¶ … James' "The Art of Fiction" was expecting this essay on the art of fiction to be boring, but instead I found myself agreeing with a lot of what novelist Henry James had to say. Very often I have found that discussions as to what makes art artistic, or how to define art, generally suck the enjoyment out of the art, I was expecting more of the same in James' essay. But what he had to say about the art of fiction made a lot of sense, and I think his point ultimately is that we can decide for ourselves what is good and bad, but the real measure of an artist is found not by measuring them against the standards of the critic or of society, but by the standards of that artist.
To me, this is a very crucial point that James makes. No one can really decide what is good and bad in art; that changes from one historical period to the next and from one culture to the next, and even between individuals. Instead, success can only be determined by the artist. This does not mean that all art can be considered good art; I think that most real artists can admit that there are times when they are less successful at reaching their goals and fulfilling their visions than others. I also think that one of the measures of an amateur artists -- one who will never really be "good" -- is that they cannot clearly define what their intentions were.
My expectations of being slightly bored for the explanations as to why art and fiction is the way James says it is was, unfortunately, somewhat fulfilled -- I am not sure it is possible to discuss the technical details of an art form without making it at least slightly boring. Still, I found the ideas that James had on the subject interesting and valid, and the way he presented them was engaging enough to keep my attention, so in general I think this was a very good critical piece.
Fleda has no artifice about her: she is frank, honest, and acts with an unwavering sense of ethical commitment that is almost as single-minded -- though naturally more varied and nuanced -- as Mrs. Gereth's sense of artistic appreciation. She is a woman of ideas just as much as Mrs. Gereth is a woman consumed by her passion with things. In fact, the dichotomy that these two women represent can
French Romantic painter, Eugene Delacroix, is well-known from this period. Delacroix often took his subjects from literature but added much more by using color to create an effect of pure energy and emotion that he compared to music. He also showed that paintings can be done about present-day historical events, not just those in the past (Wood, 217). He was at home with styles such as pen, watercolor, pastel, and
The medium with which the artist works is also unique in that they are outfits that can and should be worn. The sound suits are designed to be wearable, imparting a grounded character to the exhibit. Instead of taking the suits too seriously, the viewer can imagine them as costumes in which the serious self is left behind in favor of the inner child. Like a mascot at a
The boys play in the neighborhood streets until their skin "glowed" (382) and their "shouts echoed in the silent street" (382). Here we see a glimpse of Ireland that is not fantastic or glamorous. It is just the kind of setting a young boy needs to be consumed with a mysterious girl. When the narrator finally makes it to the bazaar, he is met with disappointment, which forces him
James Joyce's "The Dead" and a Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Entrapment and escape are common themes uncovered in James Joyce's literature. Joyce often utilizes society as a symbol of entrapment for his characters, and through moments of realization, they often experience an epiphany that allows them to escape their paralysis. In his novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and his short story, "The
James Algar and Samuel Armstrong, Fantasia (1940), The original version of Fantasia was never released again after 1941. The film was a failure, now it is viewed as a great film. That it has gained respect can be seen from the fact that "Fantasia and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are the only animated films and the only Disney films to be listed on the American Film Institute's list of
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