I’d be remiss as a writer not to include a single piece of literature, so here’s Nadine Gordimer’s Once Upon a Time, a short story about the dangers of being overly optimistic and the inevitability of pain. When people hear of art, they think of paintings, sculptures, maybe even dance performances and concerts, but rarely of writing. However, storytelling is indeed an art, and the art of writing with words is no less noble than composing with notes or painting with strokes. Perhaps I am much too biased, but I believe that it is within writing that art as expression flourishes the most. Not everyone is acquainted with music or trained to have an eye for frescoes, but language is universal. People have been communicating with language since they could speak, so does this point not make writing the most accessible form of art?
People have been passing down knowledge through the generations with folklore and fairy tales with morals. Gordimer’s Once Upon a Time is simply one of these tales. Like the traditional fairy tale, it makes use of simple, childish language and straightforward exposition. It tells the tale of a happy white family living in a gated community that slowly builds up defenses around their home to guard against danger. However, it subverts the usual model with an ending twist I won’t spoil. Hidden throughout the story are themes of inequality (namely of race discrimination in apartheid South Africa), fear, and ignorance. A child could read the story one way, but an adult would pick up on these mature concepts and symbolism.
What I love most about written work is that not only can its components hold multiple meanings as in visual or musical art, but they can also change over time. Colors and instruments remain the same, but language evolves and takes on brand new meanings. Words are defined and redefined, and because language is so intertwined with society, changes in one reflect changes in the other. It’s because of this unpredictable dynamism of language coupled with its accessibility that I favor written works best. For all art forms, a healthy grasp of the artistic language (whether dance moves, instrumental mastery, or brush control), an creative imagination, and a willingness for expression is what delineates what is art from what is not art.
Title: Once Upon A Time
Name of artist: Nadine Gordimer
Date of work: 1989
Materials/Medium: Written word
Duration/Running Time: N/A
Genre: Literature
Venue or Location: N/A