Clarice Lispector’s 1946 novel The Chandelier is the topic of fervent discussion for David, Nathan, and Nick in this latest episode. Not for the faint of heart (but perhaps for those near to wild ones), this modernist work probes a deep abyss of metaphysical questions including, but not limited to: What is anything? etc. etc.
Forever dividing a single moment of time into increasingly smaller slices of moments in time, Lispector asymptotically approaches the concept of defining a single instant and leaves the reader dizzy from attempts to tag along. Life is beautiful, but do we expect a writer to curate this beauty or to hook us up to the firehose and come back a few days later? Even if there isn’t an answer, The Chandelier’s got enough poetic imagery and deep questions to make anyone feel something. Just exactly what might not be clear.
Clarice Lispector was a Brazilian novelist and short story writer acclaimed internationally for her innovative novels and short stories. O Lustre (1946) – The Chandelier – was translated by Benjamin Moser and Magdalena Edwards.
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