Re: Brother Rivalry? -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 20:13:25 03/28/08 Fri
Author: Erin Risch
Subject: Re: Brother Rivalry?
In reply to: Shannon 's message, "Brother Rivalry?" on 14:00:34 03/27/08 Thu

That's interesting, Shannon. I read the confession scene as a revelation of the double bind, the double imperative of "Imitate me; don't imitate me."

For instance, he admits, "I've been rotten bad influence. And worst is, I did it on purpose." He admits that he made his mistakes look good, and says, "never wanted you succeed and make me look even worse by comparison. Wanted you to fail. Always jealous of you" (emphasis mine).

This is just what Girard describes in the section of Things Hidden on apprenticeship. The master is flattered by the apprentice's admiration, but he is unsettled when the apprentice threatens to outpace him. So he publically encourages the apprentice to continue to imitate him ("My putting you wise so you'd learn from my mistakes. Believed that myself at times, but it's a fake."), but subtly pushes back, trying to sabotage the apprentice's efforts to imitate.

However, I think Jamie sees the way out, admitting it to his brother, and he explains, "I love you more than I hate you. My saying what I'm telling you now proves it." And again, "Greater love has no man than this, that he saveth his brother from himself." I.e., that he alerts his brother to the traps of mimetic rivalry.

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Replies:

Re: Brother Rivalry? -- Kiernan, 10:45:41 03/29/08 Sat
More of the double bind in Long Day -- Erin Risch, 14:09:00 03/29/08 Sat
- Edmund's models -- Erin, 10:53:43 03/30/08 Sun