2. King Solomon wrote, "There is nothing new under the sun." Foster applies this precept saying that all "writing and telling belong to one big story." What does he mean by this? How does this idea add to understanding and the richness of the reading experience? How have you seen this principle in action in your own experience with art in general?
When Foster states that writing and telling belong to the same story, he means that in almost if not all texts a reader will encounter in his or her time, it is likely that they will be able to form some sort of a connection to a previously encountered text. A literary writer’s job is to tell their readers a story. While each story is individual and unique, those paying attention can make the connections to something they have seen in their past. There are times when it is intentional, and the connection is used to show an influence on their creative intelligence. Other times it can be used for symbolism. Then sometimes, the writer does not even realize they are making a connection.
There are times when the influence is quite noticeable. For example, In the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series, there is an obvious connection to mythology. The author, Rick Riorden, explored the common idea of mythology being brought into the modern world. There are other occasions, and this is perhaps what makes this concept so intriguing, when the connection being made is something so subtle that it often goes unrecognized. This was seen in several books I have read. One, for instance, is in John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars”. There is a scene that seems to carry little significance at first glance, showing a green car and a blinking green stop light. However, Green would later admit that it was meant to symbolize the blinking green light shown at the end of the dock in, “The Great Gatsby”. This concept allows readers to understand the story better, and it deepens our knowledge on the point of the text and where the writer’s mind might have been when he/she was creating the text.
I completely agree with your interpretation of Foster's description between writing and storytelling. Its another line of communication in writing to get the point across with little references to other widely known texts that really makes the reading experience more personal. Whether it is intentional or not, writers add another layer of complexity to their writing when they use barely noticeable references. I actually never noticed that reference to "The Great Gatsby" in "The Fault in Our Stars" until you mentioned it and now it changes my perspective on that specific part of the story. I love the emphasis on how you think referencing other texts and develops our knowledge not only of the story itself , but also of where the writer's mind was when creating their own unique story.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with what you just said. I remember whenever I was reading about this section in the book, I found myself becoming more and more intrigued. I typically use allusion in a lot of my writings, but I have never thought about it in this particular way. As for the examples that you listed, I have never noticed them despite all of the times that I have watched Percy Jackson or read The Fault in Our Stars. However, I will now go back and check them out again because it has made me even more interested. Who knows, if I look closely enough, then I might find even more than what's expected.
ReplyDeleteI agree that sometimes a writer will make connections so subtle that you barely notice. These are my favorite kind of connections because when you finally understand them it makes you feel like you have an even better understanding of the text. I have read “The Fault in Our Stars” at least six times and I never noticed the connection to “The Great Gatsby” until I read it again last year right after we read “The Great Gatsby” in class. When the reader finally notices a connection like this in a book, like I did, it can make them feel proud and make them want to read more books so that they can continue making those connections.
ReplyDeleteI find allusions being made all the time in books. They can go as far back as the bible and only those with a wide variety of material can really get it. I'll notice these allusions when I read over something. I'll catch myself reading a line over and over again as if trying to figure something out.
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