It is a pity that St. Augustine’s Confessions did not found a school, and that the style, or rather the type of discourse used there, is found almost nowhere else. This work teaches, in a word, what it means to speak with the utmost sincerity, something that not only any writer, but any man must know. And, in truth, it is impossible to reach such an extreme unless you are speaking to a knowingly omniscient observer, from whom nothing can be hidden and who, for every word you say, knows many more that you could not or would not confess. It is a pity that such a model did not found a school…
Tag: literature
Despite Everything That Can Be Said…
Despite everything that can be said to the contrary, modern literature has made some progress in getting closer to everyday life. And if the banality of plots and characters is sometimes annoying, it is certain that possibilities have opened up in this commonplace scenario, and something new can be said. If the previous tradition expanded the imagination, the new one has led to greater identification with the reader, who now finds it easier to read about his own life narrated by someone else, perhaps venturing into possibilities he had not imagined. In this sense, literature has become richer, and it is good that it has.
Much Can Be Learned From the Way…
Much can be learned from the way these sailors, hunters and other adventurers narrate their experiences. In short, all these narratives consist of the pursuit of a goal, which is hindered by various circumstances. Sometimes the adversity is so great that the goal becomes mere survival. But the narrative always continues with a clear purpose, to which everything else is subordinate. The reader never hesitates about the relative importance of the events, and understands everything so clearly that he feels he is living the story. The story therefore succeeds literarily, presenting the reader with an experience, a life, full of meaning.
It Is Interesting to See How Some of…
It is interesting to see how some of these adventure books make better literature than most fictional novels. It is curious because, at least theoretically, an account sticks to the facts, that is, it comes off as lacking in imaginative possibilities. Even so, it is often better than ingenious mental constructions. Why is that? Certainly not because of the language. As an advantage, one could point to its guaranteed verisimilitude: since it is real, it is easier to convince. But when we think about it a little more, these details give way to the obvious: making good literature is, essentially and simply, telling a good story. If the story is good, the book is good. If it is not good, there is no point in sustaining it with artifice. In the end, it is the same with reports as with fictional literature.