Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 1987)
Ken Kesey explores art of novel writing with students By Cami Swanson Emerald Reporter Author Ken Kesey. best known for his hook “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," has close ties to the University. A t‘J57 graduate of the University, his sons also attended school here and w'restled for the Duck team. It seems only natural that Kesey now is teaching a graduate novel writing class at the University. “I was turned on to writing at the University of Oregon. . there's no place else that I really could have taught," Kesey said. "1 have been wan ting to teach a class for a long time. I lecture a lot but in a lec ture you can spread on a lot of thin manure. . I feel like I have something to teach." The class, made up of about 15 graduate students, meets in formally at Kesey's house in town twice a week to go over ideas for a novel they are work ing on collectively. However, the subject of the novel is something they are reluctant to discuss. "(Kesev) asked us not to talk too much about the subject mat ter," graduate student )im Finley explained. "Let's say an author was working on a novel — You don't want a lot of publicity about the material beforehand, to cut down on the strange speculation (about the book)." Kesey plans to take his students through the entire pro cess of writing, editing and publishing a single novel dur ing the class, which will last three terms. Kesey said the major drawback of other writing schools is that they take their students to the point of writing a novel, but don't extend any further into the procedures on having a work published. "I'm going to do this till it's finished Otherwise, you've got something stinking in the kit chen.” Kesey said. Kesey majored in radio and television when he attended the University, but still was in terested in writing. His satirical column, "Gulliver's Trifles." was carried by the Oregon Daily Emerald in 1955 and 1956 His first literary work was publish ed by the Northwest Review. He said that bis eyes first were opened to serious literature one day in class while he was reading Ernest Hemm ingway's short story. "Soldier's Home." "(My professor) said all of this stuff really means more than it seems, and suddenly the whole idea of literature, serious literature, opened up for me,” he said. " being an old magician. I wanted to get into that and know how to produce those ef fects . Writing is an alchemical business. All kinds of tricks go into it that the public never knows about," he added. Findley describes kesey as Iming thoughtful, insightful and friendly. When asked how to describe himself as a student, kesey replied with a smile. "I was a Bela,*' as if that explained it all "At that time, betas could not only drink more, but they got batter grades. Animal House was filmed here, and it did everybody a real misservice because it made it seem like get ting drunk was what it was about But we got drunk and always finished in the top three living organizations of cam pus." he said. Compared to the University during the time he went to school. Kesey said that today's students are more socially con scious and worldly. "In the 50's, we wouldn't have understood what divest would mean." he said. However, Kesey. a out doorsman who owns a farm in Pleasant Hill, regrets that pro gress and increased enrollment has made it necessary for the University to construct buildings like PLC. which he compares to a tombstone in front of a beautiful statue. Kesey's future plans include working on a rodeo novel and on video novels, which he described as being "like soap operas only it would be serious fiction." He has been contacted by HBO to work on such a video essay. Phutu by Aa4rt K«m«n Ken kesey's final is In have hit University class complete a novel within the ne\t three terms. HALLEY'S COMET ALLAHM BROS. COfrCC 404 (8m) 504 (12m ) mer m«w a Acrooo from tfto UO SooRotoro No* tow i sn V4in toui 7 ok! Puppy <4* hr4p it* Hrr*..in tfirr Ik* Vk.J C*M Vm 4B4-112* • ( Um Sum 0*1. S TAN as low as $2/VISIT Wolff System air conditioned Th* look you Mil* lot it* too* ih«y lot* SunShower on campus «•» /«> • •>« I I Mi uo»*o« teT (Mi l The Saga Continues WEDNESDAY NIGHT at TRACK TOWN PIZZA Get a medium (12") One-Ingredient Pizza for ONLY (AAT1 7 5 <) Why settle for less . . . than the BEST!?! FREE DELIVERY mitoA.. (Limited 0*tv«ry wmi 484-2799 1809 Franklin Blvd.
