King Solomon wrote “There is nothing new under the sun.” This
saying can be perceived in different ways, but the way Foster viewed it changed
my perception of reading for good. Foster says that all writing belongs to one
big story. Saying this he is implying that, there is only one big story made up
of all the literary works of history, that every single new piece of literature
is added to the story and looks similar to the first couple of chapters. The
new chapters look similar to the old ones because all new writing has similarities
and parts that resemble the original works. Some authors even draw their ideas
for books from other authors previous works. Just as history repeats itself, so
does writing. Knowing that all books are somewhat similar, but also completely different
makes is amazing. This information also makes me realize how brilliant some
authors are. They came up with such amazing pieces that they are still read
today, and other authors are inspired by them to make their own literary piece.
Whether it looks completely new or is almost the exact replica of another book;
all writings carry a message. One good example of how this occurs is in a new
movie “Kong: Skull Island” Actor Samuel L. Jackson is flying in a helicopter through a storm and is giving a speech to his men about the story of Icarus and his
father. Reminding them not to fly too high, because the wind will make them lose
control and crash; just like Icarus flew too high and the sun melted the wax causing him to fall into a watery grave. It was a subtle reference to the Greek myth but the symbolism
was wonderful. It just proves Fosters hunch, that all pieces of art draw from previous stories.
Writer Reader Connection (Prompt Four)
Selecting a book written by an author, who is unknown to the reader, is much like attending a blind date. The reader gains a first impression after methodically studying the cover of the novel, much like two individuals who meet for the first time. Both parties are aware that there is a chance the hours of preparation before the date were for naught, and no lasting connection will be created. The chemistry will be quickly noticed wither within the first ten minutes or one hundred pages. Once a connection is sparked it will be difficult to suppress and the first date will turn into dozens, in turn creating a metaphorical series. Then two series later and a shelf or drawer, must be cleared to place the newly collected items brought by a partner the reader never expected to have. This hypothetical situation of a blind date proves that the link between the reader and writer is necessary, and intimate. It is one that cannot be explained to another individual without car...
I really enjoy the way you describe the "one big story" metaphor as a real book, created by millions of authors throughout history, where one can spot the many similarities between books that were written and characters that were created hundreds of years ago to ones that are still being written today and will continue to be made in the future. I also definitely agree with your comment on the brilliance of authors of the past who were able to inspire new authors throughout time. I know while I write, no matter how original I think my ideas and characters are, the influence of every author I have ever looked up to continues to have an impact on what I write. The most famous and well known creators of any form of media are always held up as a standard of what greatness and success should look like, and as a result they area able to help in creating whole new generations of authors who were initially inspired by their works.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with your interpretation of "one big story" and i really enjoyed the way you connected the repetition of history to the repetition of writing. When i deeply thought about your post, it began to make sense to me and open my eyes that most writing truly does repeat itself in some way shape or form. I also enjoyed the piece of art you connected it to. Using a modern film and connecting it to an Greek myth was extremely impressive as well as interesting. I will now pay more attention to all types of art and literature and try to pinpoint the times where history has repeated itself.
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