originality

In literature class last week we read The Raven. It was a beautiful poem, but what was even more beautiful was the essay Poe wrote about how he wrote the poem. I may be strange, but I always try to imagine how writers create fictitious plot lines. It was super cool (straight form the Barbie handbook :P) to get inside the head of such an amazing artist. While talking of his writing process, Poe talked of how he attempted to maintain the aspect of originality in his poems.

" The fact is, originality (unless in the minds of a very unusual force) is by no means, as some suppose, of impulse or intuition. In general, to be found, it must be elaborately sought..."

We discussed this in class and Katie brought up a quote she remembered from C.S. Lewis also on the topic of artistic originality.

"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."

While I cannot deny that Poe was a brilliant poet, I most definitely agree with C.S. Lewis. If I relate this to my dancing, when I try to pick steps and sequences of movement that seem original to me, I often end up being quite the opposite. But when I choose the idea or truth that I want to share with the audience, and let the movements flow from my desire to share it, I will generally find originality. God has given mankind different personalities, perspectives and proficiencies which will together provide us with different ways of expressing His truth. These ways are original to the rest of mankind because each one of us is a unique individual.