University of Virginia Library

Wizard -vs- Self

His provisional objectivity,
qualified (as with any artist) by his
choice of subject, attests to his
journalist's sense. Wolfe's tendency
to exercise near-supernatural
omniscience at times runs against
certain sensibilities. (So-and-So was
mulling over such-and-such in his
head when X occurred.) In exactly
such hazy zones lies the wordy
(paradoxically wordless) magic
Wolfe practices — Wolfe the Wizard,
forever refusing to materialize
satisfactorily for those clamoring to
glimpse Wolfe the Self. Radical
Chic emerges by far the nearest
Wolfe has ever been to eliminating
(suppressing? Concealing?) his own
ego, rather, even his human
presence in the scenes he draws
with such incredible literary
presence. If the magic falls
somewhere between the Man and
the Author, then its territory is
expanding.

Analogous to this, at least in
intent, is Mailer's renunciation of
ego in starting Of A Fire On The
Moon: the difference being that
Mailer must become Aquarius,
clearly a new Mailer, whereas
Wolfe's shift appears almost total,
his self almost not at all. The result
must be overwhelming confusion
for anyone speculating on his
political inclinations, moral
convictions or personal values.