Loss of Context, Loss of Control

After opening our discussion of Ulysses by examining the intent behind every aspect of the formatting, ranging from the lack of chapter titles to the asterisk at the beginning of each chapter, I have come to think of Ulysses as a work in which every aspect, every detail of the page is crafter a certain way for a certain reason. However, being serially published in a magazine with other work and advertisements, I imagine that the control of context is relinquished. Mullin writes that articles on “Emma Goldman [were placed] alongside advertisements for Goodyear Tyres, or a promotion for Diane of the Green Van, ‘The Book Hit Of The Year,’ a ‘Breezy Story’ on the back cover of an issue promising ‘NO COMPROMISE WITH THE PUBLIC TASTE” (Mullin 10). With Ulysses back in its original context, out of the author’s complete control and into a collection run by other editors, I wonder what effect the advertisements and other stories will affect the otherwise immersive experience of reading Ulysses.

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