Thursday, July 31, 2008

The Power of Good Writing

I woke up this morning thinking about the power of good writing, specifically the power of metaphor. As I was sitting in bed I was thinking about how important it is for writers to not just write a story, but to write it well. This holds true for the writers of everything, not just books. Writers must weave truth into the fabric of their stories, while also using powerful imagery that will draw in readers. They must know how to write clearly and concisely, while also colorfully. I love what a good book can do to me, where it can take me...back to the world of horse drawn carriages, or into the heart of a struggling Latina girl (think House on Mango Street). I can see the world more fully through books, and step into the hard lives of others to better understand that I live not as an individual, but a part of a whole. Through books, I can see how ideas and actions have consequences-we do not live in a vaccuum.

Furthermore, a good writer does not simply say "Sally and Jeff walked down to the park and started kicking around the ball." Such writing just isn't that interesting, and in many ways it does not do justice to the vastness of life and human experience. Instead the writer may say "In the glistening afternoon sun, Sally and Jeff slowly meandered the streets toward the local park. The newly paved charcoal streets puffed clouds of steam after the earlier downpour. With each footstep, droplets of newly formed sweat trickled down the children's rosy brows. As they approached their grassy destination, Sally commented to Jeff, " sure looks like the perfect afternoon for a swim." Sally briefly considered the feeling of a crisp first plunge into her neighborhood pool, water enveloping her small body as she cascaded below the shiny surface. Suddenly Jeff brought Sally back into the present, "hey, let's play soccer!" And with that, Jeff dropped his black and white round of air to the ground and began dribbling..."

I could go on...

Good books help us work through intricate pieces of our lives that are often hidden away deep in our hearts. They can help us see our capacity to influence the world, for both good and evil. They can help us to dream big dreams, to look beyond our 30 mile radius into the broader world. They can help us consider what community looks like, what faithfulness looks like, what genuine love looks like. They also can help us see human suffering, evil, and death as what they truly are-a reality, but one that looks like goodness and perfection gone awry.

I really like what poet and NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) head Dana Gioia has to say about the power of books in this essay: http://www.danagioia.net/essays/elonely.htm

Here are a few lines that stuck out to me...

"Our inner lives are as rich and real as our outer lives, even if they remain mostly unknowable to others. Perhaps that is why books matter so much. They serve as our intimate companions. Some books guide us. Others lead us astray. A few rescue or redeem us. All of them confide something of the wonder, joy, terror, and mystery of being alive."

"I read good books for enjoyment just as I did each issue of Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, or the Fantastic Four. I can’t think of better ways to learn than through pleasure and curiosity. I guess the reason these two qualities play so small a role in formal education is that they are so subjective and individual. Curiosity and delight can’t be institutionalized."

If you've never read any of Gioia's writing or poetry, I would strongly urge you to start. He is a pretty thoughtful, articulate man. Additionally, I think he has a firm grasp on the richness and complexity of human life...in the sense that he knows that life is rich and complex, not so much that he has all the answers (if you know what I mean).

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