Thursday, June 23, 2011

"All a poet can do is warn."


Welcome to the Literary Blog Hop
hosted by The Blue Bookcase!

This week's prompt: 
 Should literature have a social, political, or any other type of agenda?
Does having a clear agenda enhance or detract from its literary value?


My reply:

"To have something to say is
a question of...endless(ly) trying
to dig out the essential truth, the essential justice."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald

"The artist is not a person endowed with free will
who seeks his own ends,
but one who allows art
to realize its supreme purpose through him.
- Carl Jung

"We are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are.
Sheep lice do not seem to share this longing,
which is one reason why they write so little."
- Anne Lamott

"Remarks are not literature."
- Gertrude Stein
 
"All a poet can do is warn."
- Wilfred Owen

"All that I hope to say in books,
all that I ever hope to say,
 is that I love the world."
— E.B. White


This blog hop is open to blogs
that primarily feature book reviews of literary fiction,
classic literature, and general literary discussion.



Posted by at

17 comments:

  1. Lenasledgeblog.comJune 23, 2011 at 8:01 PM

    I think a writer should write to please himself, even if what he says only makes sense to him. Readers/public can be fickle. Its best to just be you and if you're interesting, hopefully you will have something interesting to say.

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  2. LoniJune 23, 2011 at 8:40 PM

    The quotes are an excellent way to answer this week's prompt. I especially like the one from Jung. Thanks!

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  3. @parridhlanternJune 24, 2011 at 4:04 AM

    Some great quotes, here's another-
    “We come into the world intent on finding narrative in everything, in the landscape, in the skies, in the faces of others, and, of course, in the images and words that our species create”. - Alberto Manguel.

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  4. Deb Nance at ReaderbuzzJune 24, 2011 at 5:34 AM

    Yes, we are always looking for narrative. Nice quote.

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  5. Mel uJune 24, 2011 at 5:50 AM

    Some very thought inspiring quotes

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  6. CHEJune 24, 2011 at 11:26 AM

    "remarks are no literature" Such a great quote. Its all about the story. These quotes were a great way to answer this question.

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  7. SayethJune 24, 2011 at 11:29 AM

    I love the way you answered this question. It's interesting to see what some of the great writers thought about this subject. Thanks for visiting me over at Free Listens.

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  8. Jo KJune 24, 2011 at 1:54 PM

    "The artist is not a person endowed with free will
    who seeks his own ends, but one who allows art
    to realize its supreme purpose through him." I fell very close to this quote. And I do think a writer must write from him/herself, for his/her own fulfillment.

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  9. LBCJune 24, 2011 at 3:35 PM

    Great quotes. I particularly like the Jung and the Anne Lamott. I do think that writing is a humanistic pursuit, and a search for truth, even if it is just the truth of a moment.

    Here is my post (and a literary giveaway!)

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  10. TheBookGirlJune 25, 2011 at 7:25 AM

    A work that hits me over the head with a message, be it political or social, may be a worthy one, but will, I fear be a distracting one for me.

    Hope your mom is doing okay.

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  11. Ann SummervilleJune 25, 2011 at 8:07 AM

    It's okay to have an agenda. Reader's will decide whether they like it or not based on all aspects.
    Ann

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  12. WickedWillowJune 25, 2011 at 8:19 AM

    Hey I just came across your blog!
    And it's lovely!
    I am following you now!
    I have started my own book blog!
    http://oopsireadthatbook.blogspot.com/
    It's pretty new so it would mean the world to me if you drop by and follow!
    :)

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  13. SandraJune 25, 2011 at 5:26 PM

    Re your note at Fresh Ink Books. I'll definitely enter next month, thanks for telling me. And I have been a Google follower since you began, you're 10th follower to be exact. :)

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  14. Deb Nance at ReaderbuzzJune 25, 2011 at 7:03 PM

    Awww, nice, Sandra. Thank you.

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  15. Carrie at In the Hammock BlogJune 25, 2011 at 8:13 PM

    Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for stopping by and entering the giveaway at my blog! I'm a new follower!

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  16. Julie June 26, 2011 at 8:08 AM

    I love the quotes you chose, and while I do enjoy interesting social commentary in novels, whether explicit or implied, sometimes it's good simply to read for the entertainment value :)

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  17. MedSchoolWifeJune 28, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    Interesting quotes! Not sure I agree with all of them, but they definitely give one lots to think about. Thanks for joining in the hop!

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