Words from the Wise and Otherwise, Part Two
Dear Reader,
I decided on round two of these for today, not least because I stumbled upon this Ambrose Bierce quote that always makes me chuckle:
By the way, dear reader, did you ever happen to consider the possibility that you are a lunatic, and perhaps confined in an asylum? It seems to you that you are not—that you go with freedom where you will, and use a sweet reasonableness in all your works and ways; but to many a lunatic it seems that he is Rameses II, or the Holkar of Indore
Ambrose Bierce. A Cynic Looks at Life. 1912.
In order to completely whirl you around as readers, I’ll move us from Bierce’s consideration to one philosophical on the other end of the spectrum:
Our magazine writers would be far better employed, if, instead of making our ears constantly resound with reports of civic iniquities, they were, part of the time at least, studying Plato's Republic, and filling mind and soul with the hope of the unadulterated state.
Margaret Sherwood. “The Other Side.” 1916.
I must admit that that particular Plato is one that I’ve read quite poorly myself and am terrified to teach. It’s on my list of re-reads. Then again, I know philosophers who re-read it yearly, finding treasures anew.
But moving away from philosophy and more towards psychology (and also writing craft), the subsequent critique of fiction readers is one that applies to readers of any maturity and profession. Indeed, the question of authorial intent is a major point of contention in literary interpretation and analysis. This quote, though, covers a little less contentious ground:
The careless reader of fiction usually supposes that, since the novelist invents his characters and incidents, he can order them always to suit his own desires: but any honest artist will tell you that his characters often grow intractable and stubbornly refuse at certain points to accept the incidents which he has foreordained for them, and that at other times they take matters into their own hands and run away with the story.
Clayton Hamilton. A Manual of the Art of Fiction. 1918.
That quote might also be connected to the “Reading as a Writer” theme. Turning to John S. Hart, we find words that are, in fact, humbling for any writer if she reflects upon them at all and, perhaps, worthy of giving readers pause as they choose their reading:
So these words which we read, and think we forget, hour by hour, all day long, are continually sinking into the soil of the heart, and influencing imperceptibly the growth of the germs of thought. The aggregate of all these minute, unnoticed influences is prodigious, incalculable.
John S. Hart. In the School-Room. 1868.
Happy reading to you,
Kreigh
P.S. For those interested, although the Zoom link isn’t up yet, the monthly meeting for the Milwaukee chapter of Society of Philosophers in America (SOPHIA) is this Tuesday (tomorrow). The meetings are open community-wide. This month’s topic will be about autonomy while quarantining. In other words, working on that peace of mind. If you’re free and not sick of zooming, please feel welcome to join.