Phillip Lopate Criticism
Phillip Lopate, born in 1943, is an esteemed American poet, novelist, essayist, nonfiction writer, and critic, known for his introspective and imaginative exploration of urban life, particularly in New York City. His literary work, largely autobiographical, navigates diverse genres while consistently focusing on themes of personal and societal introspection.
Lopate's breakthrough work, Being with Children (1975), details his experiences as a visiting writer in a New York City public school, blending narrative insights with pedagogical reflections. This work has been celebrated not only for its educational value but also for its narrative style, as noted by Vivian Gornick and Joseph J. McHugh, the latter highlighting its transformative impact on teaching.
Lopate's poetry, including The Eyes Don’t Always Want to Stay Open and The Daily Round, captures the essence of daily urban life, a style praised by Aram Saroyan for its clarity and simplicity, though Hayden Carruth critiques some pieces for self-indulgence. His first novel, Confessions of Summer (1979), explores a psychological and philosophical depth within the context of a romantic narrative, drawing mixed reviews for its execution but appreciated for its nuanced character portrayal, as discussed by Joseph McLellan and Daphne Merkin.
In his collection Bachelorhood: Tales of the Metropolis (1981), Lopate delves into the personal essay format, reflecting on single life in the city. His writing is characterized by an insightful and humorous exploration of bachelorhood, as examined by Richard P. Brickner, while Seymour Kleinberg critiques the emotional distance in his essays. Rochelle Ratner highlights Lopate's playful narrative style, though she points to limitations in his anecdotal approach.
Lopate's contribution to literature, through his unique blending of genres and introspective style, continues to offer valuable insights into human experience and urban life.
Contents
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The Radical/Teacher and the Poet/Teacher
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In the following essay, Vivian Gornick praises Phillip Lopate's "Being With Children" for its profound portrayal of the educational environment at P.S. 90 and the transformative power of writing, highlighting the book's exploration of human resilience and the political significance of nurturing creative expression amid societal challenges.
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Being with Children
(summary)
In the following essay, Joseph J. McHugh argues that Phillip Lopate's Being With Children transcends its potential as a mere instructional tool on creative writing by offering profound insights into teaching, presenting a framework for teachers to engage authentically with students through shared human experiences and reflective practices.
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Good-bye to the 1960s
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In the following essay, Aram Saroyan commends Phillip Lopate's poetry collection, The Daily Round, for its exploration of the solitary life of a '60s survivor, praising the poet's acceptance of personal limitations and comparison to Pasternak's later works, which emphasize simplicity and clarity.
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City Blues
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In the following essay, Hayden Carruth critiques Phillip Lopate's "The Daily Round" for its melancholic depiction of New York's spiritual malaise, praising the objective poems for their incisive portrayal of urban despair while criticizing some subjective pieces as self-indulgent, yet acknowledging the overall emotional impact of the collection.
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Too-True 'Confessions'
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In the following essay, Joseph McLellan contends that Phillip Lopate's first novel, Confessions of Summer, transcends its familiar romantic triangle plot, offering a profound exploration of psychological disintegration and philosophical enlightenment through meticulous detail and perceptive storytelling, reminiscent of themes in French literature.
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Growing Up and Working Out
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In the following essay, Daphne Merkin critiques Phillip Lopate's novel "Confessions of Summer" for its focus on an uninspiring romantic triangle, while praising the authenticity and depth in the sections related to the protagonist's teaching experiences, ultimately suggesting that Lopate's talent deserves a more artistically complex narrative.
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Anything for Love, Almost
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In the following essay, Richard P. Brickner argues that Phillip Lopate's collection, "Bachelorhood: Tales of the Metropolis," showcases Lopate's complex and charming personality through his observations on urban and bachelor life, blending intelligence with humor, and transforming personal and painful experiences into engaging narratives.
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Bachelor Fodder
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In the following essay, Seymour Kleinberg explores Phillip Lopate's work "Bachelorhood," examining the tension between the authorial persona and the themes of bachelorhood, identity, and literary genre, while critiquing Lopate's emotional distance and the balance between elegance and substance in his essays.
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Bachelorhood: Tales of the Metropolis
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In the following essay, Ratner evaluates Phillip Lopate's autobiographical work "Bachelorhood," highlighting his playful manipulation of truth and imagination while critiquing his portrayal of women and the limits of his anecdotal style.