholog3 as the shell tru%et of the Tritons. Conchis

hiself %refers his nae %ronounced 0ith a soft <ch< as in the 0ord

<conscious1< or childishl3 is%ronounced1 <conscience<. Thus1 Conchis>s role

extends be3ond that of the theatrical ecee suggested b3 his initials. 4e

becoes an instruent for the rea0a9ening of "ic9>s conscience1 es%eciall3

that feinine oral consciousness 0hich lies buried dee% in the subconscious

%rehistor3 of the 7rfe fail3.

Conchis tells "icholas:

<There had al0a3s been a conflict in e bet0een 3ster3 and

eaning. I had %ursued the latter1 0orshi%ed the latter as a doctor. )s a

socialist and rationalist. But then I sa0 that the atte%t to scientiNe realit31 to

nae it and categoriNe it and 8i8isect it out of existence1 0as li9e tr3ing to

reo8e the air fro the atos%here. In the creating of the 8acuu it 0as theex%erienter 0ho died1 because he 0as inside the 8acuu.<

Conchis>s choice of freedo and life is dee%l3 rooted in autochthonous

5ree9 culture. In 5reece a dialogue had been %eritted to occur bet0een the

t0o contrar3 orders of %atriarchal and atriarchal thought1 such as in the

biblical tradition 0as deliberatel3 su%%ressed in fa8or exclusi8el3 of the ale.

#8en the title of the no8el is %art of a 0ord gae. +hile the originaledition began 0ith an identification of the 0ord <agus< 0ith the agician in

a %ac9 of Tarot cards1 the re8ised edition a9es this onl3 one of the %ossible

inter%retations or as9s 0hich the title assues. The 0ord <agus< is also

related to the Magi of the Bible 0ho 0ere aong the first to recogniNe the

arri8al of a ne0 0orld of 8alues. Though the identit3 of the Magi1 0ho li8ed

in (ersia1 is an unresol8ed issue in religious studies1 an3 regard the Magi as

,,



the guardians of a tradition of )r3an religious %oetr3 and e8en clai that

Uarathustra 0as a Magus. In this 8ie01 the Magi are clearl3 associated 0ith

the celestial1 asculine religion of the Indo'#uro%ean in8aders of the

Mediterranean and the continuance of Indo'#uro%ean religious tradition in

Christianit3. !thers regard the Magi as <an aboriginal tribe of sorcerers and

necroancers< 0ho 0ere <res%onsible for the degradation of Uoroastrianis<

?M.#liade1 Histor+ o% ReligionsA. The Magi are re%orted to ha8e used no

te%les1 altars1 or statues for religious %ur%oses. In other 0ords1 the Magus

a3 also be seen as the ene3 of organiNed1 ale'doinated1 celestial

religion. /ittingl31 /o0les>s agus exists in the arriage1 in the tension

bet0een these 4eraclitean religious extrees.

The 0ord <agus< is also clearl3 related to the 0ords <age1<

<agic1< and <agician.< ) age is a %ractitioner of alche3. )s the contents

of The 'oo3 o% the Sacred Magic o% A)ramelin the Mage ?&$2A indicate1

edie8al alcheists 0ere interested in ore than the etaor%hosis of

atter. Their agic 0as also designed to for a bridge bet0een the s%iritual

and the %h3sical 0orlds. It had the %o0er to cal the s%irit1 heal aladies1consult 0ith s%irits1 and %rocure 8isions. In other 0ords1 the age or agus

0as continuing to %erfor the function of the shaan1 0ho 0as in8ested 0ith

siilar %o0ers. 7nli9e the alcheist1 0ho often used his %o0ers for %ersonal

gain1 the shaan>s %o0ers are used ore legitiatel3. The3 are used onl3

0hen it is necessar3 to restore a sense of balance in the cosos. Thus1 as

#liade argues1 e8er3 shaan is a agician1 but not e8er3 agician is a

shaan. The shaans are the <aristoi< of agicians. +hile "icholas oftenconsiders Conchis to be a ere conuror1 Conchis is a shaan in so far as he

re%orts his ecstatic ex%eriences in the real of the s%iritual in an atte%t to

s%are "icholas soe of the dangers in8ol8ed in a ourne3 across the arc of the

cosos.

The ethodolog3 of Conchis in8o9es 3et another inter%retation of

<agus.< Conchis>s use of Lil3Julie in his atte%ts to con8ert "icholas to a

,$



religion of life is reiniscent of the ethodolog3 of Sion Magus1 an earl3

Christian heretic i%ortant enough to be entioned b3 nae in the Bible.

Sion Magus %roclaied hiself <the di8ine %o0er that is called 5reat<.

Mircea #liade ex%lains Sion>s religious ideas in this 0a3: . . . in fact he 0as

0orshi%ed as the <first 5od1< and his co%anion1 4elen1 disco8ered b3 Sion

in a brothel at T3re1 0as regarded as the last and ost fallen incarnation of the

Thought ?#nnoiaA of 5od redeeed b3 Sion1 4elen'#nnoia becae the

eans of uni8ersal rede%tion. . . . The union of the <agician< 0ith the

%rostitute insured uni8ersal sal8ation because their union is1 in realit31 the

reunion of 5od and di8ine 0isdo. If #liade is correct1 the religion of Sion

Magus 0as a 4eraclitean atte%t to s3nthesiNe the celestial ale'doinated

religion of the )r3an tradition 0ith the earth'centered feinine religion of the

autochthonous %eo%les of the Mediterranean. +ith Conchis %la3ing the role of

Sion Magus and Lil3Julie %la3ing the role of the sacred %rostitute 4elen1 it

can be assued that one %ur%ose of the godgae is to sho0 "icholas a state

of consciousness in 0hich there is a balance bet0een ale and feale

%rinci%les1 bet0een the carnal and the s%iritual1 bet0een the dialecticalunrealit3 of 0ords and the %h3sical actualit3 of the things the3 signif3. In

4eraclitean %hiloso%h31 as in the religion of Sion Magus1 those 0ith 0hole

sight stri8e to 9ee% bod3 and soul together.

)s "icholas %la3s his role in the godgae1 there are fre;uent

references to other c3cles of the gae %la3ed 0ith other %la3ers in %re8ious

seasons?see <The Matrix<'the oent 0hen "eo eets the )rchitectA. The

c3cle of the gae 0hich is ost instructi8e of the gae>s true %ur%ose1ho0e8er1 is the one in 0hich Conchis disco8ers his o0n 0hole sight. The

details of Conchis>s stor3 do not al0a3s corres%ond to factual histor31 but his

stor3 does ha8e enough internal consistenc3 to a9e it %lausible as the odel

for the gae. In his Socratic 3outh1 Conchis clais to ha8e belonged to a

club1 the <Societ3 for Reason1< 0hich treated science as a religion and sought

to organiNe the doctors of the 0orld into a scientific and ethical elite. Conchis

,2



ga8e "icholas the societ3>s anifesto1 0hich claied that <adherence to

reason is ore i%ortant than adherence to an3 other ethos 0hate8er1 0hether

it be of fail31 caste1 countr31 race1 or religion< and that <the first dut3 of

science is to eradicate unreason< 0here8er it a3 be found. Mebers %ledged

to control their li8es according to the %rinci%les of Socratic rationalis and

)ristotelian science 0hile den3ing that an3 other ethodolog3 or truth

existed.

+hen Conchis 8ie0s 4enri9 couning 0ith his god of destruction

and death1 he 9no0s as a scientist that the froNen %illar of fire exists onl3 in

4enri9>s ind1 but he also recogniNes the inade;uac3 of his scientific beliefs

to account for the realit3 of 0hat is being ex%erienced. Conchis describes his

8ision of enlightenent:

<In a flash1 as of lightning1 all our classifications and deri8ations1 our

aetiologies1 suddenl3 a%%eared to e li9e a thin net. That great %assi8e

onster1 realit31 0as no longer dead1 eas3 to handle. It 0as full of 3sterious

8igour1 ne0 fors1 ne0 %ossibilities. The net 0as nothing1 realit3 burstthrough it. (erha%s soething tele%athic %assed bet0een 4enri9 and 3self. I

do not 9no0.<Q<That si%le %hrase1 >I do not 9no0>1 0as 3 o0n %illar of

fire. /or e1 too1 it re8ealed a 0orld be3ond that in 0hich I li8ed.<

4enri9>s %illar of fire is one of certaint31 destruction1 and death

Conchis>s %illar is one of uncertaint3 and the %ossibilit3 of etaor%hosis into

a ne0 0orld of life. 4enri9>s 0orld does not %erit a sile Conchis>s ne00orld deands the 4eraclitean co%leent1 the 9no0ing sile of a buddha

0ho is a0are that he does not 9no0.

In Conchis>s 0orld the sile 0as to becoe all i%ortant. It is

s3boliNed b3 the siling stone head fro sixth centur3 B. C. #. 6id3a

0ith 0hich Conchis atte%ts to enlighten "icholas. <That is the truth1<

Conchis tells hi1 <"ot the haer and sic9le. "ot the stars and stri%es. "ot

,*



the cross. "ot the sun. "ot gold. "ot 3in and 3ang. But the sile<. It is a sile

li9e Sarah>s in The /rench ieutenant#s &oman. It is the sile 0hich

eliinates the %retensions of science1 birth1 eti;uette1 and social order. It is a

sile 0hich cannot be res%onded to on an intellectual le8el1 but <can onl3 be

et 0ith a sile in return<. In "or0a31 Conchis disco8ered the existence of a

realit3 outside the %ur8ie0 of science1 but it is on (hraxos that Conchis faces

his o0n %illar of fire and disco8ers the nature of the freedo 0hich this

disco8er3 i%lies.

In the se8ent3'eight cha%ters of The Magus1 the onl3 cha%ter 0ith a

title is the one in 0hich Conchis tells "icholas about his ex%eriences 0ith the

5erans during +orld +ar II. The title is the 5ree9 0ord eleutheria1

i.e.<freedo.< Before ex%laining ho0 the 0ar taught hi the eaning of

freedo1 Conchis1 as he usuall3 does in the godgae1 ex%lains the conclusions

he ex%ects "icholas to dra0 fro 0hat he is about to ex%erience. Conchis

understands 0ar as soething 0hich can onl3 occur in a asculine1 )r3an

0orld of <brute force1 huorless arrogance1 illusor3 %restige1 and %rie8al

stu%idit3.< It is a %roduct of a 0orld in 0hich en consider thesel8essu%erior creatures and consider 0oen as inferior obects intended for their

use1 a 0orld of cou%ling 0ithout lo8e. It is a 0orld 0hose %retensions are

%atentl3 false1 a 0orld 0hose adherents feel that brutal 8iolence is the onl3

defense against the laughter of ridicule. +arfare1 for Conchis1 is <a %s3chosis

caused b3 an inabilit3 to see relationshi%s1< a legac3 of the )r3an barbarians.

Thus1 eleutheria exists in the 4eraclitean tension bet0een an

indi8idual>s desire to act on the basis of free 0ill and the deand of societ3that the 0ills of others be considered. In The Aristos1 /o0les ex%lains ho0

free 0ill is a benefit of li8ing haroniousl3 0ith societ3. )t the ost ob8ious

le8el1 the final decision of a coittee1 though it a3 not be the decision that

soe indi8idual ebers 0ould ha8e arri8ed at <of their o0n free 0ill1< does

re%resent a freedo of general huan 0ill in the face of an a%%arentl3

deterining biological s3ste. This is %erha%s the dee%est %s3chological

,G



attraction societ3 holds for the indi8idual though the ore easil3

co%rehensible indi8idual in each of us tends to thin9 of other %eo%le>s

o%inions and beliefs as in soe 0a3 hostile and confining1 a dee%er

intelligence in each is a0are that 0hat s%rings out of this conflict is a greater

general freedo ' and one in 0hich each e8entuall3 shares.

Thus 4eraclitean conflict leads to freedo1 as 0ell as to ustice. /or

/o0les1 an indi8idual>s free 0ill is strictl3 related to the indi8idual>s freedo

to li8e in conditions of social e;ualit3. That is 0h3 Conchis ta9es his %lace

aong the hostages1 e;ual to all of the other en of the 8illage. 4e is a0are

that <the greater intelligence and greater 9no0ledge1 both of self and of life<

that each indi8idual %ossesses1 the greater 0ill be the freedo eno3ed b3 all.

The 0a3 to achie8e a ore huan societ31 for Conchis and for /o0les1 is

through the education of the indi8idual. /reedo ! eleutheria1 is a %roduct of

0hole sight.

The oti8ation of Conchis and the others in8ol8ed in %utting on the

godgae is no0 clear. The3 are a0are that the 0a3 to ensure their o0n

freedo and to create a 0orld better suited to huan ha%%iness is througheducation. The godgae is an ex%erient in ethods to s%read effecti8el3 the

%ers%ecti8e of 0hole sight. "icholas has been chosen as an ex%eriental

subect because he is re%resentati8e of the educated #nglish ale. If "icholas

can learn to o%en his e3es1 +estern societ3 ust hold 0ithin itself the

%ossibilit3 of its o0n sal8ation through a etaor%hosis into a societ3 that is

ore huane1 ore free.

#arl3 in "ic9>s c3cle of the godgae1 he is %resented 0ith a littletableau in 0hich he is sho0n soething of the nature of his o0n

consciousness. "icholas1 at this %oint1 does not ha8e enough self'a0areness to

recogniNe his o0n 0orld 0hen it is %resented to hi. The tableau %resents a

0orld %resided o8er b3 )%ollo in all of his na9ed asculine %o0er. "icholas

0atches as a sat3r1 co%lete 0ith goat haunches and an eighteen'inch leather

%hallus1 %ursues a na9ed n3%h. The n3%h esca%es into the 8egetation1 but

,



her %lace is ;uic9l3 ta9en b3 )rteis1 0ho1 0ith the a%%ro8al of )%ollo1 9ills

the sat3r 0ith an arro0.

The scene is certainl3 abiguous. In soe 3ths1 )rteis is the earth

other1 the %rotector of 0oen and childbirth. In others1 she is the 8irgin

hunter1 the sister of )%ollo. 4er 9illing of the sat3r ight be seen as the earth

other>s %rotection of the n3%h>s freedo and a condenation of sexual

cou%ling 0ithout lo8e1 or it a3 be seen as "icholas sees it1 as ad8ocating a

0orld <0here Miranda is nothing and Caliban reigned<. That is1 he sees the

tableau as Conchis eant hi to see it1 as the final 8ictor3 of )%ollo o8er

6ion3sus1 a 8ictor3 of the religion of death o8er the 6ion3sian religion of

earthl31 sensual life. Subconsciousl31 "icholas understands that this tableau is

a criticis of his 0orld of consciousness. 4e coents1 <I also felt

irrationall3 ealous of all these other %eo%le 0ho had a%%eared fro no0here

to %oach in >3> territor31 0ho 0ere in soe 0a3 in cons%irac3 against e1

0ho 9ne0 ore<."icholas 0ants to be Caliban and reign su%ree. +hile he

0ould not adit it1 he 0ants to li8e in the 0orld of Clegg in The Collector 1 a

0orld of death 0here 0oen are to be collected and dis%la3ed li9e dead butterflies b3 a single ultiatel3 %o0erful ale ego. Late in the no8el1 Lil3

Montgoer3 essentiall3 accuses "icholas of being Clegg. She accuses hi of

falling in lo8e 0ith )lison <as an unscru%ulous collector falls in lo8e 0ith a

%ainting he 0ants. )nd 0ill do an3thing to get<. "icholas in true Clegg

fashion considers )lison <a girl 0ith as uch oralit3 as a 0orn'out 0hore

fro the (lace (igalle<. In the 0orld of Clegg and "icholas1 a desirable

0oan can onl3 be a goddess or a 0hore1 and onl3 0hores allo0 thesel8esto be touched b3 en.

"icholas %erce%tion of 0oen resebles in an3 %ers%ecti8es to the

iage of the <Lad3 in red<created b3 an o%erator in the atrixshe is li9e s%ice

in a food:it has no nutritional 8alue but fools one to eat it .The Lad3 in red is

%art of the nuerous artifices of life that disguise <the desert of the real>1 that

a9es one go along 0ith the fictionalit31 0ith the shallo0ness of the

,F



existence.The Lad3 in red is the counter'%art for "icholas> te%tation'

ulieJRose?rose'red'color of life1 of rushing adrenalineA.

)lison has been touched b3 en1 but she has ore of the goddess in

her than "icholas sus%ects. She is tired of being1 in her o0n 0ords1 <a stu%id

)ustralian slut1< <a %iece1< 0ho can s3%athiNe 0ith another>s feelings and

trusts her o0n eotional truth. She regrets the lac9 of 3ster3 and delicate

eotion in her all too aterial life1 for she alread3 instincti8el3 understands

the lesson that Conchis uses the stor3 of Lil3 to teach to "icholas: <It is not

onl3 s%ecies of anial that die1out1 but 0hole s%ecies of feeling. )nd if 3ou

are 0ise 3ou 0ill ne8er %it3 the %ast for 0hat it did not 9no01 but %it3 3ourself

for 0hat it did<. She 9no0s that the greatest threat to huan life is <not the

bob. It>s us<. She 9no0s that the relationshi%s she enters into 0ith en are

unhealth31 and she see9s the truth to heal the. +hen "icholas eets )lison

in )thens1 it is clear that she 9no0s that relationshi%s need to be built on

eotional truth rather than on the con;uistadorial %rinci%les of the <Socratic

honest3< that "icholas continues to %ractice as he lies about ha8ing s3%hilis in

order to 9ee% his ind on his latest ho%es of ac;uisition1 the t0o elusi8e0oen on (hraxos.

!n the clib u% Mount (arnassus1 )lison deonstrates her connection

0ith the huan life around her. She gi8es the uleteer t0o %ac9ages of

cigarettes to than9 hi for his hel% because1 true to her eotions1 she <felt t0o

%ac9ets fond of hi<. )t the to% of (arnassus1 she instincti8el3 understands

the <light1< 0hile the beaut3 of the <being'no0'ness< of the hoe of the gods1

the <intellectual o3 arr3ing and co%leting the %h3sical one1< coes as ashoc9 to "icholas1 a shoc9 0hich he is not 3et %re%ared to acce%t. !n

(arnassus1 )lison is a n3%h1 a goddess. She ca8orts in the nude and atte%ts

to teach "icholas to a9e lo8e rather than to ha8e sex. She exists in the

4eraclitean tension1 the <3oung and ancient innocent and corru%t in e8er3

0oan1 all 0oan<. 4er real self is as na9ed as her bod3. She is #8e as she

0as in the 5arden of #den1 <#8e gli%sed again through ten thousand

$



generations<1 but "icholas refuses to acce%t )lison as she is1 for she is ore

de8elo%ed than he is. She a9es hi realiNe that his 8enereal disease is not

s3%hilis but soething in his 8ie0 of the 0orld 0hich is far ore terrible in its

ca%acit3 for destruction. )lthough "icholas has a 8ision of the %roised land

0ith )lison1 he reains coitted to the collection of obects of desire rather

than to the establishent of a eaningful relationshi% 0ith an3one. 4e

reains a total narcissist. This is borne out as the godgae continues. )s his

relationshi% 0ith Lil3Julie becoes ore sexual1 he begins to consider the

%ossibilit3 of adding her sister uneJRose to his list of con;uests. +hen he

finall3 gets the o%%ortunit3 to go to bed 0ith Lil3Julie1 he regards it as a total

8ictor3 for his asculine ego1 e8idence of his ale right to %ossess an3 obect

he desires. (erha%s this is the 8enereal disease that Lil3Julie ho%es the

condo she insists he 0ear 0ill %rotect her fro. !nce the sex is finished and

"icholas is seiNed for his trial1 once the obect of desire is %ossessed1 "icholas

becoes a 8engeful an 0ishing to %unish the <0hore< 0ho had <used< hi.

)t his trial1 the faults of "icholas are ex%licitl3 %resented1 but the %oint is

ade that "icholas1 the re%resentati8e of +estern culture1 is not %ersonall3 atfault for his <arriage'destructi8e< attitude. )s 6r. Max0ell coents:< +e

ust al0a3s reeber that the subect has been launched into the 0orld 0ith

no training in self'anal3sis and self'orientation and that alost all the

education he has recei8ed is %ositi8el3 harful to hi. 4e 0as1 so to s%ea91

born shortsighted b3 nature and has been further blinded b3 his en8ironents.

It is sall 0onder that he cannot find his 0a3.<

)fter "icholas is re8ie0ed b3 the gods and goddesses of the ancient0orld and the re%resentati8es of odern ungian theor31 he is gi8en the

o%%ortunit3 to %la3 the 8engeful all %o0erful god of a +iel or a 4enri91 or1

li9e Conchis1 to choose to be huan and refuse to torture the innocent.

Significantl31 0hen he is gi8en the 0hi%1 the cat of nine tails1 and Lil3Julie1

an innocent li9e esus or Conchis before her1 a9es herself a8ailable for

scourging1 there is too uch huanit3 in "icholas for hi to use the cat. 4e

$&



understands that <the better 3ou understand freedo1 the less 3ou %ossess it<.

6es%ite this ho%eful sign1 he reains a hateful an see9ing an outlet for his

re8enge. But1 his 0orld of consciousness is changing. 4e a0a9es fro his

ordeal to find hiself alone in a dead cit31 a <edie8al 4iroshia<. 4e finds

hiself in a 0orld 0hich he ust lea8e if he has an3 ho%e of continuing his

life.

Bac9 in London1 "icholas1 0ho still relies on the Socratic standard of

truth that he learned at !xford1 atte%ts to a9e soe sense of his

ex%eriences in the godgae. 4is conce%tion of the truth is still factual and

aterialistic and still ignores the 8alidit3 of eotional truth. This is e8ident

not onl3 in his ;uest for facts to establish the identities of the %la3ers in the

godgae1 but also in his relationshi% 0ith oo. /eeling that his sexual dri8e is

the source of his failure to establish health3 relationshi%s 0ith 0oen1 "ic9

decides to enter into a sexless relationshi% 0ith oo 0ithout realiNing that he

is onl3 using the hoeless girl of the streets1 as he has used all of the other

0oen in his life1 for his o0n %ur%oses. He%1 "ic9>s aging counist

landlad31 criticiNes hi for ignoring the huan realit3 of eotionalrelationshi%s1 hut echoes 6r. Max0ell 0hen she tells hi1 <It>s not 3our fault.

ou>re a 8icti of the dialectical %rocess<. 4er udgent is correct1 but

"icholas is not si%l3 a 8icti of the dialectic described b3 Marx1 he is ost

essentiall3 the 8icti of the one'sided <dialectic< of <authorial ci8iliNation<

%racticed b3 Socrates ' and taught at !xford.

It is Lil3 Montgoer31 the s3ncretic other of Lil3Julie and her sister

on (hraxos1 a 0oan e8en "icholas realiNes is a conte%orar3 reincarnationof 6eeter1 0ho ex%lains the situation to "icholas1 though he still has no

res%ect for the 8alues of the goddess. 4e associates Lil3 Montgoer31 as the

earl3 Christians associated 6eeter1 0ith <the stin9 of sulfur<. She has to

reind hi that he is the re%resentati8e of the established order. It is he 0ho

controls the conte%orar3 situation1 and it is he 0ho tells lies and acts for the

0rong reasons. She tries to tell hi that sexual beha8ior is of little i%ortance1

$-



that honest3 in relationshi%s is ost essential to lo8e1 but "icholas still cannot

co%rehend that true honest3 is an entit3 %urged of fossiliNed Socratic

certaint3.

The no8el ends as abiguousl3 as it does because all etaor%hosis

re;uires sacrifice1 and great changes re;uire great sacrifices. /or "icholas to

etaor%hose into a an 0ho has the abilit3 to lo8e1 into a an ca%able of

entering into a lo8ing relationshi% 0ith )lison1 he 0ould ha8e to abandon the

entire %ast theor3 of his life1 abandon his coitent to all that is barbarian

in +estern culture. 4e 0ould ha8e to learn1 to use the 0ords of 6a8id Le8in

that: Men a3 be asters in relation to 0oen but1 as 4egel and Marx

understood1 the aster>s %osition of aster3 is al0a3s1 ne8ertheless1 a %osition

of degradation and ensla8eent. The archet3%es 0hich our %atriarchal societ3

has stereot3%ed1 and 0hich it continuall3 re%roduces as <essentiall3< and

<inherentl3< feinine1 ust be de8elo%ed1 no01 b3 our societ3 as a 0hole1 and

b3 en in %articular. )t the sae tie1 societ3 ust allo0 0oen to free

thesel8es fro the bondage to degraded and degrading stereot3%es1 so that

the3 can begin to de8elo% thesel8es in relation to other creati8e archet3%es.It cannot be denied that "icholas has changed as a result of his ex%eriences in

the godgae1 but reains to be seen 0hether "icholas1 as re%resentati8e of

+estern an1 has 0ithin hi the desire to co%lete his etaor%hosis1 to

acce%t a 0orld of 4eraclitean eleutheria. 4e is the udge1 he is in control of his

o0n destin31 the decision is his. #8en as a character in a no8el1 he is free to

a9e his o0n decisions. That is 0h3 /o0les ends the no8el 0ith a ;uotation

fro the Roan l3ric %oe <(er8igiliu eneris< ?c. &2 C. #.1 anon3ousAor <The Celebration of enus.< The %oe1 0hich celebrates s%ring and ne0

beginnings brought about b3 the birth of lo8e in the 0orld1 re%eats the ;uoted

refrain of ho%e three ties in nine lines: <Cras aet ;ui nu;ua aa8it1

;ui;ue aa8it cras aet< ?Toorro0 a3 he lo8e 0ho has ne8er lo8ed1 she

0ho has lo8ed a3 she lo8e again toorro0A. The godgae has a serious

%ur%ose. Conchis and the other %roducers of the godgae1 including /o0les1

$,



belie8e that the ho%e for +estern culture lies in a 4eraclitean understanding of

the nature of lo8e. The %la3fulness of the godgae is serious1 for1 as Lil3

Montgoer3 re8eals to "icholas1 <there is no 5od1 and it is not a gae<.

!8er the anifesto of <Socratic honest3< an older and 0iser Conchis

had scra0led the 0ord < Merde<. /ro his enlightened %osition of 0hole sight1

Conchis is a0are that rationalit3 and logic are erel3 tools1 or edicines1 for

directing thought into useful channels rather than eleents essential to the

nature of huanit31 as the anifesto claied. Conchis tells "ic9 that <an3 fool

can in8ent a %lan for a ore reasonable 0orld. In ten inutes. In fi8e. But to

ex%ect %eo%le to li8e reasonabl3 is li9e as9ing the to li8e on %aregoric<.

$$



C4)(T#R 2

SIMACRA O/ H-PERREAIT-

(ostodern theor3 challenges the odernists beliefs or Daster

narrati8esE associated 0ith D%rogress1E Dtruth1E Dhuan i%ro8eent1E Dhigh

art1E Dscience1E Dtechnolog3E V the assu%tion that these Dnarrati8esE 0ill

lead huans to a greater sense of ha%%iness and fulfillent. (ostodern

%ers%ecti8es are e8ident in uch of conte%orar3 art1 fil1 architecture1

fiction1 and usic1 that challenges and e8en %arodies traditional fors.

)t soe %oint1 bet0een /o0les> The Magus and the release of <The

Matrix<1 %ostodernist conce%ts 0ere reinforced and a%%lied to ore fields of

huan endea8our1 the art of cinea included1 b3 one of the leading theorists

of %ostodernis1 ean Baudrillard. Baudrillard %osits that 0e are li8ing in a0ord of Dh3%errealit3E constructed largel3 of surface edia iages that

challenges and underines odernist notions of realit3 and truth. <Siulacra

and Siulation< ?<Siulacres et Siulation< in /renchA is one1 and %robabl3

the ost faous1 of his %hiloso%hical treatises that discusses the interaction

bet0een realit31 s3bols and societ3. The siulacru is ne8er that 0hich

conceals the truth''it is the truth 0hich conceals that there is none. The

siulacru is true. Siulacra and Siulation is ost 9no0n for its discussionof iages1 signs1 and ho0 the3 relate to the %resent da3. Baudrillard clais

that odern societ3 has re%laced all realit3 and eaning 0ith s3bols and

signs1 and that the huan ex%erience is of a siulation of realit3 rather than

realit3 itself. The siulacra that Baudrillard refers to are signs of culture and

edia that create the %ercei8ed realit3 he belie8ed the siulacra that societ3

$2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treatise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacrum


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_(communication)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treatise




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture




has becoe so reliant on that it has lost contact 0ith the real 0orld on 0hich

the siulacra are based.

<Siulacra and Siulation< identifies three t3%es of siulacra and

identifies each 0ith a historical %eriod:

&. /irst order1 associated 0ith the %re'odern %eriod1 0here the iage

is clearl3 an artificial %lacear9er for the real ite.

-. Second order1 associated 0ith the industrial re8olution1 0here

distinctions bet0een iage and realit3 brea9s do0n due to the %roliferation of

ass'%roduced co%ies. The ites> abilit3 to iitate realit3 threaten to re%lace

the original 8ersion.

,. Third order1 associated 0ith the %ostodern age1 0here the

siulacru %recedes the original and the distinction bet0een realit3 and

re%resentation brea9 do0n. There is onl3 the siulacru.

Baudrillard theoriNes that lac9 of distinctions bet0een realit3 and

siulacra originates in se8eral %henoenon:

&. Conte%orar3 edia including tele8ision1 fil1 %rint and the

Internet1 0hich are res%onsible for blurring the line bet0een goods that areneeded and goods for 0hich a need is created b3 coercial iages.

-. #xchange 8alue1 in 0hich the 8alue of goods is based on one3

rather than usefulness.

,. Multinational ca%italis1 0hich se%arates %roduced goods fro the

%lants1 inerals and other original aterials and the %rocess used to create

the.

$. 7rbaniNation1 0hich se%arates huans fro the natural 0orld.2. Language and ideolog31 in 0hich language is used to obscure rather

than re8eal realit3 0hen used b3 doinant1 %oliticall3 %o0erful grou%s.

) s%ecific analog3 that Baudrillard uses is a fable deri8ed fro !n

#xactitude in Science b3 orge Luis Borges. In it1 a great #%ire created a

a% that 0as so detailed it 0as as large as the #%ire itself. The actual a%

gre0 and deca3ed as the #%ire itself con;uered or lost territor3. +hen the

$*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_revolution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_production

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_value


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbanization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Exactitude_in_Science


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_revolution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_production

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbanization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges



#%ire crubled1 all that 0as left 0as the a%. In Baudrillard>s rendition1 it is

the a% that %eo%le li8e in1 the siulation of realit31 and it is realit3 that is

crubling a0a3 fro disuse.

The Matrix a9es an3 connections to <Siulacra and Siulation<.

The first being1 <Siulacra and Siulation< is the boo9 that "eo 9ee%s his

%irated soft0are in. In the fil1 the cha%ter >!n "ihilis> is in the iddle1

rather than the end of the boo9.

Baudrillards anal3ses %oint to a significant re8ersal of the relation

bet0een re%resentation and realit3. (re8iousl31 the edia 0ere belie8ed to

irror1 reflect1 or re%resent realit31 0hereas no0 the edia are coing to

constitute a ?h3%erArealit31 a ne0 edia realit3 V Dore real than realE V

0here Dthe realE is subordinate to re%resentation leading to an ultiate

dissol8ing of the real. In addition1 in DThe I%losion of Meaning in the

Media1E Baudrillard clais that the %roliferation of signs and inforation in

the edia obliterates eaning through neutraliNing and dissol8ing all content

V a %rocess 0hich leads both to a colla%se of eaning and the destruction of

distinctions bet0een edia and realit3. In a societ3 su%%osedl3 saturated 0ithedia essages1 inforation and eaning Di%lode1E colla%sing into

eaningless Dnoise1E %ure effect 0ithout content or eaning. Thus1 for

Baudrillard: Dinforation is directl3 destructi8e of eaning and signification1

or neutraliNes it. The loss of eaning is directl3 lin9ed to the dissol8ing and

dissuasi8e action of inforation1 the edia1 and the ass edia .Inforation

de8ours its o0n contents it de8ours counication and the social ?....A

inforation dissol8es eaning and the social into a sort of nebulous stateleading not at all to a surfeit of inno8ation but to the 8er3 contrar31 to total

entro%3E ?<Siulacra and Siulation<1 %%. F*'&A.

Baudrillard cites the exa%le of 6isne3 +orld as an artificial

construction of realit3:" )t 6isne3 +orld in !rlando1 the3 are e8en building

an identical re%lica of the Los )ngeles 6isne3land1 as a sort of historical

attraction to the second degree1 a siulacru to the second %o0er. It is the

$G

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix

http://www.uta.edu/english/apt/collab/texts/disneyworld.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix




sae thing that C"" did 0ith the 5ulf +ar: a %rotot3%ical e8ent 0hich did

not ta9e %lace1 because it too9 %lace in real tie1 in C""s instantaneous

ode. Toda31 6isne3 could easil3 re8isit the 5ulf +ar as a 0orld0ide sho0.

The Red )r3 choirs ha8e alread3 celebrated Christas at #uro 6isne3.

#8er3thing is %ossible1 and e8er3thing is rec3clable in the %ol3or%hous

uni8erse of 8irtualit3. #8er3thing can be bought o8er. There is no reason 0h3

6isne3 0ould not ta9e o8er the huan genoe1 0hich1 b3 the 0a31 is alread3

being rese;uenced1 to turn it into a genetic sho0. In the end Wau fondX1 the3

0ould cr3ogeniNe the entire %lanet1 ust li9e +alt 6isne3 hiself 0ho decided

to be cr3ogeniNed in a nitrogen solution1 0aiting for soe 9ind of resurrection

in the real 0orld. But there is no real 0orld an3ore1 not e8en for +alt

6isne3. If one da3 he 0a9es u%1 he>ll no doubt ha8e the biggest sur%rise of his

life. Mean0hile1 fro the botto of his nitrogen solution he continues to

coloniNe the 0orld V both the iaginar3 and the real V in the s%ectral

uni8erse of 8irtual realit31 inside 0hich 0e all ha8e becoe extras WfigurantsX.

The difference is that 0hen 0e %ut on our digital suits1 %lug in our sensorial

ca%tors1 or %ress the 9e3s of our 8irtual realit3 arcade1 0e enter li8e s%ectralit30hereas 6isne31 the genial antici%ator1 has entered the 8irtual realit3 of death<.

The "e0 +orld !rder is in a 6isne3 ode. But 6isne3 is not alone in this

ode of cannibalistic attraction. +e sa0 Benetton 0ith his coercial

ca%aigns1 tr3ing to recu%erate the huan draa of the ne0s ?)I6S1 Bosnia1

%o8ert31 a%artheidA b3 transfusing realit3 into a "e0 Mediatic /iguration ?a

%lace 0here suffering and coiseration end in a ode of interacti8e

resonanceA. The 8irtual ta9es o8er the real as it a%%ears1 and then re%licates it0ithout an3 odification Wle recrache tel ;uelX1 in a %ret'a'%orter ?read3'to'

0earA fashion. If this o%eration can be so successful in creating a uni8ersal

fascination 0ith onl3 a tint of oral disa%%ro8al1 it is because realit3 itself1 the

0orld itself1 0ith its frenN3 of cloning has alread3 been transfored into an

interacti8e %erforance1 soe 9ind of Luna%ar9 for ideologies1 technologies1

0or9s1 9no0ledge1 death1 and e8en destruction. )ll this is li9el3 to be cloned

$



and resurrected in a u8enile useu of Iagination or a 8irtual useu of

Inforation.

The ultiate )erican %aranoiac fantas3 is that of an indi8idual li8ing

in a sall id3llic Californian cit31 a consuerist %aradise1 0ho suddenl3 starts

to sus%ect that the 0orld he li8es in is a fa9e1 a s%ectacle staged to con8ince

hi that he li8es in a real 0orld1 0hile all %eo%le around hi are effecti8el3

actors and extras in a gigantic sho0. The ost recent exa%le of this is (eter

+eir>s <The Truan Sho0< ?&FFA1 0ith i Carre3 %la3ing the sall to0n

cler9 0ho graduall3 disco8ers the truth that he is the hero of a -$'hours

%eranent T sho0: his hoeto0n is constructed on a gigantic studio set1

0ith caeras follo0ing hi %eranentl3. )ong its %redecessors1 it is 0orth

entioning (hili% 6ic9>s <Tie !ut of oint< ?&F2FA1 in 0hich a hero li8ing a

odest dail3 life in a sall id3llic Californian cit3 of the late 2s1 graduall3

disco8ers that the 0hole to0n is a fa9e staged to 9ee% hi satisfied... The

underl3ing ex%erience of <Tie !ut of oint< and of <The Truan Sho0< is

that the late ca%italist consuerist Californian %aradise is1 in its 8er3 h3%er'

realit31 in a 0a3 IRR#)L1 substanceless1 de%ri8ed of the aterial inertia.So it is not onl3 that 4oll30ood stages a seblance of real life

de%ri8ed of the 0eight and inertia of aterialit3 ' in the late ca%italist

consuerist societ31 <real social life< itself soeho0 ac;uires the features of a

staged fa9e1 0ith our neighbors beha8ing in <real< life as stage actors and

extras... )gain1 the ultiate truth of the ca%italist utilitarian de's%iritualiNed

uni8erse is the de'aterialiNation of the <real life< itself1 its re8ersal into a

s%ectral sho0. )ong others1 Christo%her Isher0ood ga8e ex%ression to thisunrealit3 of the )erican dail3 life1 exe%lified in the otel roo:

<)erican otels are unreal J...J the3 are deliberatel3 designed to be

unreal. J...J The #uro%eans hate us because 0e>8e retired to li8e inside our

ad8ertiseents1 li9e herits going into ca8es to conte%late.< (eter

Sloterdi9>s notion of the <s%here< is here literall3 realiNed1 as the gigantic

etal s%here that en8elo%es and isolates the entire cit3. ears ago1 a series of

$F



science'fiction fils li9e <UardoN< or <Logan>s Run< forecasted toda3>s

%ostodern %redicaent b3 extending this fantas3 to the counit3 itself: the

isolated grou% li8ing an ase%tic life in a secluded area longs for the ex%erience

of the real 0orld of aterial deca3.

2



C4)(T#R 2.&

THE MATRIX

The +acho0s9i brothers> hit Matrix ?&FFFA brought the siulacra logic

to its cliax: the aterial realit3 0e all ex%erience and see around us is a

8irtual one1 generated and coordinated b3 a gigantic ega'co%uter to 0hich

0e are all attached 0hen the hero ?%la3ed b3 Heanu Ree8esA a0a9ens into the

<real realit31< he sees a desolate landsca%e littered 0ith burned ruins ' 0hat

reained of Chicago after a global 0ar. The resistance leader Mor%heus utters

the ironic greeting: <+elcoe to the desert of the real.< This se;uence

introduces us to the na9ed sight and side of the huan nature1 self'destructi8e

in its essence1 %ursuing higher goals but actuall3 fighting for its ere

%er%etuation1 for the right of choosing1 for existing. It is the sae lesson that

Conchis tries to teach "icholas 7rfe: the latter is in fact an i%ro8ing 8ariantof "eo'the arrogant1 all'9no0ing1 in charge t3%e of "eo.

+as it not soething of the siilar order that too9 %lace in "e0 or9

on Se%teber &&= Its citiNens 0ere introduced to the <desert of the real< ' to

us1 corru%ted b3 4oll30ood1 the landsca%e and the shots 0e sa0 of the

colla%sing to0ers could not but reind us of the ost breathta9ing scenes in

the catastro%he big %roductions. +hen 0e hear ho0 the bobings 0ere a

totall3 unex%ected shoc91 ho0 the uniaginable I%ossible ha%%ened1 oneshould recall the other defining catastro%he fro the beginning of the -th

centur31 that of Titanic: it 0as also a shoc91 but the s%ace for it 0as alread3

%re%ared in ideological fantasiNing1 since Titanic 0as the s3bol of the ight

of the &Fth centur3 industrial ci8iliNation. 6oes the sae not hold also for

these bobings= "ot onl3 0ere the edia bobarding us all the tie 0ith the

tal9 about the terrorist threat this threat 0as also ob8iousl3 subliinall3

2&



in8ested ' ust recall the series of o8ies fro <#sca%e /ro "e0 or9< to

<Inde%endence 6a3<. Therein resides the rationale of the often'entioned

association of the attac9s 0ith the 4oll30ood disaster o8ies: the unthin9able

0hich ha%%ened 0as the obect of fantas31 so that1 in a 0a31 )erica got 0hat

it fantasiNed about1 and this 0as the greatest sur%rise.

The Matrix is a science fiction'action fil 0ritten and directed b3

Larr3 and )nd3 +acho0s9i and starring Heanu Ree8es1 Laurence /ishburne1

Carrie')nne Moss1 oe (antoliano1 and 4ugo +ea8ing. It 0as first released in

the 7S) on March ,&1 &FFF1 and is the first entr3 in The Matrix series of

fils1 coics1 8ideo gaes1 and aniation.The fil describes a future in

0hich realit3 %ercei8ed b3 huans is actuall3 the Matrix: a siulated realit3

created b3 sentient achines in order to %acif3 and subdue the huan

%o%ulation 0hile their bodies> heat and electrical acti8it3 are used as an energ3

source. 7%on learning this1 co%uter %rograer < "eo< is dra0n into a

rebellion against the achines. The fil contains an3 references to the

c3ber%un9 and hac9er subcultures %hiloso%hical and religious ideas and

hoages to )lice>s )d8entures in +onderland1 4ong Hong action cinea1 S%aghetti +esterns1 and a%anese aniation.

Co%uter %rograer Thoas ). )nderson leads a secret life as a

hac9er under the alias <"eo<1 and 0ishes to learn the ans0er to the ;uestion1

<+hat is the Matrix=< Cr3%tic essages a%%earing on his co%uter onitor

and encounters 0ith three sinister agents lead hi to a grou% led b3 the

3sterious Mor%heus1 a an 0ho offers hi the chance to learn the truth

about the Matrix. "eo acce%ts b3 s0allo0ing an offered red %ill1 andsubse;uentl3 finds hiself na9ed in a li;uid'filled %od1 his bod3 connected b3

0ires to a 8ast echanical to0er co8ered 0ith identical %ods. The connections

are se8ered1 and he is rescued b3 Mor%heus and ta9en aboard his ho8ercraft1

the "ebuchadneNNar . "eo>s neglected %h3sical bod3 is restored1 and Mor%heus

ex%lains the situation.

Mor%heus infors "eo that the 3ear is not &FFF1 but estiated to be

2-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction_film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wachowski_brothers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keanu_Reeves

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Fishburne

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie-Anne_Moss

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Pantoliano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Weaving

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_31

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix_(series)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_(fictional_universe)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_reality

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoregulation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_activity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_source


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_culture


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_action_cinema

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_Western

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_name

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morpheus_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_in_the_Matrix_series#Nebuchadnezzar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction_film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wachowski_brothers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keanu_Reeves

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Fishburne

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie-Anne_Moss

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Pantoliano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Weaving

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_31

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoregulation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_activity




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_culture


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_action_cinema

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_Western

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_name

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morpheus_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_in_the_Matrix_series#Nebuchadnezzar



closer to -&FF1 and that huanit3 is fighting a 0ar against intelligent achines

created in the earl3 -&st centur3. The s93 is co8ered b3 thic9 blac9 clouds

created b3 the huans in an atte%t to cut off the achines> su%%l3 of solar

%o0er . The achines res%onded b3 using huan beings as their energ3

source1 later gro0ing countless %eo%le in %ods and har8esting their

bioelectrical energ3 and bod3 heat. The 0orld 0hich "eo has inhabited since

birth is the Matrix1 an illusor3 siulated realit3 construct of the 0orld as it

0as in &FFF de8elo%ed b3 the achines to 9ee% the huan %o%ulation docile

in their ca%ti8it3. Mor%heus and his cre0 are a grou% of free huans 0ho

<un%lug< others fro the Matrix and recruit the to their resistance against the

achines. +ithin the Matrix1 the3 are able to use their understanding of its

nature to bend the la0s of %h3sics 0ithin the siulation1 gi8ing the

su%erhuan abilities. Mor%heus belie8es that "eo is <the !ne<1 a an

%ro%hesied to end the 0ar through his liitless control o8er the Matrix."eo is

trained to becoe a eber of the grou%. ) soc9et in the bac9 of "eo>s s9ull1

forerl3 used to connect hi to the Matrix1 allo0s 9no0ledge to be u%loaded

directl3 into his ind. In this 0a31 he learns nuerous artial arts disci%lines1and deonstrates his 9ung fu s9ills b3 s%arring 0ith Mor%heus in a 8irtual

realit3 <construct< en8ironent siilar to the Matrix1 i%ressing the cre0

0ith his s%eed. /urther training introduces "eo to the 9e3 dangers in the

Matrix itself. Inuries suffered there are reflected in the real 0orld if he is

9illed in the Matrix1 his %h3sical bod3 0ill also die. 4e is 0arned of the

%resence of )gents1 fast and %o0erful sentient co%uter %rogras 0ith the

abilit3 to ta9e o8er the 8irtual bod3 of an3one still directl3 connected to theMatrix1 0hose %ur%ose is to see9 out and eliinate an3 threats to the

siulation. Mor%heus is confident that once "eo full3 understands his o0n

abilities as <the !ne<1 the3 0ill be no atch for hi.The grou% enters the

Matrix and ta9es "eo to eet the !racle1 the 0oan 0ho has %redicted the

e8entual eergence of the !ne. She tells "eo that he has <the gift< of

ani%ulating the Matrix1 but that he is 0aiting for soething1 %ossibl3 his

2,


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superhuman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_arts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_fu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_(The_Matrix)






http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superhuman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_arts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_fu



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_(The_Matrix)



next life. /ro her coents1 "eo deduces that he is not the !ne. She adds

that Mor%heus belie8es in "eo so blindl3 that he 0ill sacrifice his life to sa8e

hi. Returning to the hac9ed tele%hone line 0hich ser8es as a safe <exit< fro

the Matrix1 the grou% is abushed b3 )gents and S+)T teas. Mor%heus

allo0s hiself to be ca%tured so that "eo and the others can esca%e. The3 later

learn that the3 0ere betra3ed b3 the cre0'eber C3%her 1 0ho %referred his

old life in ignorance of the real 0orld>s hardshi%s and therefore ade a deal

0ith the )gents to gi8e the Mor%heus in exchange for a %eranent return to

the Matrix. C3%her is defeated but not before his betra3al leads to the deaths

of all cre0'ebers exce%t "eo1 Trinit31 Tan91 and Mor%heus1 0ho is

i%risoned in a go8ernent building 0ithin the Matrix. The )gents atte%t to

gain inforation fro hi regarding access codes to the ainfrae of Uion1

the un%lugged huans subterranean refuge in the real 0orld. "eo and Trinit3

return to the Matrix and stor the building to rescue their leader. "eo becoes

ore confident and failiar 0ith ani%ulating the Matrix1 ultiatel3 dodging

bullets fired at hi b3 an )gent. Mor%heus and Trinit3 use a sub0a3 station

tele%hone to exit the Matrix1 but before "eo can lea8e1 he is abushed b3)gent Sith. 4e stands his ground and e8entuall3 defeats Sith1 but flees

0hen the )gent %ossesses another bod3.)s "eo runs through the cit3 to0ard

another tele%hone exit1 he is %ursued b3 the )gents 0hile <Sentinel< achines

con8erge on the "ebuchadneNNar>s %osition in the real 0orld. "eo reaches an

exit1 but he is abushed b3 )gent Sith and shot dead. In the real 0orld1

Trinit3 0his%ers to "eo that she 0as told b3 the !racle that she 0ould fall in

lo8e 0ith <the !ne<1 i%l3ing that this is "eo. She refuses to acce%t his deathand 9isses hi. "eo>s heart beats again1 and 0ithin the Matrix1 "eo re8i8es

the )gents shoot at hi1 but he raises his %al and sto%s their bullets in id'

air. "eo is able to %ercei8e the Matrix as the streaing lines of green code it

reall3 is. )gent Sith a9es a final atte%t to 9ill hi1 but his %unches are

effortlessl3 bloc9ed1 and "eo destro3s hi. The other t0o )gents flee1 and

"eo returns to the real 0orld in tie for the shi%>s #M( 0ea%on to destro3 the

2$

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWAT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_characters_in_the_Matrix_series#Cypher

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_characters_in_the_Matrix_series#Tank

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Smith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programs_and_machines_in_the_Matrix_series#Sentinels

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_pulse

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWAT


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_characters_in_the_Matrix_series#Tank


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Smith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programs_and_machines_in_the_Matrix_series#Sentinels

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_pulse



Sentinels that had alread3 breached the craft>s hull. ) short e%ilogue sho0s

"eo bac9 in the Matrix1 a9ing a tele%hone call %roising that he 0ill

deonstrate to the %eo%le i%risoned in the Matrix that <an3thing is %ossible<.

4e hangs u% the %hone and flies into the s93.

The fil is 9no0n for %o%ulariNing the use of a 8isual effect 9no0n as

< bullet tie<1 0hich allo0s the 8ie0er to ex%lore a oent %rogressing in

slo0'otion as the caera a%%ears to orbit around the scene at noral

s%eed.!ne %ro%osed techni;ue for creating these effects in8ol8ed %ro%elling a

high s%eed caera along a fixed trac9 0ith a roc9et to ca%ture the action as it

occurred. 4o0e8er1 this 0as discarded as unfeasible1 because not onl3 0as the

destruction of the caera in the atte%t all but ine8itable1 but the caera

0ould also be alost i%ossible to control at such s%eeds. Instead1 the ethod

used 0as a technicall3 ex%anded 8ersion of an old art %hotogra%h3 techni;ue

9no0n as tie'slice %hotogra%h31 in 0hich a large nuber of caeras are

%laced around an obect and triggered nearl3 siultaneousl3. #ach caera is a

still'%icture caera1 and not a otion %icture caera1 and it contributes ust

one frae to the 8ideo se;uence. +hen the se;uence of shots is 8ie0ed as in ao8ie1 the 8ie0er sees 0hat are in effect t0o'diensional <slices< of a three'

diensional oent. +atching such a <tie slice< o8ie is a9in to the real'

life ex%erience of 0al9ing around a statue to see ho0 it loo9s fro different

angles. The %ositioning of the still caeras can be 8aried along an3 desired

sooth cur8e to %roduce a sooth loo9ing caera otion in the finished cli%1

and the tiing of each caera>s firing a3 be dela3ed slightl31 so that a

otion scene can be executed ?albeit o8er a 8er3 short %eriod of o8ietieA.Soe scenes in The Matrix feature the <tie'slice< effect 0ith

co%letel3 froNen characters and obects. /il inter%olation techni;ues

i%ro8ed the fluidit3 of the a%%arent <caera otion<. The effect 0as further

ex%anded u%on b3 the +acho0s9i brothers and the 8isual effects su%er8isor

ohn 5aeta so as to create <bullet tie<1 0hich incor%orates te%oral otion1

so that rather than being totall3 froNen the scene %rogresses in slo0 and

22

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow-motion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_speed_photography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpolation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gaeta

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow-motion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_speed_photography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpolation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gaeta



8ariable otion. #ngineers at Manex isual #ffects %ioneered ,'6

8isualiNation %lanning ethods to o8e be3ond echanicall3 fixed 8ie0s

to0ards ore co%licated caera %aths and flexibl3 o8ing interest %oints.

There is also an i%ro8ed fluidit3 through the use of non'linear inter%olation1

digital co%ositing1 and the introduction of co%uter generated <8irtual<

scener3.

The obecti8e of the bullet tie shots in The Matrix 0as to creati8el3

illustrate <ind o8er atter< t3%e e8ents as ca%tured b3 a <8irtual caera<.

4o0e8er1 the original technical a%%roach 0as %h3sicall3 bound to %re'

deterined %ers%ecti8es1 and the resulting effect onl3 suggests the ca%abilities

of a true 8irtual caera.

Matrix digital rain1 Matrix code or soeties green rain1 is the

co%uter code featured in the Matrix series. The falling green code is a 0a3 of

re%resenting the acti8it3 of the 8irtual realit3 en8ironent of the Matrix on

screen. )ll three Matrix o8ies1 as 0ell as the s%in'off The )niatrix

e%isodes1 o%en 0ith the code. It is a characteristic ar9 of the franchise1 ore

or less li9e the o%ening cra0l is for Star +ars.In the fils1 a fe0 %eo%le can understand 0hat ha%%ens inside the

Matrix b3 loo9ing at the code on co%uter onitors. !%erators fro Uion1

unable to enter into the Matrix1 concentrate on 0a3s to read the scrolling code1

or <rain<1 and infer data fro it such as the location of a %erson in the Cit31

%ossible exits1 and so forth. )s the character C3%her ex%lains in the first fil1

the %rograing of the Matrix is so ad8anced that it is i%ractical to 8ie0 it

norall3: it 0ould ta9e u% ulti%le co%uter screens and ta9e too long to readthrough. The co%lex <Matrix code< of raining green characters and

%ictogras allo0s the Matrix %rogra to be concisel3 re%resented and thus

read ore easil3. The character "eo is the onl3 huan that can see the code of

0hich a8atars are co%osed 0hile in the Matrix1 and is therefore able to see

their <true< digital for. B3 contrast1 soe %rogras are not seen as %art of

the green code1but as golden code ?e.g.1 Sera%hA.

2*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manex_Visual_Effects

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_camera




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Animatrix

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_opening_crawl

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_(The_Matrix)



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph_(The_Matrix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manex_Visual_Effects

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_camera




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Animatrix

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_opening_crawl

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_(The_Matrix)



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph_(The_Matrix)



The code is characteriNed b3 green flashing re8ersed Roan and

a%anese 9ata9ana characters and )rabic nuerals1 as 0ell as %ictorial

s3bols1 such as a bull>s head ?as %ictured at the end of The Matrix

Re8olutions title se;uenceA1 falling in a blac9 screen 0hile changing and

fading. The effect resebles that of the older green screen dis%la3s1 since the

letters lea8e a fluorescent trace on the screen.

The o8ie de8elo%s around the t0o %rinci%les enunciated in <)ristos<

u%on 0ich the )rchitect builds his grand schee: the la0 i.e. the ain

e;uation and the chaos %ro8o;ued b3 all that goes 0rong due to the loose

8ariables in each %rogra. Those 0ho are subected to the c3cles of the

e;uation?as it is 0ritten1 erased and re'0rittenA are the an31 the %eo%le of

Uion the <hoi %oloi. The ain 8ariable is "eo1 the ebodient of the )ristos1

<The !ne< 0ho can a9e the difference ."eo stands for that %art of the huan

soul 0hich is in;uisiti8e1 in a continuous search for its origins and the original1

for the greater %ur%ose of all things.

"eo is gi8en a choice b3 Mor%heus ?god of slee%'slee% of the

conscienceA:to li8e in a fictional 0orld as a %u%%et in a re'0ritten scri%t or to0a9e u% to <the desert of the real<. The 0eird %art is that this realit3 is also a

re'enacting of a 0orld 0hich 0ill 9ee% re'0inning till it reaches the %erfection

of the uto%ian Lost (aradise. Thus a ne0 issue is brought forth: the siulation

of consciousness. Borro0ing fro the o8ie1 the ters blue %ill and red %ill

ha8e becoe a %o%ular eta%hor for the choice bet0een the blissful ignorance

of illusion ?blueA and ebracing the soeties %ainful1 soeties %leasant1

truth of realit3 ?redA. <ou ta9e the blue %ill1 the stor3 ends1 3ou 0a9e u% in3our bed and belie8e 0hate8er 3ou 0ant to belie8e. ou ta9e the red %ill1 3ou

sta3 in +onderland1 and I sho0 3ou ho0 dee% the rabbit hole goes.< The

Matrix< a9es an3 references to %ast fils and literature1 and the idea of the

red %ill is no exce%tion1 ha8ing a%%eared in the &FF fil <Total Recall< 0ith

the sae %reise O to 0a9e the %rotagonist 6ouglas Yuaid fro his <drea<.

In the scene in ;uestion1 the character 6r #dgear tells Yuaid that he is

2G

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_alphabet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katakana

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_numerals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleph

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix_Revolutions


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monochrome_monitor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Recall

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protagonist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_alphabet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katakana

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_numerals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleph



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monochrome_monitor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Recall

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protagonist



dreaing1 and offers hi a red %ill 0ith the 0ords: EIt>s a s3bol. !f 3our

desire to return to realit3. Inside 3our drea1 3ou>ll fall aslee%.<

ust li9e "icholas 7rfe1 "eo also ta9es %art in a godgae of self'

disco8er3 during 0hich he is forced to fight his counter'ego1 the <barbarian<

0ithin his o0n consciousness. /ollo0ing the %attern of the no8el <The

Magus<1 <The Matrix< builds on the sae to%ic: attaining freedo through

disco8ering one>s real identit31 one>s origins.

The 0hole godgae ending in a self'etaor%hoses in <The Magus<

is staged in <The Matrix< fro the red %ill'blue %ill oent u% to "eo>s death

and rising as the !ne. !nce "eo acce%ts being the !ne he actuall3 agrees that

he is a ere 8ariable in this e;uation1 %art of the atrix of an uto%ia.

<There>s so uch in this 0orld that I don>t understand1but I understand

the reason for it.<+e ade our choices in %re8ious li8es but 0e li8e again to

understand the.Thus is introduced the %henoenon of the dZa O8u 0hich 1in

the fil1is e8idence of the re%etition of se;uences in the atrix. Its fre;uence

in the real life ?our lifeA d0ells on i%leenting the idea that %arallel

uni8erses do exist1 that 0e li8e o8er and o8er again'it>s 9ind of a Budhistconce%t'to acce%t and understand the choises 0e ade in %re8ious existences

and to i%ro8e oursel8es in %resent and future existences.

Sith stands for that %art of our ego 0hich 0ill annihilate all search of

%ur%ose as it considers it futile it is that side of huan nature 0hich ga8e u%

in;uir31 it agreed to a %lain existence1 fictional or not. Sith is the non'belief

0ithin us1 the re%resentation of the de8il>s te%tation that there>s no need for

faith: the de8il>s greatest tric9 0as to con8ince an that he doesn>t exist1i%licitl3 that there is no such dualit3 as 0rong and right1 e8il 8ersus good or

de8il 8ersus 5od.

Sith and "eo are a heraclitean %air of extree o%%osites1 %art of the

sae 0orld 0here <Conflict is ustice< thus ser8ing the higher %ur%ose of

freedo. !nce "eo acce%ts Sith as a %art of hi1 he acce%ts his dar9 side1

thus re'creating the e;uilibriu1 the faous 3ing and 3ang so necessar3 for

2



the %er%etuation of life and truth1 Thus huan nature %re8ails1 freedo of

choice %re8ails.

The fil %erfectl3 illustrates #cos conce%t of an easil3'accessible 3et

richl3 allusi8e %ostodernist 0or9 in its use of Christian1 Buddhist1 and e8en

Le0is Carroll s3bolis alost solel3 for the sa9e of reusing the %astVthe

conce%ts are nearl3 di8orced at ties fro their original contexts and de%end

onl3 on a general and culturall3 a8ailable failiarit3 0ith the ters in8o9ed.

<The %ur%ose of life is to end It is ine8itable #8er3thing that has a

beginning has an end<

<I a not sure that I exist1 actuall3< 0rites /o0les. <I a all the 0riters

that I ha8e read1 all the %eo%le that I ha8e et1 all the 0oen that I ha8e

lo8ed all the cities that I ha8e 8isited1 all 3 ancestors . . . (erha%s I 0ould

ha8e li9ed to be 3 father1 0ho 0rote and had the decenc3 of not %ublishing.

"othing1 nothing1 3 friend 0hat I ha8e told 3ou: I a not sure of an3thing1 I

9no0 nothing . . . Can 3ou iagine that I not e8en 9no0 the date of 3

death=<

<I li8e in haNard and infinit31< /o0les continues. <The cosos stretches

around e1 eado0 on eado0 of galaxies1 reach on reach of dar9 s%ace1

ste%%es of stars1 oceanic dar9ness and light. There is no god in it1 no %articular

concern or %articular erc3. et e8er30here I see a li8ing balance1 a ri%%ling

tension1 an enorous 3et 3sterious si%licit31 an endless breathing of light.

)nd I co%rehend that being is understanding1 that I ust exist in haNard butthat the 0hole is not in haNard. Seeing and 9no0ing this is being conscious

acce%ting it is being huan.< %redicted /o0les fi8e decades ahead of the

+acho0s9i brothers through their character "eo.

2F



CONCSIONS

The %ur%ose of this %a%er 0as none other but to deonstrate the

influention of literar3 etafiction in the art of the fil.

In the first cha%ter 0e atte%ted to %in do0n the ain characteristics

of the %ostodernist %hiloso%h3. )ctuall3 this 0hole ne0 cult d0ells around

the eternal existential ;uestions such as: <+hat is the %ur%ose of our

existence=<1 <Is there an after'life=<1 <4o0 uch do 0e 9no0 about our

origins=<1 <6oes our uni8erse ha8e a beginning and an end= <Is it the onl3

one=<1 <Is there an )l%ha and an !ega=<1 <) Master (u%eteer=<1 <4o0 real is

realit3=< )ll these ;uestions find no ans0er as the 0orld gro0s ore self'

a0are of its lac9 of %ur%ose. Siulation1 uncertaint3 of the real becoe

s3%tos of an era.

+e dare to consider that etafiction1 since it deals 0ith the bold

assu%tion that realit3 is in fact fiction1 is also a to%ic fit for the %resentdiscussion. It focuses on a continuous search and in;uir3 for the real 0hich it

unfolds ad infinitu follo0ing the %attern of the Chinese boxes.

B3 introducing the existentialist1 ohn /o0les1 cha%ter t0o elaborates

on the thee of the identit3 crisis1 on the need of ans0ers1 of a su%ree

%ur%ose the lac9 of 0hich the #nglish 0riter so %essiisticall3 e%hasiNes.

/o0les forecasted %ostodernis b3 d0elling on the idea of recurrent

realities 0hich he a%%lied to ost of his 0or9s and 0e tried to gather the in a;uic9 re8ie0.

+ith The Aristos 0e intended to sho0 %reises for the %ostodernist

ideolog3 that 0ould be encountered later on in the strea of self'

consciousness that breathes fro the %lot of <The Matrix<.

The Magus a3 be considered as %rotot3%e1 a source for the

+acho0s9i brothers> <atrix<. +e too9 on co%aring the 0a3 to self'

*



disco8er3 of the t0o analogic characters1 both of the being forced to enter a

godgae the outcoe of 0hich 0ill set the free1 0ill endo0 the 0ith the

sense of %ur%ose1 0ill %ro8ide their existence 0ith eaning.

The ex%ert o%inion on ho0 %ostodernis influenced <The Matrix<

coes fro ean Baudrillard. The theorist1 although gi8es credit to the

+acho0s9i %roduction1 sees the atrix as too an abru%t is'en'scene of his

o0n %ostodernist conce%ts that the realit3 0e li8e in is in fact a siulation.

Isn>t this a ind'blo0ing idea interesting enough to a9e it the subect

of 3our thoughts1 of this %a%er=

*&



BIBLI!5R)(4 :

Baudrillard1 ean Siulacra and Siulation Selected +ritings1 Stanford

7ni8ersit3 (ress1 &F

6errida1ac;ues !f 5raatolog31 .4o%9ins 7ni8ersit3 (ress1

Baltiore1&FG*

#liade1 Mircea Shaanis. )rchaic Techni;ues of #cstas31 (rinceton

7ni8ersit3 (ress. "e0 erse31 &F*$

Barthes1 Roland #ssais Criti;ues1 [ditions du Seuil1 (aris1 &FF&

Lodge1 6a8id #ssa3s on /iction and Criticis1 Routledge1 London

and "e0 or91 &FF

Ste8enson1 Randall Modernist /iction1 4ar8ester1&FF,

#co 7berto (ostscri%t to The "ae of the Rose1 #d. (oliro1

Bucharest1 -G

/o0les1 ohn )ristos1Re8ised editon1 Little Bro0n1 London1 -G/o0les1 ohn The Magus1 Re8ised editon1 Little Bro0n1 London1

-G

4utcheon1 Linda ) %oetics of %ostodernis: histor31 theor31 fiction1

Routledge1 London1 &F.

L3otard1ean'/ran@ois1 The (ostodern Condition1 Manchester 7ni8ersit3

(ress1 &F$

Mc4ale1 Brian (ostodernist /iction1 Methuen1 "e0 or91&FG+augh1 (atricia (ostodernis: a reader1 Methuen1 "e0 or91 &F$

*-

http://www.hku.hk/COURSE/03354/texts/baudril.htm

http://www.hku.hk/COURSE/03354/texts/mchale1a.htm

http://www.hku.hk/COURSE/03354/texts/baudril.htm

http://www.hku.hk/COURSE/03354/texts/mchale1a.htm



5L!SS)R

Le "ou8el !bser8ateur O our reflections on the real and the 8irtual

are one of the references ad8anced b3 The Matrixs directors. The first e%isode

entionned 3ou ex%licitel3 and one could e8en notice the co8er of

<Siulacru and Siulation<1 released in &F&. That sur%rised 3ou=

ean Baudrillard O There is a isunderstanding of course1 that is the

reason 0h3 I %re8iousl3 hesitated to tal9 about <The Matrix<. The +acho0s9i

staff did contact e after the first e%isode to in8ol8e e in the follo0ing ones1

but that reall3 0as not concei8able ?LaughA. +hat 0e ha8e here is essentiall3

the sae isunderstanding as 0ith the siulationist artists in "e0 or9 in the

s. These %eo%le ta9e the h3%othesis of the 8irtual as a fact and carr3 it o8er

to 8isible fantass. But the %riar3 characteristic of this uni8erse lies

%recisel3 in the inabilit3 to use categories of the real to s%ea9 about it.

". !. O 4o0e8er1 the lin9 bet0een the o8ie and the 8ision 3ou

elaborate in1 for instance1 e crime $ar%ait 1 is stri9ing. The e8ocation of a

desert of the real1 these totall3 8irtualised enJs%ectres1 0ho are no ore than

energ3 cells for sentient beingsQ

. B. O es1 but there had alread3 been other o8ies dealing 0ith the

gro0ing blur bet0een the real and the 8irtual: <The Truan Sho0<1< Minorit3

Re%ort<1 e8en< Mulholland 6ri8e<1 6a8id L3nchs aster%iece. <The

Matrix<s ain %oint is as a %arox3stic s3nthesis of all of that. Sadl31 the

echanis is roughl3 done and dont arouse an3 trouble. #ither characters are

in the Matrix1 that is in the digitalisation of e8er3thing. !r the3 are radicall3

out of it1 as it ha%%ens at Uion1 the cit3 of the rebels. )ctuall31 the ost

interesting thing 0ould be to sho0 0hat does ha%%en at the oining of these

*,



t0o 0orlds. )n30a31 the real nuisance in this o8ie is that the brand'ne0

%roble of the siulation is ista9en 0ith the 8er3 classic %roble of the

illusion1 alread3 entionned b3 (lato. 4ere lies the ista9e.

The 0orld as a co%lete illusion is the %roble that faced all great cultures

and the3 sol8ed it than9s to art and s3boliNation. +hat 0e did in8ent in

order to %ut u% 0ith this %ain is a siulated real1 a 8irtual uni8erse cleansed of

e8er3thing dangerous or negati8e and 0hich no0 o8erride the real1 to 0hich it

is the final solution. "o01 <The Matrix< is totall3 that #8er3thing that is

related to drea1 uto%ia1 %hantas is %resent there1 DrealiNedE1 a co%lete

trans%arenc3. <The Matrix< is li9e a o8ie about the Matrix that could ha8e

%roduced the Matrix & .

". !. O It is also a o8ie intending to denounce technicistic alienation

0hile a9ing co%lete use of the fascination to0ard the digital 0orld and

co%uter gra%hicsQ

. B. O +hat reall3 is stri9ing in <The Matrix -< is there is not the

tiniest iron3 to hel% the s%ectator ta9ing this onuental s%ecial effect in the

rear. "ot e8en one se;uence 0ith this D%unctuE1 as BarthZs sa3s1 this stri9ing e'ne'sais';uoi to %ut one in front of soething real. B3 the 0a31 this a9es

the o8ie an instructi8e s3%to as 0ell as a fetish for a 0orld ruled b3 the

screen1 0here it exists no distinction bet0een the real and the iagination

0orld an3ore. <The Matrix< is in an3 res%ects an extra8agant thing1 both

na\8e and %er8ert1 0ith no abo8e and no be3ond. The %seudo'/reud s%ea9ing

at the end of the o8ie said it: <soetie in the %ast1 0e ha8e had to re'

%rogra the Matrix in order to integrate soe anoalies in the e;uation. )nd3ou1 the o%%onents1 are %art of it.< So here 0e are1 in 3 o%inion1 in a

co%lete 8irtual circuit 0ith no outdoor. I once again disagree ?LaughsA <The

Matrix< i%lies the %resent situation is the one of an all'%o0erful su%er%o0er

and so effecti8el3 echoes its %ro%agation. 7ltiatel31 the s%read of this

ta9eo8er is indeed a 8er3 %art of the o8ie. )s McLuhan said: <essage is

ediu. The essage of <The Matrix< is its 8er3 %ro%agation1 b3 relentlessl3

*$

http://www.empyree.org/divers/Matrix-Baudrillard_english.html#note_1%23note_1

http://www.empyree.org/divers/Matrix-Baudrillard_english.html#note_1%23note_1



containating e8er3thing.

". !. O Stri9ing too is ho0 %resent )erican ar9eting success1

ranging fro <The Matrix< to Madonna last albu1 ex%licitel3 %resent

thesel8es as critics of a s3ste 0hich %roote the assi8el3Q

. B. O That is indeed 0hich a9es our ties ;uite difficult to stand.

This s3ste %roducts a tro%e'l]il negation1 0hich in turn is becoing a

%art of the entertainent industr31 the sae 0a3 obsolescence is a %art of the

industr3 as a 0hole. Moreo8er1 it is the ost efficient 0a3 to forbid an3 true

alternati8e. "o ore there is an external oega %oint for a%%rehending this

0orld1 no ore an3 antagonistic function1 onl3 a fascinated adherence.

"e8ertheless1 the ore a s3ste is coing close to %erfection1 the ore it is

coing close to destruction. ie0 it as an obecti8e iron3 nothing is ne8er

settled. Se%teber && 0as a %art of it1 of course. Terroris is not an alternate

%o0er1 it is onl3 the eta%hor of this alost suicidal turn'around of the

occidental %o0er against itself. This is 0hat I said at that tie1 but it 0as not

acce%ted. "o reason to be nihilistic or %essiistic an30a3. The s3ste1 the

8irtual1 the Matrix1 e8er3thing a3 go bac9 to the scra% hea% of 4istor3.Re8ersibilit31 challenge1 seduction are indestructibles.

)ude Lancelin O Le nou8el !bser8ateur V n^-&2

http://www.nouvelobs.com/dossiers/p2015/a201937.html

http://www.nouvelobs.com/dossiers/p2015/a201937.html

the magic of the matrix

Documents