The idea that perhaps stuck with me the most from the article was Hesse's belief that the book will find revival once it is hailed as not a predecessor to film or other multi-media, but as a unique art form itself. While upon first thought, film seems a much more immersive choice to convey a story, showing rather than telling, film does not portray the literary elements that make books such an art form. For example, in film one can actually see the scene described in a book, or hear the subtle nuances of dialog in the actors' delivery, but a film cannot convey syntax or word manipulation as it appears in written text.
As an amateur artist myself, it is interesting to see writing as an art in the same sense as painting. Just as a painting begins with a rough sketch, then is painted over with base colors, and finally embellished with details, highlights, and shadows before it is deemed complete, one can write an essay with the same appreciation for the craft. I like to view my rough draft as my sketch, a brief outline to establish the structure of the final product I hope to create. Then writing my second draft I equate to adding a base coat, making the purpose and brunt of piece clear. My final, and favorite, step is fleshing out the piece, adding in metaphors and richening imagery, just as I would shade over my base coat with darker paint to add dimension.
It is these details added in a piece of writing, like a playful metaphor or clever juxtaposition that would not translate in film as they would in writing. I believe that as a member of a generation that views cinema as a more entertaining medium than novels, I often am prone to overlook the unique elements of literature that make it an equally valuable art form for not only academia, but also leisure. I hope that Hesse is correct in his belief books will once more rise in popularity as they are valued separately from film, but I fear that with the technological revolution that is occurring now, it is more likely for cinema to be replaced with a third even more commonplace medium to further compete with the popularity of literature.
I enjoyed your connection between the process of creating an art piece and writing. I also hope that Hesse is right about the rise of the book. I find books more immersive than films because I have a part in creating the world being described. I actively have to fill in the missing details to craft the image portrayed by the author rather than allowing a screen to provide me with the picture. However, I agree that our generation tends to dismiss books as purely educational and we rarely tend to appreciate their entertainment value. I never considered the idea of a third medium replacing both books and films; it's an interesting thought!
ReplyDelete