Gore Vidal's Evolving Narratives: A Palimpsest of Identity and Literature

Gore Vidal, a titan of 20th-century American letters, was never one to shy away from controversy or the complexities of human experience. His literary output, particularly his seminal novel The City and the Pillar, serves as a fascinating case study in artistic evolution and societal change.

Published in 1948, this groundbreaking work, which dared to depict a homosexual encounter between two high school boys and its subsequent fallout, sent shockwaves through the literary establishment. But for Vidal, the story was far from over; The City and the Pillar became a palimpsest, a text repeatedly rewritten, reflecting not only Vidal's own evolving perspectives but also the shifting currents of American culture.

The Genesis of a Literary Earthquake: The City and the Pillar

Vidal's The City and the Pillar introduced readers to Jim Willard, a handsome, athletic young man capable of blending seamlessly into heterosexual society.

Yet, Jim is haunted by an idyllic weekend spent in the woods with his close friend, Bob Ford, an encounter that gradually leads him to accept his own homosexuality. The novel's frank portrayal of gay life in the post-war era, exploring subcultures within the merchant marines, Hollywood, and New York, was revolutionary.

In an era where such themes were largely taboo, Vidal's willingness to confront them head-on was nothing short of electrifying.

The novel's impact was profound, yet Vidal himself felt compelled to revisit its conclusion. This led to a series of revisions, a testament to his commitment to refining his artistic vision.

A paperback edition appeared in 1949 with a crucial alteration to the ending, followed by a significant revision in 1965 that presented yet another narrative conclusion. Even a reprint in 1994 contained final, subtle adjustments. Each iteration offered a different lens through which to view Jim Willard's journey and the broader societal landscape.

Exploring Early Theories: Societal Constructs and Gender Dynamics

Vidal's early explorations of homosexuality within The City and the Pillar were characterized by a diverse, and at times perplexing, array of theories regarding its origins.

The novel delves into the lives of gay men navigating different spheres of American life. Jim Willard, for instance, grapples with his identity, finding solace in the notion that his attraction to men is an intrinsic part of his being, a stark contrast to the societal pressures to conform.

Within the narrative, characters like Paul Sullivan, a writer Jim encounters in Hollywood, articulate a powerful argument for self-acceptance and openness.

Sullivan champions the idea that "the real dignity is the dignity of a man realizing himself and functioning honestly and according to his own nature." He implores readers to see that "the important thing is not the object of love but the emotion itself" and to respect individuals regardless of their differences.

This sentiment reflects a burgeoning awareness of the emotional core of human connection, transcending specific sexual orientations.

However, Vidal also posited more controversial hypotheses, reflecting the speculative and often troubled intellectual climate surrounding sexuality at the time.

One suggestion hinted at homosexuality as a potential, albeit arrested, stage of adolescent development, a view that implied a transitional phase rather than an immutable trait. Another theory, more disquieting, flirted with the idea that societal anxieties, perhaps tied to the insecurities of capitalism, could be a contributing factor.

Perhaps most striking was the hypothesis that the perceived dominance of women in American society might somehow foster homosexuality. This idea was most explicitly explored through a group of gay men at a New York cocktail party, where they contrasted a more "Teutonic and primitive" homosexual type, associated with virile German men in athletics or the military, with the "effeminate, oversensitive type" prevalent in England and America, which they linked to female societal influence.

Upon rereading these passages years later, one can understand the author's own later dismissal.

These theories, appearing to many as a form of gay misogyny, offered little genuine insight into the complexities of sexual orientation. It is significant that Vidal later excised this material entirely in his 1965 revision, a clear indication of his own evolving understanding and his growing discomfort with these speculative, potentially harmful, explanations.

Vidal's Social Constructionist Leanings and the Quest for Identity

By the mid-1960s, as Vidal approached forty, he had solidified a core belief: the absence of a singular "gay personality." In this sense, Vidal can be seen as an early proponent of social constructionist ideas, recognizing that identity is shaped by a confluence of personal experience and societal context.

His original manuscript depicted Jim Willard as experiencing attraction to both men and women, but the pivotal encounter with Bob Ford solidified a decided preference. This nuanced portrayal moved away from rigid categorization, emphasizing the fluidity of desire and identity.

The revised novel, stripped of its more problematic theorizing, emerged as a more streamlined and less politically charged work.

The more searing, potentially bleak endings were also softened. In one early version, Jim's attempt to initiate intimacy with Bob results in a cruel rejection, escalating into a violent struggle where Jim strangles Bob to death. This tragic conclusion, while powerful, was deemed too bleak by critics.

A subsequent revision, appearing in a 1955 American paperback edition, offered a different resolution.

Instead of death, Jim incapacitates Bob, leaving him unconscious. The narrative then shifts, with Jim tenderly repositioning Bob on the bed, a more ambiguous and less devastating end than the original. These variations highlight Vidal's ongoing engagement with the emotional and psychological ramifications of his characters' experiences, and his willingness to adapt the narrative to achieve a desired impact.

From Literary Maverick to Cultural Commentator

Gore Vidal's career trajectory was as varied as his literary output.

Faced with the initial backlash against The City and the Pillar, which led to newspapers refusing advertisements and his work being sidelined, Vidal pivoted. He served in the navy during World War II, an experience that likely informed his later writing.

He also found himself drawn to new mediums to survive and thrive.

During the Golden Age of Television in the 1950s, he wrote original dramas, which caught the attention of Hollywood and launched a successful career as a screenwriter. His novel The Judgment of Paris, set in Guatemala, presciently mirrored the CIA-backed coup that occurred years later, demonstrating his keen eye for political currents.

Vidal's sharp intellect and incisive critiques also found a powerful outlet in journalism and literary criticism, particularly through the New York Review of Books.

He championed emerging talents, introducing American readers to figures like Italo Calvino. His satirical novels, such as Myra Breckinridge and Myron, showcased his formidable wit and his ability to dissect societal norms with savagery and brilliance.

While often perceived as cold or detached by critics, Vidal's more personal reflections, particularly in his memoirs, offered a different dimension to his public persona.

His memoir Palimpsest, discussed by groups like the Left Bank Books Gay Men's Reading Group, dives deep into his life, weaving together anecdotes from his schooling at St. Albans and Exeter with his rise to literary superstardom. It's within this memoir that Vidal revisits a pivotal relationship from his youth.

The Influence of Plato and the Acceptance of Innate Attraction

Central to Vidal's later understanding of love and identity was his recollection of his relationship with Jimmy Trimble.

The two met at boarding school in Washington D.C., and Vidal described Trimble as "the greatest love of his life." This profound connection, lasting for about two years until they were fourteen, profoundly shaped Vidal's perspective on human relationships and attraction.

Their last encounter, at age seventeen, marked a poignant farewell to a significant chapter of his youth.

Vidal's engagement with Plato, particularly the philosopher's allegory of the three original sexes (male, female, and hermaphrodite) in the Symposium, offered a framework for understanding the innate yearning for connection.

According to Plato, these original beings were split in two, creating a perpetual desire to find their "other half." This myth resonated deeply with Vidal, suggesting that love and connection are fundamental human drives, rooted in a primal incompleteness.

Plato's narrative posits that upon reunion, the halves experience overwhelming affection and love, a longing for the unity they once knew.

This concept of seeking a lost wholeness became a powerful metaphor for Vidal's own journey. Like Alfred Kinsey, whose research explored the spectrum of human sexuality, Vidal, at this stage, moved away from rigid sexual categories. In Palimpsest, Vidal made a significant declaration: he concluded that one possesses a primary attraction that is "innate, immutable, and not a choice." For Vidal, this meant finally accepting that his own primary attraction was to men.

He considered himself fortunate to have found his "other half" in Jimmy Trimble, even though Trimble's life was tragically cut short.

A Legacy of Honesty and Evolution

Gore Vidal's enduring legacy lies not only in his prolific writing but also in his unwavering intellectual honesty and his willingness to evolve.

He famously stated, "we are all responsive to sexual stimuli from our own as well as from the opposite sex." He recognized that societal norms, while often restrictive, have historically attempted to control sexuality, particularly concerning procreation. Yet, he firmly believed, "homosexuality is a constant fact of the human condition and it is not a sickness, not a sin, not a crime… despite the best efforts of our puritan tribe to make it all three." For Vidal, homosexuality was as natural as heterosexuality, a powerful assertion in a society that often viewed it otherwise.

Vidal's work, though sometimes challenging, consistently pushed boundaries and encouraged readers to question established norms.

His complex narrative evolution, particularly around The City and the Pillar, serves as a powerful reminder of how art can both reflect and shape our understanding of ourselves and the world. He was, indeed, a unique voice, an urbane commentator who skewered absurdity with unparalleled wit.

As Vidal himself might have put it, he was sui generis, and the void he leaves in the literary and cultural landscape is undeniable.