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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Quick, Quick, Slow...



Calvino's idea of quickness to me sparked a rather well know image and story, The Tortoise and the Hare.

Now, nearly everyone knows this story, the hare challenges the tortoise to a race and the over confident bunny takes a nap while the Tortoise comes home for the win. You learn that slow and steady wins the race and that everyone can be beaten, no matter how good you think you are.

To me, the concept that shows us quickness is the idea of Slow and Steady wins the race. The fact that Calvino speaks to us about the fluidity and quickness that is needed to be a writer, however the biggest point that seems to be forgotten is he doesn't ever condemn the idea of slow and steady.He even says that there is a time and place for it.

Just as in the story, the tortoise may have been slow, but he was also hard working and didn't give up. While the Hare, caught up in his bragging, lost the race in the end do to over confidence. Calvino wasn't telling us not to be quick, but he was telling us there is a time and place for that quickness and that need to speed along.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Always Coca Cola




When we were discussing lightness, this was the first image that came to my head. The idea of all these people, from different cultures and life styles getting together in one place to simply enjoy life and enjoy a Coke. There is nothing in the world that seems to make these people upset or concerned, simply the idea of buying the world a coke. Teaching them how to sing and be together as a world culture.

This commercial, however, was put out in the 70's. A time where the tensions in Vietnam were high and the country was in the "lightest" and yet the "heaviest" of times. We had war and love and right after Woodstock, which was a time of peace and love. Just like the song promotes.

However, this commercial promises me this concept of lightness. The idea of no worries while you drink a coke and no worries if you keep up teaching the world to sing and to grow apple trees and turtle doves. It all seems so light and happy. This seems like the best thing in the world, especially during a time of chaos and political problems. The idea of lightness of the world, lightness off your shoulders and lightness of the creative mind.

Just like Calvino talks about in his lightness chapter.