Biblical Hebrew Forum

[c stirling bartholomew <cc.constantine AT worldnet.att.net>]

on 6/25/03 4:44 AM, Trevor Peterson wrote:

>> It is important to note that Longman is only arguing that there is formal
>> correspondence (i.e. the form of the text), not that the "meaning" of
>> Qohelet reflects that of any of the Akkadian texts.
> 
> I'm not sure what you mean by this, but clearly he does use this formal
> correspondence as partial justification for his decision (as an Evangelical)
> to treat the book as fictional. I'm not trying to argue for Solomonic
> authorship, but I don't think his perceived parallel with the Akkadian texts
> in his dissertation does much to justify calling Qohelet fictional.

Martin,

Thank you, yes I understand the distinction between form and content. I was
thinking this afternoon that it might be fun to ask Ann Rule* if she thinks
Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" falls into the genre of True Crime. I don't
think Capote would have been pleased with that label but "In Cold Blood"
shares several key formal characteristics with the pulpy True Crime books.

The point is that genre analysis, for all its genuine value, is a somewhat
slippery business. There is something about "In Cold Blood" that makes it
NOT fit in the True Crime genre but I cannot tell you off the top of my head
what that something might be.

Trevor's comments got me thinking about what T.Logman is doing with this
genera argument. Picture yourself walking into 2nd Bible Baptist Church of
Cutbank Montana and stepping up to the podium and delivering an address on
Ecclesiastes as a fictional work. How far do you get into your delivery
before you are removed from the podium by the deacons?

Thanks for your comments,

greetings, Clay


--  
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062

*Ann Rule is reported to be a very BIG true crime author and she lives right
here in Seahurst on the beach. Her dogs bark at me all the time when I take
the trail to the beach that runs above her house. I have never read any of
her books.