The Stakes of Dictee: An introduction to a famously difficult work

Abstract

hen I was in college, Dictee was the most infamous book I hadn’t read. Multilingual, feral, refusing to explain itself, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s book whispered its secrets only to the initiated. When I opened the cover, I saw Greek Muses, calligraphy, photographs of saints and executions, and, most terrifying of all, prepositions. Even for its acolytes, Dictee remains an elusive oracle. One wellknown poet wrote that she taught the book by having her students write down everything they did not understand. Contrary to popular belief, reading Dictee is possible. Having since become a committed member of the cult, I wanted to write a simple introduction to this most impossible of tomes. The key is The Stakes of Dictee An introduction to a famously difficult work