Question

It's hard to shake the feeling that Will Self's peculiar brand of participatory journalism- manifest in his 2007 Essay collection 'Pyhchogeography' and now in this electrifying follow up, 'Physco-Too' -is part of the very machinery that created both our modern landscapes and our contemporary angst. What does the term 'peculiar' mean in this context?

1) not busy
2) belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
3) clearly revealed to the mind or the sense of judgment
4) easy to perceive

Answer 1

In Will Self's 'Psycho-Too,' the term 'peculiar' means something odd or unusual, highlighting his distinctive writing style that contributes to expressing complex ideas about modernity and place.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of the question regarding Will Self's style in 'Psycho-Too,' the term 'peculiar' refers to something that is distinctively odd or unusual, not fitting neatly into the expectations or norms of participatory journalism. This term emphasizes the unique qualities of Self's writing style, which is integral in expressing modern landscapes and contemporary issues, much like geographers use unique methodologies to understand the symbolic and practical construction of landscapes.

References in the passages to 'peculiar' aspects of a dwelling, local culture, or the experiential revelations of difference all invoke a sense of being markedly different from the usual or normal. Within these contexts, 'peculiar' is employed to underscore a deviation from what is considered typical or customary and can sometimes present a challenge to convention or draw attention to a unique quality worth pondering in its singularity.