Other than this blog, I don't often allow myself the luxury of creative writing. Mindful of my New Year's Resolution to stride boldly down the path of self-improvement, I found a course online that seemed perfect. Two sessions a week, accessible whenever (so as to not interfere with my painting, socializing and other activities).
Am I ever disappointed! First of all, the lessons are trite. One of them involved about 4 pages of reading. What did I learn? That if you want to write well, you should read lots of material in your genre. Really? Groundbreaking stuff.
Secondly, the course guidelines caution us against pettling our wares (Avon, used cars, etc.) on the message boards used to share our writing assignments with our peers. Perfectly understandable. Why, then, does our instructor, at every opportunity (yes, even in response to a totally unrelated assignment on personifying a color), tout the books she's written about death and dying?
The kicker came in the last assignment's instructions. We were advised to go to our local newspaper and use an article as a starting point for a piece of creative writing. Hmmm. I've done that before, in Fr. Bede's class at St. Francis, and it was an interesting exercise. My bubble was burst when the instructor issued a caveat-- we're not to write about anything "disturbing." Say what? Not only do I live in Chicago and-- duh-- EVERYTHING in the paper is disturbing, but did I fall asleep and wake up in Afghanistan? Is there a pile of burning books in my backyard?
I could not let this go without questioning a little thing called "free speech." So this is what I submitted for my assignment:
I will do this week’s assignment, but I will not submit it because I fear that I am misunderstanding the instructions, particularly, “Please keep in mind that if you choose to submit your writing, the topic should be without violence, etc., and issues that may trouble some of your peers.” What exactly is the “etc.” and how am I to know what will “trouble” my peers?
I know that a few of my classmates are from other countries, but the quote above seems in contrast to another quote, this one from America’s Bill of Rights, in which our founding fathers rebelled against the prohibition of free speech. I’m confused. It seems as if the assignment, by limiting our topics in such an arbitrary way so as to not “trouble” someone else, we would be denying a right that many fought and died to protect.
Thank goodness Anne Frank or Edgar Allan Poe didn’t have to worry about troubling their readers. I’m thankful, too, that the Bible is not subject to a restriction on literary violence, especially with verses such as these: Isaiah 13:16 "Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished." or Exodus 32:27 ". . . Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour."
For my assignment, I do not intend on writing a murderous, curse-world filled diatribe full of perversion. However, I feel uncomfortable with the thought that my words would be censored if I somehow hit on the “etc.” that is not clearly defined in the assignment’s instructions.. I guess I’m more aligned in my viewpoint with Voltaire, when he said, “Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too. “
Am I a smartass? Guilty! But I have a serious problem with having my rights stomped on. Yes, be creative, but let some random person confine me to a box of acceptibility? Wow. The instructor did indeed respond to my submission by once again inviting me to submit only G or PG rated material. A few of my peers also posted a reaction to my essay-- in favor of my arguments, so I'm feeling pretty good about it now. I'm sure I've made an enemy of my instructor and she won't be recommending me for a Pulitzer prize any time soon, but I stood up for what I believe in. The freedom to do that, my friends, is what makes this country great.
No comments:
Post a Comment