DISCOMFORT ZONE

JONATHAN FRANZEN WOULD NEVER EXPERIENCE A "DISCOMFORT ZONE," AS IN THE TITLE OF HIS RECENT MEMOIR, IF HE UNDERSTOOD ONE OF HIS COLLEGE PROFESSORS WHO (IN FRANZEN’S WORDS) "FELT FOR LITERATURE THE KIND OF HEADLONG LOVE AND GRATITUDE THAT A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN FEELS FOR JESUS."

AS A SAD AND GLOOMY LIBERAL, MR. FRANZEN CANNOT INTERNALIZE THE MEANING OF HEADLONG LOVE, A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN OR POSSIBLY EVEN JESUS. THEREFORE, HE CANNOT COMPREHEND THE DELIGHT, COMFORT, HOPE AND SUSTAINING SATISFACTION THAT READERS FIND IN GREAT LITERATURE. CLASSIC WORKS OF FICTION - NOVELS, POETRY AND SHORT STORIES - AND SUPERB EXAMPLES OF NON-FICTION WRITING - ESSAYS, SPEECHES AND MEMOIRS. AT THEIR CORES, THEY VICARIOUSLY TRANSPORT VICTIMS OF COLERIDGE'S "WILLING SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF," INTO ALTERNATIVE AND INSTRUCTIVE WORLDS WHICH UPLIFT SPIRITS OR ALTER SOULS. THE READER IS WELL AWARE THAT HE OR SHE IS INCAPABLE OF SUCH SUPERB EXPRESSION, BUT NEVERTHELESS, HE OR SHE KNOWS THAT SOME INEXPLICABLE FORCE, SOME INSPIRATION, CAUSES UNIQUE AND MAGNIFICENT WORDS AND THOUGHTS TO OOZE FORTH.

AS A LIBERAL, MR. FRANZEN CAN NEVER COMMIT TO UNEXPLAINED PASSION ROOTED IN TRUTH. LIBERALISM, PER SE, DISALLOWS FOR ANY SUBMISSION TO UNDENIABLE TRUTHS. BECAUSE A LIBERAL IS A LIBERAL FIRST, WHAT'S IMPORTANT WILL ALWAYS COME IN SECOND. GREAT LITERATURE ENGAGES OUR IMAGINATION AS WELL AS ENLISTS OUR MINDS IN THE WAR FOR UNIVERSAL TRUTHS. IT QUESTIONS HUMAN VALUES, BASIC FREEDOMS, WHO WE ARE AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BELIEVE. IMMORALITY, IMMORTALITY, COURAGE, COWARDICE, MATERIALISM, LOVE, CRUELTY AND DEATH FLICKER THROUGH PAGES OF PRINT AS GOODS OR EVILS. ELITISM, LIBERALISM AND POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OBFUSCATE THIS PROCESS OF DISCOVERY AND ENLIGHTENMENT. AND JOY. AND COMFORT IN LIFE.