Writing Diary #3
Dystopian inspiration and some other stuff
I’ve got a lot on my mind. Just ask my wife: She woke up on Saturday morning to a very, very, very long onslaught of thoughts that had been begging to escape my mind. I’ve been on the receiving end of that before, and it’s rough, but she was kind about it.
Many of my thoughts find their roots in the book I’ve had glued to my hands: Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel, Fahrenheit 451. (I’m re-reading it because my students are reading it for class.) There is no place for me to begin or end talking about the book, just a flood of thoughts. I love the book. I love Clarisse McClellan. I really enjoy Roy’s style of story-telling too.
On top of producing a flood of thoughts, the book has also aided me in my writing. I’d been stuck for some time, writing less and less with each day because of exhaustion, a lack to time, a lack of impetus, and a deserted mental storehouse of ideas. The book has invigorated me. It’s given words to me that I was missing, and now my thoughts can once again flow unimpeded. My hands are writing once again.
Clarisse (a character in the novel) has been particularly inspiring. I see in her a kindred spirit, a muse. Her words are my own words, page after page; and, I see myself in her and see myself more truly because of her. Like Montag I sense that she is the gentle, warm candlelight of self-rediscovery and transformation.
From the Church Calendar
Tuesday after III Sunday after Epiphany Commemoration of St. Emerentiana, Virgin & Martyr 2024 A.D.
From My Reading
From Fahrenheit 451. A conversation between Guy Montag, professional fireman (book-burner), and Clarisse McClellan, a seventeen-year-old girl.
“You think too many things,” said Montag uneasily.
“I rarely watch the ‘parlor walls’ or go to races or Fun Parks. So I’ve lots of time for crazy thoughts, I guess. Have you seen the two-hundred-foot-long billboards in the country beyond town? Did you know that once billboards were only twenty feet long? But cars started rushing by so quickly they had to stretch the advertising out so it would last.”
“I didn’t know that!” Montag laughed abruptly.
“Bet I know something else you don’t. There’s dew on the grass in the morning.”
He suddenly couldn’t remember if he had known this or not, and it made him quite irritable.
“And if you look” —she nodded at the sky— “there’s a man in the moon.”
He hadn’t looked for a long time.
Paul Kingsnorth and Martin Shaw, two individuals whom I esteem highly, were interviewed in this podcast, and I would recommend it to you. It’s a bit long but can be listened to easily in short increments over time.
I would also recommend that you explore each one’s life and writing. Some of my favorite things about them: Their deep connection to the earth, profound awareness of the sacredness of nature, their wild spirits, and their love for beautiful writing and story-telling. (It just so happens that they’re both recent converts to Orthodoxy. Huzzah!)
Some Thoughts & Stories
When I introduced Fahrenheit 451 to my classes last week I told them that (in more than one way) they are Bradbury’s dystopia. I didn’t tell them how, but I can see it so clearly — not just in them but in my own family and friends too. It’s everywhere: A world largely indifferent about books, addicted to entertainment, full of automation and technological commodities, gluttonous for pleasure, lacking deep thought or primal curiosity about the world, non-conversational and anti-social, obsessed with screens and those blasted Seashells (headphones), lacking a concern for or awareness of nature, a pervasive personal and institutional preoccupation with intolerance (including specific words, ideas, and literature). The two worlds are so often and increasingly indistinguishable.
That said, a student made a comment yesterday when we began discussing the book. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.
Student: [To me] Is this supposed to be a bad world?
Others: Yeah, dude. It’s a dystopia. That’s not a good thing.
Student: No, I know what a dystopia is. But I’m asking if it is supposed to be a dystopia because everything about it sounds like a utopia to me. It sounds great.
Writing Updates
In my first writer’s diary (here) I vaguely alluded to some upcoming changes to Orthodox Pilgrim. I am truly excited about these changes which will result in an almost-total overhaul of the publication. All of it will come slowly, alas. I am not bothered by that, though, because I am more concerned with quality and thoughtfulness of each implemented change than I am with speed.
I’m working hard to get these changes going, but in the meantime I appreciate your patience and support as I put out very simple and small conglomerations of writing like these diary posts.
On a side note, I have three concurrent book ideas floating around in my mind, two of which I am actively working on. One takes place in a mythical world, another in our world, and the third consists of reflections on the world of The Last Airbender, one of the greatest kids’ shows ever made.
Closing Out
I am thankful for good literature like Fahrenheit 451 that simultaneously engages the mind and strengthens the heart. I’m also grateful that my job requires me to read and teach good literature — a blissful burden if you ask me! Though life has been full of many and great burdens, and time — so fleeting! — seems to be my enemy, the beauty of Bradbury’s novel is daily breaking through my time-ly despair.
Life is truly worth living when you have a good book in hand and a pen and notebook in your pocket.
Until next time.
I’m almost done reading Dostoevsky’s The Idiot and was looking to read a dystopian sci-fi (Fahrenheit 451 being one of my options). I think you have sold me on this novel.
In Jake Meador’s most recent Mere Orthodoxy article he referenced Paul and Martin’s interview. That’s twice within a week it has been mentioned to me. I will most definitely give this interview a listen now!
Your reflections on Fahrenheit 451 reminded me of a lyric that has left no small impression on my life since I first heard it. The first verse begins with “bodies in sway to melody absent of rhythm”, and towards the end of the verse, the lyrics are “black mirror scripture imparts / in a world as foreign to us as our own hearts.” I have never looked at technology and our culture in the same way since.
I’m quite partial to your reflections on The Last Airbender. That was my childhood!
I enjoy this new format. God bless you, brother!
Have you read - THE MACHINE by EM Forester ? Highly recommend. Look forward to more! And Adam says hi!