Evaluating symbolic novels and realisticnnovels is largely a case of the proverbialnapples vs. oranges; the focus,nthe technique, the style and the powernof the two forms are vastly different.nThe symbolic novel is often largelynimagistic and impressionistic—a pointillismnof words and recurring njotifs designednto capture the reader’s attentionnand to engage him in the mysteries ofnunraveling complex themes and strandsnof allusions and ideas. The tapestryneffect is an apt metaphor for a symbolicnnovel’s design, and the assessment of ansymbolic novel is largely dependentnupon how well the artist generates thentapestry and how well the performancenis appreciated by the reader. The WhitenHotel is a typical example of the genrenof the symbolic novel in its attempt tonintertwine themes with imagistic portrayals.nThe story line itself is rathernsimple and sparse, but one does notnknow this until the final twist in thenstory’s telling. The plot is presentedndetectivestory fashion in that the focusnof The White Hotel is the delineationnof the identity and the psyche of LisanErdman, who comes to stand in thennovel for many things, not the least ofnwhich is humanity itself and all the vastnsufferings to which mankind has beennexposed.nThe story begins ‘as an imaginarynexchange of letters between SigmundnFreud and his disciples concerning anyoung woman patient of Freud’s whonhas, as an aspect of her therapy, producedna journal which is highly eroticnin nature. Freud spins an elaborate andnpsychoanalytically conventional explanationnof Lisa’s emotional problems,nespecially of her sexual frigidity andnunhappy first marriage, tracing thencause to an unresolved homosexual attachmentnto Lisa’s voice teacher. Thenreader feels that here, at last, he has angrasp upon Lisa’s identity, but such isnnot the case, for no sooner has Freudncreated his very convincing explanationnof Lisa’s dilemmas than she, throughnher correspondence with Freud, revealsnthat she has lied several times to covernup painful events and feelings and thatnshe has also either misremembered orntotally forgotten essential parts of thenpuzzle, which she now adds for furthernclarification. Just when the reader feelsnsafe in assuming that The White Hotelnis a Jamesian turn of the screw on whatntruth is and the question whether therenis such a thing as truth when all eyentsncan be seen from a variety of perspectives,nthe structure of The White Hotelnshifts to conventional narrative,nflashes forward a number of years,ncatches us up on Lisa’s career as annOld Times Here Are ]>lot Forgotten…nTHE SOUTHERN PARTISANnHAS ARRIVED!ninThe Conservative Voice ofnthe Unreconstructed South…nPresented vv^ith Wit and Style…nThESoUTHEWSingyms^nTHEBURMMinOFCOLUniBlfl.^..n”… for those concerned aboutnpreserving Southern Culture.”n—HUMAN EVENTSn”… a breath of fresh air… a voicencrying in the wilderness.”n—CHARLESTON l^EWSn& COURIERn”AT LAST!”n—CIVIL WAR FBESS CORPSnREAD: Andrew Lytie – Russell Kirk – M.E. BradfordnUnpublished work by Richard Weaver – And more innTHE MAGAZINEnYOU’VE BEEN WAITING FORnYes.’ I’d like to tT^ THE SOUTHERN PARTISAN at thenspecial introductory rate of $12.00 per year.nNAMEnADDRESSnD Bill me D $12.00 check enclosednCITY STATE. ZIP-nMail to: The Southern Partisan, P.O. Box lUB. Columbia SC 29211nnnccnimnJanuary/February 1982n