Before reading this pre-blog entry, I want to highlight that this is my first blog ever, so please forgive my informal writing. And with that, let us begin…
I’m not going to lie. The reading from this week was quite dense yet intriguing in many different ways. While reading through the different readings, I did notice one common theme reflected in all the pieces such as the concept of “differences”. Even though I would love to discuss all the readings from this week, I truly want to focus on Roland Barthes persuading debate about text and pleasure. I want to emphasize how Barthes piece influenced me to become a better reader, which will then lead to a better life for me. But before I dive in deeper into my rant, I want to explain the thought process that was occurring while reading “The Pleasure of the Text (1973)”.
As I was reading through Barthes text, I decided to start doing what every college student does and start skimming through the paragraphs. Now, please don’t think I’m a bad student because I skip lines, because I know you do it too. I’m just kidding, but in actuality I was trying to get the idea of the reading. As Barthes would say, I was establishing a rhythm in order to get to the great idea, also known as the antidote. As I was joyfully skipping sentence after sentence and word after word, I sudden noticed that Barthes was calling me out! I thought I was going crazy so I decided to reread the paragraph. After rereading the paragraph, I noticed that what Barthes was describing in his writing was what I had been acting out in reality. Words can’t even describe how I felt after this moment. I felt as if Barthes was tapping at my brain and writing the text right in front of me.
Now, let’s switch gears from what I physically experienced to my rant.
“The pleasure of the text is that moment when my body purses its own ideas - for my body does not have the same ideas I do” (Barthes 111).
What is Barthes trying to tap at with this quote? I want to take a moment and examine this quote because it spoke to me. Barthes states that we seek text of pleasure. Why? Obviously that makes sense because who wants to read something boring. Text of pleasure, according to Barthes, fills and grants euphoria (Barthes 110). I find it quite interesting that people, feel a sense of delight when reading an article, narrative or even a fictional book. Without something exciting, who would want to read the text in the first place? On the contrary, I also find it fascinating that people, like myself, skip lines, paragraphs and even chapters to find the holy grail of answers. Why do we do this?
In my own words, the quote says that humans read texts of pleasure and texts of bliss. As humans we like to focus on the texts of pleasure because they are more fascinating and intriguing. In some ways it could be described as somewhat seducing. At that moment, when our body is entered into a mode of pleasure certain ideas and sensations flow throughout the body. Our body, in a weird way, has a mind of its own. As Barthes says, “The pleasure of the text is irreducible to physiological need” (Barthes 111).
As humans read, we interpret things differently, our bodily sensations react differently, even our reading patterns are different. (There’s that common theme of “differences” again). As readers, when we are in the moment of reading something we all undergo Tmesis. Barthes describes this concept of Tmesis, as “the rhythm of what is read and what is not read that creates the pleasure of the great narrative” (Barthes 109). What I found most interesting about this reading was that I found Barthes argument to be true. No author can predict what the reader will read or what will be skipped, nor can the author “choose to write what will not be read ” (Barthes 109). I want to try Barthes technique of being an aristocratic reader because I believe it will lead me on a better path through life. According to Barthes, one must agree to judge a text according to pleasure (Barthes 109). This means that I need to go in with an open mind and not deem a book as bad or good. If I go into a reading judgment free than I will most likely read the entire thing. This will then lead to better grades and that will lead to more happiness for myself. In my opinion, it creates somewhat of a domino effect of happiness. A more joyful self is something everyone should strive for in their time on earth. Thank you Barthes for poking at my brain, calling me out and smacking me across the face with your text of pleasure.
Below is a link to a mind-blown picture found on Pinterest, because that is how I truly felt when I read this entry by Barthes.
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