The Death of the Critic

In Katie Roiphe's essay "With Clarity and Beauty, the Weight of Authority" some great points are brought to the table on the subject of the death of the formal critic. She points out that in our modern day, we are captivated by our shiny new Andriod phones, iPhones, iPads, and other such media delivery devices. This, she points out, is a major contribution to the dying breed. She also points out that the professional critic is being slowly beaten to death by the innumerous ammounts of amateur Amazon reviewers, who spew thier minds into the depths of the internet. This, however, gives professional critics a clear and precise job. Roiphe points out that it is now, more than ever, the job of the critic "to write on a different level, to pay attention to the elements of style." She then urges critics to accept this responsibility and use it to take thier "art" to the next level. To "be ambitious and brash...connect books to larger currents in the culture...identify movements and waves in fiction...carry books back into the middle of conversations at dinner parties." She urges critics to pay close attention to the craft of thier writing, for that is the only thing that sets them apart from all of the "Amazon reviewers and bloggers clamoring for attention."

I very much agree with the points made in Roiphe's "With Clarity and Beauty, the Weight of Authority." I feel that the critic is very much being overshadowed by these unfortunate amateur reviewers (hopefully I do not belong in this group, but I have little hope that I have acheived a level higher than that of Journeyman Critic).  I love how she gives critics a very specific goal, to trancend the level of the amatuer and reach for something higher, to strive to create an art. One of my favorite parts of this essay, however, is her allusions to modern authors, including Susan Sontag, Jonathan Franzen, and Gary Shteyngart; A few of whom created novels which would later appear under my Christmas Tree. I loved this essay, Roiphe presents her points very articulately and caters to emotions that many in the literary world can harbor sentiments to.