-Walter "Red" Smith
This quote is supposed to mean that writing is difficult. It is supposed to mean that writing is a difficult as opening up a vein on your own. It is supposed to mean that writing is something that takes a lot of work. However, I disagree with the supposed meaning of this quote. What I think it really means is that writing is easy. The statement "all you have to do is sit down and open up a vein" can be seen as a metaphor. All you have to do is sit down and write about what you feel and how you feel it. Opening up a vein is the equivalent of opening up your mind and letting it all pour out. I agree that it may be difficult to sift through all of your thoughts. But it's not so hard to write; all you have to do is be willing to display yourself in words for all to see. If you are capable and willing of getting everything out and in the open, then it's not so hard. The hardest thing is not being afraid of showing who you really are.
7 comments:
profound words, brett.
Hmm...I think the quote is mean somewhat sarcastically because of how the phrases "easy" and "open up a vein" are juxtaposed. (Because there is obviously nothing easy about opening up a vein.) However, I disagree with your analysis. I think Smith is actually criticizing those who believe that writing is easy by implying that they think opening a vein is easy. One thing we can agree on is that one of the most difficult aspects of writing is showing who you really are. However, not everyone finds this easy, and that is exactly what Smith means.
That is a good point. I suppose I felt it was easy only if you were willing to open up the vein, and not only see for yourself what was inside, but to share it with others. Of course, you bring up a good point: opening it in the first place is not easy for everybody. However, once it is accomplished, and if you can be comfortable with opening it up, I believe writing is easy.
On second thought, you bring up an excellent point, and I believe you hit the nail squarely on the head. If you check, your thumb is fine, and you feel no pain. The difficult part is opening up the vein: once someone is able to handle it, the writing is free and able to flow, and it becomes an easier task. Still, it is no easy feat.
For instance, I find writing easy, since I (usually) have almost no problem pouring my thoughts onto paper. However, not everyone is this way, and it is not always easy for other people to be so open with their writing. That is what makes it difficult. At that point, it no longer flows naturally; instead, you must refine it to make it flow.
And for the record, Harry Goldfarb (played by actor Jared Leto) had minimal difficulty opening up a vein multiple time in the movie Requiem for a Dream. That would be italicized, but I cannot figure out how to do that yet.
Of course, if I am basing it on a movie involving drug addicts, I should note that Harry Goldfarb has an arm amputated at the end of the movie due to the repeated usage of his veins for drugs.
Now you know why I use historical examples rather than drug movies to prove my points.
ah-ah-ah. I suppose the movies give up complete realism. however, at the same time, it is near impossible to know exactly what history was like. so it's an unusual split. history is probably (probably probably) better.
but you have no historical context on opening up veins!
Very true, ha ha. But history is better if we assume a small degree of common sense, which is necessary to interpret this quote anyway.
very true. I am in accordance with you.
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