the world a letter

What's your favorite funny-profound piece of literature? For me, I think I'd say episode 17 of Ulysses, which I've been thinking a lot about recently anyway. It is both breathtakingly beautiful and humbly itself in all its, its characters', its language's, its author's, limitations. Appropriately enough, it uses those limitations to make transcendent gestures, but contrapuntally also it uses all its formal innovation for humane (i.e. true-human) tasks, which I also admire. This work does not lament, as Flaubert does, at beating time on a log (sic. Does Flaubert say log? or is it a drum?), at the limitations of its range, though it does make the bear dance like a star (and the stars like a bear). Its showboating is showing how its showboating is necessary, not just on a surface-level, but deep through to whatever it is to be read as. That is, it is grown up and measured. And funny, really funny. And complicated. And readable. It is forever readable.

I guess I could have said Ulysses itself, but that seems too large. And I do dwell on this book, though I don't have too much perspective on whether I do in the blog, write about my dwelling much, or not.

Anyway, I don't know if my explication reads like blurbiation, all general and fluff, or if it makes sense, but I figure you all probably have your own opinions on the section anyway. I remain curious as to what works, in your estimation, best hit that sweet spot of funny and profound?