Exactitude

Calvino as has been pointed out many times before, defines Exactitude in three fairly simple ways.

1) A well-defined and well-calculated plan for the work in question
2) An evocation of clear, incisive, memorable visual images.
3) A language as precise as possible both in choice of words and in expression of the subtleties of thought and imagination.(p.55-56)

This is why I chose the compass. Or in this case a compass rose. This matches all three of the definitions that are set out to us in Calvino's six memos. It gives us a direction of where it is we are going as well as being a well known image. It isn't bright or flashy, but it does always give us the mental recollection of maps and of having a direction. Also, it doesn't ever make us question exactly what it is we're looking for.

To expand on that, we see a compass and know that it will always point us North, South, East or West. Occasionally, it will point us Northwest, Southwest, North East or South East. However, we are all aware of this from a young age and many of us are taught at a young age in geography how to read maps and all those cool little tricks to remember which direction you're going.

When I decided upon a compass rose as my image, my mind immediately jumped to the book series by Phillip Pullman, also known as the His Dark Materials trilogy. The first book is called "The Golden Compass," where we discover a compass that is almost the exact opposite of Calvino's idea of exactitude. Only a few number of people can read and understand the compass, which is coded in many different symbols and is never clear as to exactly the situation that it is speaking of. It could be referring to a situation or a person.

Though this doesn't demonstrate Exactitude in the slightest, it shows us what NOT to do in our writing and how exactitude can be hard to comprehend. Lyra is lucky in the sense that she can understand the compass and read it, some people even call her blessed, however because of this fact, when the compass is attempted to be used by others, it is completely useless. Though this is useful in the story, it is NOT useful for us in understanding the concept and ideals of exactitude.