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Re: E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962)

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On 9/3/2024 5:15 PM, HenHanna wrote:
> 
> On 9/3/2024 5:03 PM, Ross Clark wrote:
>> Born Edward Estlin Cummings, Cambridge MA, 1894. Father was a Harvard 
>> professor, later Unitarian minister.
>> "His penchant for lower-case was extended to his initials by one of 
>> his publishers, and the practice caught on, though he himself usually 
>> kept the capitals." (Crystal)
>>
> 
>> anyone lived in a pretty how town
>> (with up so floating many bells down)
>> spring summer autumn winter
>> he sang his didn't he danced his did
>>
>> Women and men (both little and small)
>> cared for anyone not at all
>> they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
>> sun moon stars rain             (1940)
>>
>> "The seeds of Cummings' unconventional style appear well established 
>> even in his earliest work. At age six, he wrote to his father:
>>
>>      FATHER DEAR. BE, YOUR FATHER-GOOD AND GOOD,
>>      HE IS GOOD NOW, IT IS NOT GOOD TO SEE IT RAIN,
>>      FATHER DEAR IS, IT, DEAR, NO FATHER DEAR,
>>      LOVE, YOU DEAR,
>>      ESTLIN.
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._E._Cummings
> 
> 
> 
>  > anyone lived in a pretty how town
>  > (with up so floating many bells down)
>  > spring summer autumn winter
>  > he sang his didn't he danced his did   (1940)
> 
> Several weeks ago,  i listened to a recording of  EEC  himself
> reading this and it wasnt at all like how i imagined.
> 
> 
> if you've read  [The Enormous Room],  pls  tell me about
>           a passage or scene that you remember.   (i remember Nothing)
> 



Here's a quote from The Enormous Room by E.E. Cummings, featuring French 
vocabulary:

"Il est Fort! [strong] M'sieu Jean, c'est un GEANT"

This quote translates to: "He is strong! Mr. Jean, he is a GIANT." Here, 
Cummings is describing the impressive physical stature of Jean Le Negre, 
a fellow inmate.

________________

"Il y a un vieux soldat qui parle toujours de la guerre. C'est un bon 
vieux. Il s'appelle le Capitaine."


"Il y a un petit chien qui s'appelle Coco. Il est très gentil."




The inclusion of French phrases in The Enormous Room is primarily due to 
the setting and the author's experiences.

Setting: The novel is based on E.E. Cummings' real-life imprisonment in 
a French detention camp during World War I.     It's natural that the 
language spoken there would be predominantly French, given the location.


Author's Experience: Cummings immersed himself in French culture during 
his time in France, learning the language and interacting with 
French-speaking people. This personal experience influenced his decision 
to incorporate French into his writing.


Authenticity: By using French phrases, Cummings aimed to create a more 
authentic and immersive experience for the reader, transporting them to 
the setting of the novel and allowing them to better understand the 
characters' perspectives.

___________________________


E.E. Cummings was imprisoned in a French detention camp during World War 
I due to a series of unfortunate events and misunderstandings.

1.
Administrative Errors: He and his friend, William Slater Brown, were 
initially assigned to an ambulance service in France. However, due to 
administrative errors, they were left without a specific assignment for 
several weeks.

2.
Anti-War Sentiments: During this free time, Cummings and Brown explored 
Paris and openly expressed anti-war views. They also preferred the 
company of French soldiers over fellow American ambulance drivers.

3.
Intercepted Letters: Brown wrote letters home criticizing the war and 
expressing his disillusionment. These letters were intercepted by French 
censors, who misinterpreted their contents as potentially harmful to the 
war effort.

4.
False Accusations of Espionage: Based on the intercepted letters, 
Cummings and Brown were arrested on suspicion of espionage and 
undesirable activities. They were held for three and a half months in a 
military detention camp.


It's important to note that Cummings and Brown were eventually released 
without ever being formally charged with any crime. Their imprisonment 
was a result of a series of unfortunate circumstances, rather than any 
actual wrongdoing on their part.

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Thread

E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962) Ross Clark <benlizro@ihug.co.nz> - 2024-09-04 12:03 +1200
  Re: E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962) HenHanna <HenHanna@devnull.tb> - 2024-09-03 17:15 -0700
    Re: E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962) HenHanna <HenHanna@devnull.tb> - 2024-09-05 16:46 -0700
    Re: E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962) will.dockery@gmail.com (W.Dockery) - 2025-02-07 13:12 +0000
  Re: E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962) Aidan Kehoe <kehoea@parhasard.net> - 2024-09-04 06:55 +0100
    Re: E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962) HenHanna <HenHanna@devnull.tb> - 2024-09-05 16:49 -0700
      Re: E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962) Aidan Kehoe <kehoea@parhasard.net> - 2024-09-07 16:17 +0100
        Re: E.E.Cummings died (3/9/1962) dougstaples@gmx.com (LionelEdwards) - 2024-09-07 15:29 +0000

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