Hejinian and Acker

Discussion for Mon., 3/3: Lyn Hejinian and Kathy Acker

Using quotes and passages from the essay, discuss Hejinian’s “The Rejection of Closure”:

What is the open text, the closed text?

Choose 2 passages in particular that really show what she is talking about here. What is “closure” and why/how “reject” it?

How are Hejinian’s ideas here about poetry, about writing in general? How are these ideas useful for thinking about writing (in terms of both practice and product)?

How might this relate to Acker’s points in “The Killers”?

Using quotes and passages from the essay, discuss Acker’s, “The Killers”:

What is “naïve realism”?

What does Acker say about narrative, what narrative is/does?

What is the relationship between realism and narrative, according to Acker here? Specifically, explain what she is talking about in the last two paragraphs (p17-18) of the essay (in Biting).

How might this relate to Hejinian’s ideas in “The Rejection of Closure”?