This semester I had to take a creative writing class. Despite a little skepticism early in the semester, I've realized that it has probably been my favorite class of any of the classes I've taken at my current college. I enjoy it FAR more than any of the engineering classes I'm currently taking. That's a post for a later, though.
Right now, I wanted to focus on the topics that people choose. I feel like a lot of work, especially poetry, deals with very dark or very sad topics, and it bothers me a little bit.
Don't get me wrong, I understand why these topics are so prevalent. Unfortunate as it is, the dark and sad end of the spectrum of human emotion is probably stronger than its opposite counterpart. The experiences that leave behind some of the greatest marks are often negative ones. Therefore it makes sense that writing which stems from the thoughts and feelings and experiences of the author should reflect this to a degree.
But here's the thing. We aren't in communist Russia. We aren't oppressed and threatened with death every day. Most of us have pretty decent lives, especially compared to the rest of the world. We all have rough or low spots. We all have bad things happen to us. But we should remember the good things as well.
For that reason, I've made an effort over the past few weeks to write pieces that reflect a little of life's joy. I try to make people laugh with my work. Or if not laugh, then smile. Or if not smile, then appreciate. I want to balance the bad with some of the good. Because I'm a believer that if you tell yourself your life is miserable, then you will be miserable. If you remind yourself of the good things you have in the various aspects of your life, you'll remain a much more balanced and even-keeled person.
Not all of my work has been happy or encouraging, and I'm not saying that my classmates are wrong to write about heavy or depressing topics. I just want to keep things in perspective.
Now if you'll excuse me, this post tastes too much like optimism for my likings. I think I'll go sit in my chair and imagine 1000 different ways for the world to be destroyed. :P
Friday, April 23, 2010
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3 comments:
My poetry professor told me the same thing, to quite being so depressed in most of my writing. There's writing to heal, but both of you now have said that there has to be some kind of opptimistic material. That's always more difficult, it seems, but then again the harder things in life are usually worth the struggle.
*hint at destroying the world* - Death Glare = total annihilation
I sure like to hope that they are.
And I think my death glare is a bit lacking... you'll have to give me lessons sometime.
I agree with the whole outlook on life. If you keep positive, things usually don't seem so bad.
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