I love that in storytelling: "A good modern story is by definition rather ambiguous, allowing multiple perspectives to exist at once." Thank you for teaching us about the volta!
Fascinating, Kate! I hadn't ever encountered the "volta," so I'm thankful for your illuminating piece. So many favorite melodies and harmonies come to mind that exemplify this idea, and now I'll be looking for it in the poetry and fiction I read! 💙
I was thinking you would have some wonderful music ideas! At one point, I considered examples in different mediums…music, film, etc but it all just became too much. :) thank you, Michael 💙💙
Have never read Mansfield, now I will start with "Prelude" and come back to this with your insights. The volta is an interesting concept - something that we can understand intuitively, maybe even employ, but bears a further and more granular study, which you have handily provided. Thanks, Kate. 🍎
Thanks Troy, and happy you felt inspired to read her! You might even start with “The Garden Party” (her most famous) or perhaps just after. I’m still discovering more of her works, each with its own quirky vibe and vivid symbols.
There’s got to be a collected short stories, I’m all in on collections since The Dubliners and Raymond Carver… p.s. Please don’t think ill of me for what’s about to drop in 15 minutes… 🤣
Also yes, several collections! Mine is a hardback titled Wild Places: selected stories and has most of her work. Then I got her early German Pension house collection from Karl Straub’s suggestion and it is wild.
very nice. i recently reread a bunch of Mansfiled. on the surface, maybe, she's a bit Victorian, in the social relations and floral descriptions, but she does such strange things (modernist) with point of view. love her.
great Basho poem, definitely with the volta. i think it's part of the form, to start with with the particular and open to something wild, the encompassing void.
Gosh, this is packed with so much great stuff. I have a feeling I'll be coming back to it more than once. And thank you for the mention! I had no idea our little chat about the meaning of volta would become (even a tiny) part of such a magnificent literary lesson. Now that I think about it, I can come up with a couple of other meanings -- but I wouldn’t want to mess things up here. :) Great piece, Kate!
Thank you for this brilliant essay, Kate. I really enjoyed it! Your students must be such fans of your insightful lectures/classes. And thank you for the mention 🧡
Excellent as always, while I have vague volta memories, it's great to have it in such an accessible form. I think I use it at times without realizing it. And now I do. And, same as you, I have been absent from Substack these past weeks. I'll be back...
Sensational read, Kate. Thank you for this. I learned a lot here. I guess I feel some intuitive knowledge of this (these days, at least) because I tend to read with a keener eye and feel for how things work and in writing, but I had no knowledge of what this technique was called. Loved the examples you provided. That haiku is just exquisite. I haven't read any Mansfield ... yet!
I've played with the idea behind volta in my own writing, though perhaps not properly. 😂 I will be more acutely aware from now on.
You bring up a good point that I think this style of writing also asks for us to pay attention more closely...and thereby gain rich rewards.
I would start with The Garden Party if you want to try Mansfield. I think it is her most famous for good reason!
I definitely see voltas in your writing, Nathan! But I know what you mean...I think that by looking at the way another writer (and poets!!) use this idea, we can maybe push the idea a little more. Although, ironically, by being more subtle perhaps. Let's try! :)
I love that in storytelling: "A good modern story is by definition rather ambiguous, allowing multiple perspectives to exist at once." Thank you for teaching us about the volta!
Thanks Nadia! I love that aspect of modernism :)
Fascinating, Kate! I hadn't ever encountered the "volta," so I'm thankful for your illuminating piece. So many favorite melodies and harmonies come to mind that exemplify this idea, and now I'll be looking for it in the poetry and fiction I read! 💙
I was thinking you would have some wonderful music ideas! At one point, I considered examples in different mediums…music, film, etc but it all just became too much. :) thank you, Michael 💙💙
Have never read Mansfield, now I will start with "Prelude" and come back to this with your insights. The volta is an interesting concept - something that we can understand intuitively, maybe even employ, but bears a further and more granular study, which you have handily provided. Thanks, Kate. 🍎
Thanks Troy, and happy you felt inspired to read her! You might even start with “The Garden Party” (her most famous) or perhaps just after. I’m still discovering more of her works, each with its own quirky vibe and vivid symbols.
There’s got to be a collected short stories, I’m all in on collections since The Dubliners and Raymond Carver… p.s. Please don’t think ill of me for what’s about to drop in 15 minutes… 🤣
Woah what is it???
Also yes, several collections! Mine is a hardback titled Wild Places: selected stories and has most of her work. Then I got her early German Pension house collection from Karl Straub’s suggestion and it is wild.
It's a hit piece on Ulysses compliments of Eleanor. Bit of a pile on, really. Tongue firmly in cheek, but people don't like their heroes besmirched. 🤪
Haha can’t wait to read it! Airport entertainment thanks to both of you :)
very nice. i recently reread a bunch of Mansfiled. on the surface, maybe, she's a bit Victorian, in the social relations and floral descriptions, but she does such strange things (modernist) with point of view. love her.
great Basho poem, definitely with the volta. i think it's part of the form, to start with with the particular and open to something wild, the encompassing void.
really good!
Thanks Joseph!
Agree - the first time I read Mansfield I wasn’t sure what to think, then I took a closer look.
Agree good haiku should always have this element of a twist to some extent. Good point!
Gosh, this is packed with so much great stuff. I have a feeling I'll be coming back to it more than once. And thank you for the mention! I had no idea our little chat about the meaning of volta would become (even a tiny) part of such a magnificent literary lesson. Now that I think about it, I can come up with a couple of other meanings -- but I wouldn’t want to mess things up here. :) Great piece, Kate!
Thanks Silvio! I like to keep things a bit of a mystery. :)
Ohhhh now I’m so intrigued. When the time is right, please reveal all your Volta knowledge to us. Ha.
LOL. I will -- when the time is right!
Thank you for this brilliant essay, Kate. I really enjoyed it! Your students must be such fans of your insightful lectures/classes. And thank you for the mention 🧡
That is very kind to say, Victoria. Thanks so much for reading!
Excellent as always, while I have vague volta memories, it's great to have it in such an accessible form. I think I use it at times without realizing it. And now I do. And, same as you, I have been absent from Substack these past weeks. I'll be back...
'vague volta memories' :) Would you use the Italian word in German as well?
I definitely think you use it in your fictions sometimes.
Nice to see you and thanks for stopping by, Alexander.
I would definitely use “volta” in German. Rebel me. ;)
Sensational read, Kate. Thank you for this. I learned a lot here. I guess I feel some intuitive knowledge of this (these days, at least) because I tend to read with a keener eye and feel for how things work and in writing, but I had no knowledge of what this technique was called. Loved the examples you provided. That haiku is just exquisite. I haven't read any Mansfield ... yet!
I've played with the idea behind volta in my own writing, though perhaps not properly. 😂 I will be more acutely aware from now on.
You bring up a good point that I think this style of writing also asks for us to pay attention more closely...and thereby gain rich rewards.
I would start with The Garden Party if you want to try Mansfield. I think it is her most famous for good reason!
I definitely see voltas in your writing, Nathan! But I know what you mean...I think that by looking at the way another writer (and poets!!) use this idea, we can maybe push the idea a little more. Although, ironically, by being more subtle perhaps. Let's try! :)
I loved the connections to poetry and the notion of storytelling as a kind of dance.
Thanks Jon! Appreciate the share as well. :)
Such an interesting piece. I'm always learning something new from you. Thank you.
Thanks Jules! Appreciate the kind words. :)