Bellingham says that “The novelist who could interpret the common feelings of commonplace people would have ‘the riddle of the painful earth’ on his tongue.” This is an allusion to Tennyson’s poem “The Palace of Art,” and refers to the human “riddles” that result from trying to find Truth and Right in a confusing/disheartening/painful world. Do you agree that a writer is likely to find Truth and Reality in the daily experiences, thoughts, and objective reality of commonplace people’s lives? Or, on the other hand do you side with the Romantics who believed that a writer can only approach the Truth through abstract symbolism, stylized settings and characters, and an emphasis on individual perspectives? On the third hand, do you think Truth and Reality can’t be approached at all and both kinds of writers should instead just embrace the simulacra?
It has to be a combination of both because if you have too much abstraction, your point will be lost, but if your writing is too boring, nobody will care what you have to say.
ReplyDelete-asmigelsky
I think a writer can get an IDEA of the truth and reality from daily experiences but I think the truth and reality is such a big idea to that there comes a point where the writer has to embrace the simulacra and understand that they can glimpse the idea but not actually be able to put it all down and say okay THIS is the truth and reality. -iloveorange52
ReplyDeleteI think that authors should just accept that there is no reality in our experiences and write just to make people think about ideas that act to do nothing more than keep them occupied.
ReplyDeleteSue
This made me ask if Truth can be defined at all. Can a writer perhaps describe the idea of Truth instead of pinpointing it? But, in a Post-Modern philosophy, that which is real can be replicated--so maybe each author creates their own little truth in their musings on common life.
ReplyDeleteFord Prefect
Reality and truth are both subjective. One person's reality may be anyother person's dream, and their definitions may even be different. I don't think that abstract symbolism can convey truth, but you have to ask yourself if those symbols exist in everyday life. Every person is going to have a different idea for both of those terms.
ReplyDelete-Yellow Rose
I think truth and reality vary for everyone, which is what makes it virtually undefinable.
ReplyDeleteThe novelist who could interpret the common feelings of commonplace people would have ‘the riddle of the painful earth’ on his tongue.”
ReplyDeleteNot everyone is common, there's this thing called "social classes". There's always going to be pain, pain is never avoidable, but you can take the situation and use it to the fullest.
Author's can create sadness and laughter, and maybe a long lasting impact, but their not solving a 'riddle'?
-cheers
Truth and Reality are all based on individual experiences that are tied to emotions, and because of this each interpretation of truth/reality is going to be different making it nearly impossible to reach a collective definition of truth or come to agreement. For this reason I think it is best to embrace the simulacra because of the subjectivity or each.
ReplyDeleteBecky
A big T truth will never be found. With the realization of the infinite hypotheses theory, Society will only move closer to Truth, but never reach it. This isn't necessarily a bad goal, but I don't think it's realistic to try and focus on the Truth. Embrace the simulacra and focus on your own perspectives and be content.
ReplyDeleteOrangutan
Maybe it's less important to focus on conveying truth (Truth?) but more important to try and leave the readers with something to think about so they can decide what is truth for themselves.
ReplyDelete-jumping.lily
Who is the common people? It is impossible to try to represent or find a truth for everyone because everyone has had different experiences and have different ways of thinking of things. Each individual interpretation is different in some way or another and while I dont believe that we should completely sucumb to the simulacra and simulation because it seems to give off a feeling of pre destination because it is saying that there is no truth or real world so it doesnt matter what you do because none of it is real and I just severly dislike the idea that I cannot choose my own individual truth.
ReplyDeleteThere is no real truth in the world. When the TRUTH is actually found in the world there will be world peace, no death or pain, and the garden of Eden will one again be here on earth. While there is still pain and suffering, death and war, misunderstanding and hate, the truth cannot be found because only God knows the truth and without that pure prescence influencing the world the truth will stay obscure.
ReplyDelete-laxchickie
The common people could be a number of people based upon your status and where one stands in society...who is common? Until this is universally portrayed the truth of the common people cannot be defined.
ReplyDelete-laxchickie
Personally I think that a writer who is trying to find Truth and Reality to share to the rest of the world is fighting a losing battle because there is no one Truth or Reality. Instead people should look to find their own truths and realities through daily life but also through abstractness.
ReplyDeleteHasty "G"
It is hard to learn emotion from something you read. You can learn about correct sentence structure, and about the history of America when you read, but I would be really impressed if someone feels exactly what the author feels through a novel. Just embrace the simulacra! Learn from this world that we think is real, feel the emotions that are stimulated by the matrix!
ReplyDelete-Dat Ca Iz Tow Up
I think that you can reach reality through daily experiences and such but I also think that you can reach it through abstract symbolism. Different concepts have different effects on people. In the very bizarre book "A Wrinkle in Time" there is so much symbolism and abstract thoughts but it relates very directly with reality. I personally learned a lot more about reality and people then I learned from any non-fiction books I’ve read.
ReplyDeleteAnita Goodman
Im glad we have a third hand to weigh our options on although we probably need more...
ReplyDeleteEmbracing the simulacra gives everyone the chance to take hold of their own lives, so it does not really have to be a painful earth. It cannot be a earth without struggle at this point, but we do not have to be in a state of despair.
-leo
I agree with polarbear47. Every one has different realities so who is to say whether they are right or wrong. Which make it hard to describe.
ReplyDeleteI suppose Truth is defined in numerous different ways... a different one for every person! Some may agree with the the prompt question definitions of Truth. But for me, Truth doesn't involve literature, nature, reality, and all that jazz. For me, Truth comes from God and my faith in Jesus Christ. So some may find Truth through the world. I find it though the One who saved the people in the world.
ReplyDeletelillipbaum
I don't really think it can be described, God. :)
ReplyDeleteI just have a question. What is the definition of truth. I know this is like the unanswerable question. But if I say "I woke up this morning at 6:10," isn't that true? (I actually did wake up at six ten) :)
ReplyDeleteDo you think that truth is something bigger than statements? Some things we can't prove are true, but isn't that last statement true? This confuses me.
-Yellow Rose
I like the idea of using both transcedentalist and realist techniques in writing to try and convey a meaningful message.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we neeed elements from both to leave any sort of meaningful conclusion with the reader
-jumping.lily
I think it's possible to glimpse the beginnings of Truth and Reality through the commonplace person's life. But I think there needs to be some element of the abstract added in to form a complete idea of the things that no one can really define or explain.
ReplyDeleteUp and Over