"Literature is the best way to overcome death. My father, as I said, is an actor. He's the happiest man on earth when he's performing, but when the show is over, he's sad and troubled. I wish he could live in the eternal present, because in the theater everything remains in memories and photographs. Literature, on the other hand, allows you to live in the present and to remain in the pantheon of the future.
First variant:
Many famous people seem to take literature as a way to keep themselves remembered, even after they're gone from this world. Maybe it's because I'm not a famous person, maybe it's because I've not reached the stage in life when such things really plug themselves into my mind, but literature does not hold that kind of meaning for me.
I have read lots of books in my life. I immersed myself into their worlds - each one different yet similar to the other, each one with its own special ingredient that makes me not want to return to the mundane world of everyday life. Somewhere along the way, I decided to try writing my own story, and soon I became just as entranced in writing my own stories as I was in reading those of other writers.
For me, writing is a way of releasing tension and escaping from the world around me. When I write, I concentrate only on my writing, and I feel as if the whole world with all its problems floats right past me. I enjoy immersing myself in the worlds which I create from my imagination, taking my seat inside the mind of a character, and viewing the world from his or her eyes. I try to always let my characters write the story, instead of letting the story write the characters. This makes every story I write a new adventure.
That's not to say that I do not seek the appreciation of others in my stories. It's just that, for me, having just one person read it and tell me that it's good is enough. I guess this is because the main reason I write is because I love doing so, and everything else, including appreciation of the story, is a secondary pleasure.
Second variant:
There is a certain kind of magic in books. They are able to transport you to a different world, a world with no limitations, a world where your fantasies take shape, and your imagination is the only thing holding you back. Books make you lose yourself in their world, and forget about all the difficulties and absurdities of the world in which you live. A book is 'run' by the reader's imagination as much as it is by the writer's words, and that is what makes books so special.
Theater and films, for that matter, are different. Sure, they can also show you a different world, but the possibilities are limited to what can be produced on stage. They engage the viewer's vision rather than the imagination and thus are both repetitive and, in most cases rather dull for long stretches. Moreover, theatre and films do not give you an insight into the minds of the characters as much as books do. This makes it difficult to sympathize with the characters.
If I were to choose a way to keep myself remembered, and the two choices were literature and theatre, I would definitely choose literature. Books can be held, passed on, re-read over and over, and each time, the experiences you've had in life would make the journey a little different.
However, I believe that there is no way to really overcome death. When you read a book, or watch a film, what remains isn't the author's name, but the contents of the book. Thus, what actually overcomes death is not the writer, but the words the writer used. That is why, when I write, I do not aim to preserve my name, but rather to enjoy myself as much as possible, and hope that my readers do the same.
-Do I need a title for the essay?
-I need to know if the essay actually answers the question properly... I feel as if I need to include the theater aspect of the question in my answer.
Any other feedback will also be highly appreciated. Thank you.
First variant:
Many famous people seem to take literature as a way to keep themselves remembered, even after they're gone from this world. Maybe it's because I'm not a famous person, maybe it's because I've not reached the stage in life when such things really plug themselves into my mind, but literature does not hold that kind of meaning for me.
I have read lots of books in my life. I immersed myself into their worlds - each one different yet similar to the other, each one with its own special ingredient that makes me not want to return to the mundane world of everyday life. Somewhere along the way, I decided to try writing my own story, and soon I became just as entranced in writing my own stories as I was in reading those of other writers.
For me, writing is a way of releasing tension and escaping from the world around me. When I write, I concentrate only on my writing, and I feel as if the whole world with all its problems floats right past me. I enjoy immersing myself in the worlds which I create from my imagination, taking my seat inside the mind of a character, and viewing the world from his or her eyes. I try to always let my characters write the story, instead of letting the story write the characters. This makes every story I write a new adventure.
That's not to say that I do not seek the appreciation of others in my stories. It's just that, for me, having just one person read it and tell me that it's good is enough. I guess this is because the main reason I write is because I love doing so, and everything else, including appreciation of the story, is a secondary pleasure.
Second variant:
There is a certain kind of magic in books. They are able to transport you to a different world, a world with no limitations, a world where your fantasies take shape, and your imagination is the only thing holding you back. Books make you lose yourself in their world, and forget about all the difficulties and absurdities of the world in which you live. A book is 'run' by the reader's imagination as much as it is by the writer's words, and that is what makes books so special.
Theater and films, for that matter, are different. Sure, they can also show you a different world, but the possibilities are limited to what can be produced on stage. They engage the viewer's vision rather than the imagination and thus are both repetitive and, in most cases rather dull for long stretches. Moreover, theatre and films do not give you an insight into the minds of the characters as much as books do. This makes it difficult to sympathize with the characters.
If I were to choose a way to keep myself remembered, and the two choices were literature and theatre, I would definitely choose literature. Books can be held, passed on, re-read over and over, and each time, the experiences you've had in life would make the journey a little different.
However, I believe that there is no way to really overcome death. When you read a book, or watch a film, what remains isn't the author's name, but the contents of the book. Thus, what actually overcomes death is not the writer, but the words the writer used. That is why, when I write, I do not aim to preserve my name, but rather to enjoy myself as much as possible, and hope that my readers do the same.
-Do I need a title for the essay?
-I need to know if the essay actually answers the question properly... I feel as if I need to include the theater aspect of the question in my answer.
Any other feedback will also be highly appreciated. Thank you.
