SCHIZOPHRENIC WRITERS
Sir-I was interested in A. R. D. Fairburn’s review of Australian Literature (Listener, January 18), and I agreed with much of what he said. But I should , like to question his use of the term "lit-
erary schizophrenia" to describe the Australran writer’s division of interest between European and local ideas and ways of living. Admittedly, the. word "schizophrenia" is widely used nowadays. It is common to hear intellectuals throwing off statements about "the schizophrenia of the age." But it. is surely quite meaningless or at least inexact when it is applied to writers who are working between two literary traditions. According to my dictionary, scttieophrenia is a mental disease "marked by disconnection between thoughts, feelings and actions." I can’t for the life of me see any disconnection of this.sort in writers anywhere--unless, of course. they happen to be insane. There does not seem to be any reason why the word should be taken from its- proper usage and applied loosely to the kind of situation described by Mr. Fairburn. The English language still allows us to describe states of mind without calling upon the special terms or jargon of clinical psychology. Unfortunately, the practice seems to be increasing. And now that Hollywood is taking an jnterest in psycho-analysis we can expect almost anything to happen. But it’s a. pity. Language is healthier when: it holds firmly- to concrete words.
J.K.
L.
(Gore),
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 657, 8 February 1952, Page 5
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235SCHIZOPHRENIC WRITERS New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 657, 8 February 1952, Page 5
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