High-School Classes on English Composition - Essay Example

On Writing Hemingway’s ment that “there is no rule on how it is to write” reminds me of my high school es on English composition. Whenever I was given a writing assignment like an ‘outline story’, I was also given a set of rules by the teacher. I had to construct the story keeping in mind the time in which it happened/happens. I had to adhere to a specific tense, most preferably the past tense. I had to use simple, grammatical English sentences that allowed me as much freedom as the various forms of past tense promised. I had also to think about the narrative – whether it was going to be a first/second/third person narrative, and here too, there was something most preferable. To play it safe, I always ended up writing something in the third person, recounting events and human experiences as if they are affixed permanently to the past. As these exercises were also for the evaluation of how well I have assimilated the grammatical concepts of the language, there was not much protest from my part and I never felt restricted regarding the expression of my thoughts and feelings through language. However, as I was exposed in due course of time to some of the great literary works our times, I noticed how language had been appropriated by many creative writers who have contributed to the evolution of language itself, over the centuries. Needless to say, my writing also has undergone a sea-change, especially with the help of the course that I have taken. Hemingway’s prose, which most people found in the beginning as an unacceptable, fragmentary one appealed to me as something that carries the raw and fresh force of a de-romanticized life. I have tried to create my own rules, which I confess would not have been possible without a clear understanding of the ways in which the language operates. Hence, as I am not wholly resentful of my high school teacher who made it sure that I learnt all the tricks of the languages the conventional way, I have also ventured to explore the unfamiliar realms of it use. I have realized that I cannot set any norms on my writing pattern. There is no hard-and-fast rule as regards the writing-schedule in a day or the quality or quantity of writing. Though the writing exercises have been immensely useful to me, there had been times when I realized that writing systematically, ostensibly under deadlines, may not bring out the best from me. They may help me direct better, focus on my own weaknesses and strengths and lead to some sort of proactive self-research. But when it comes to creative writing, what is more important may be the necessity to find oneself in an ideal ambience that may evoke one to writing naturally. Having said that, I guess one must also bear in mind that any deliberate attempt to ‘create’ such a natural ambience will be a paradox in itself and may have a disruptive effect. However, as one takes writing seriously, various experiences related to it have to be faced and I have quite a few experiences where I find myself agreeing with Hemingway that “sometimes it comes easy and perfect” and “sometimes it is like drilling rock and blasting it out with charges”. Even in times when I was under the spell of a great inspiration and in dire need to get it out of my system through words, it had not always been easy to go through the process of giving expression to my inner thought and feelings. But there had been times when I had no clear idea on the things I had to write, but when I started the process of writing just for the sake of it, felt possessed by some ideas that occurred to me from nowhere and was able to produce some writing that proved to be appealing and significant to the readers. This must have happened to me when I was in school as well, but it does not seem that I have taken serious note of it then. When one is faced with the task of self-reflective writing like this, such thoughts emerge and change one’s outlook and writing practices for the better, I believe. My experiences of writing have also led me to a clear understanding that writing needs a lot of attention from the writer and a feeling of dissatisfaction with what one writes is crucial to its improvement. One has to be one’s own judge here. External advices and suggestions may be helpful, but there are chances that one would tend to stick to what s/he had written using the precious time, expressing the thoughts and feelings that are special and dear to her/him. It takes a lot of reasoning and persuasive arguments to influence someone when it comes to altering subjective views and expressions. But it can be much easier if things are explained generally and the person is sensitized and left to her/his writing and its improvement, provided they have a good command over the language they are using. I have experienced a permanent dissatisfaction with my writing as I was evoked more to the tactics and aesthetic concerns of it. I have always felt the need to improve and to revise my writing. Once I was not restricted to the rules that I had to take into account in writing the outline story exercises at school, I realized the burden of my freedom. I had to be more responsible, as I created my own rules. I had to rise up to no one else’s expectations but mine. I had to satisfy myself, which was much more difficult than satisfying others who knew little of my capabilities and flaws. I had to rise up to the level that I have set for myself, and it was not easy. But I must affirm that it was much more pragmatic and effective than the kind of writing exercises I did at my school or college which mainly done for the sole purpose of getting evaluated/graded by others. When there are not many restrictions on the topic, language or narrative, one tends to make sure that a personal style evolves, which puts all the criteria of good writing into good effect. Here I have felt and experienced the “perpetual challenge” of writing that Hemingway mentions and also realized that “it makes me happy when I do it well.” I am quite positive that I have also developed the “most essential gift for a good writer” that Hemingway talks of. My “built-in, shockproof, shit detector” may need more time to meet the demands of public shit detection, as I am yet to receive responses from prospective readers of the present times. Even though I try to believe that I have known and experienced the spirit of the times as everyone else does, it will take a long time for me to learn at least some among the myriad ways to connect to the various fragmented communities of this world and their emotional and intellectual needs. My experiences of playing the unkind, resolute editor to my own writing had been successful to an extent, as I am proud to state. It had not been the same in the mechanical writing I did for my previous academic courses where I have surely improved my writing ‘skills’ for practical purposes, but never learnt how to use it effectively to communicate to the deeper elements of humankind. I have also realized the evolution of my mindscape, as I believe that good writing calls for deep introspection and makes our mind a space where more ideas, opinions, feelings and emotions can be accommodated from all possible spheres. I am not trying to make a big claim that a writer’s mind is all-perceiving and infallible, but just pointing out the possibilities of accommodating more of human experience if one wishes. Some perceptions may be wrong of course, but I realize from my experience that it is worth trying to expand my mindscape for the sake of writing. If it succeeds, you stand the chance of becoming a perceptive writer and a better human being, and if you fail to strike the right chord, you still gain the benefit of the experience. Hemingway’s ideas on writing seem very true and appealing to me, especially since I have put myself into the task of self-reflective, analytical writing over a period of time. All kinds of experiences and training may prove helpful to a committed creative writer, but the most important factor that decides the quality and relevance of writing is how much one thinks about, and cares for, one’s own writing. One has to set the rules for one’s own writing, find the true ambience for executing it, let the ideas flow as naturally as possible but never leave out the chances of expressing oneself under great pain and difficulty too. Though it makes sense to care for the views of other people on your writing, you need to be your own master when it comes to the choice of a theme or narrative technique, as clear conviction and commitment are more important to writing than any kind of public demand. These are a few things that I got a chance to reflect on and assimilate during the writing exercises. Read More