Thursday, September 15, 2011
Who am I? Why am I here?
Well, quite simply, i'm here because i want to be. I'm kinda into literature, as some of you remember from that bingo-style game we played; and i hope this course will allow me to create my own stories, and not just empty, happy, lucky-go bullcrap. Good stories, with a message. See, writing for the sake of writing is great and all - some of the best stuff I've ever read has had nothing to say: no message to get across, but i think a good story has to have a message; and not a pointless, cynical message like in The Nose. I'm talking about a real message, something that's insightful, useful, and worthwhile. Something that gets you thinking, and something that can improve your life. In my opinion, if a story has nothing to say, it's just a story.
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well said! i liked your use of humour that added life to what you had to say. nothing is worse than a long-winded rant that goes nowhere. :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely agree with all of this, really looking forward to creating our own stories and developing really deep meanings behind them.
ReplyDelete@ Shenelle: hey! I am a fan of the long-winded rants. Especially when they are so beautifully written that you forget your are reading meaningless crap!
ReplyDeleteBut really, @ Richard...so a semester of existentialism leaves your craving and demanding meaning, eh? Okay...Can't wait to hear your response to Hell Screen! And to a bunch of other things we are going to read...
It's gonna be fun:)
Well, like i said, some of the best material I've read hasn't had a message, and Hell Screen just further proves that point; but I feel like writing should have a purpose. What I mean is, it's just an escape from reality if it doesn't have a point. What i want to do with my writing is draw attention to real issues (like pollution), and not just elicit an emotional response from the reader.
ReplyDeleteHell Screen doesn't have a message? I bed to differ;)
ReplyDeleteI think that we can apply something to it, we can say it means something, but i think that Ryunosuke didn't write it to get a point across. I'll use the giraffe as an example. What if the author had never intended it to be about social acceptance... or whatever. What if it was just about a giraffe that was brought to his village when he was a kid, and we just made all that meaning up?
ReplyDeleteHow very existentialist of you Richard but...
ReplyDeleteI think that it is insulting to writer's to think that they didn't intend something with their work. We must remember that, although English teachers don't always know what they are talking about, the research that the pedagogy is based on is sound. We will have a chance to meet some authors this semester (hopefully) and in talking to them you will see that what they do is CRAFT something together--for explicit effect and purpose. Some do it more craftily than others, and some craft it to have no meaning--but I think it denies the artist's integrity to say that they didn't intend it. Now, maybe they didn't intend Ms Cat to see what she sees or Richard to see what he sees, but they intended something. As readers, we are detectives trying to figure out what it is they intended. And trying to keep our bias and lenses out of the way. As writer's, when we read we analyze decisions and by doing so we appreciate the great lengths authors go through to attempt to achieve their goals. It isn't called Writer's Craft for nothing:)
I know this may sound pushy because really, if there is no purpose, I am out of a job, but I truly believe that writer's do things on purpose, for purpose. Check out George Orwell's "Why I Write". If i knew how to put a link into a comment I would :) In fact, next year, I should probably use that essay in my introduction to the course!
The first time through i really didn't get that, but reading Orwell's essay put things in the proper context. And yes, you DEFINITELY should use that essay in your introduction to this course next year.
ReplyDeleteBut that brings up the question: what was Ryunosuke trying to say? don't get caught up in your work? And if so, what kind of political purpose is that? To me, it just seems far too obvious, and superficial to be his meaning, and if it is, than he is far too concerned with his other motives. Or, maybe Japanese society and culture around the first world war were just so different from our own that i can't possibly understand what he's trying to say. I dunno, Maybe his point just went over my head. I should probably read hell screen again.
Richard...you are such a fast reader. I wish I had that kind of talent...I would be so much better in life if I could get through things at the rate at which you get through them...
ReplyDeleteI don't think you missed it. And it may not seem that profound but when we consider who caught up he was, and why...I think the profundity becomes a little clearer. Isn't art noble? Can an artist be a bad person? Can hell be what we create rather than an afterlife setting? Sometimes it's not about the story actually 'saying' something but just raising questions about things we often take for granted.
This being said, i don't feel theme is the strong suit of this story, but it's there and it's interesting on some levels.
I like your views Ms Cat ;). I believe that no matter what you write, it always has some sort of meaning.. whether it's to you or to your audience. Although some people are good at writing for the sake of writing, but I believe good writers write their story from a part of their mind whether it's unconscious or not. with all that said and judging by your blog, you seem interesting and determined to write with a meaning so I'm excited to hear your stories after we write them!
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