This piece was extremely difficult for me to write. Although I had a clear picture of what I wanted to write about, I couldn’t figure out how to put it into words– let alone elegant words. A.O. Scott and Greenblatt’s literature had so many similarities, it was hard to choose just one. That’s why I chose to write about identity and the creation of self, because it was the biggest aspect they shared. But when I began writing, I thought about how hard it must have been for these two authors to write about these concepts that have me at a loss for words. The suggestions made by my peer editor in class were helpful. The main suggestion was to add quotes into my piece to provide more contextual evidence.
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Stephen Greenblatt and A.O. Scott explore how people relate and interact within the complex structures of society– through criticism and through literature. “Renaissance Self Fashioning” and “Better Living Through Criticism” share philosophical conversations about the culture and art of humanity as well as invite the reader to ponder these concepts on their own; they expose the underlying pain and beauty that comes with agency, portraying what we are and what we could be, as well as present ways in which selves can develop. This overarching theme between these two equally important pieces of literature are identity and the formation of the self.Literature expresses deep vulnerability and intimacy; it provides a peephole into the author’s (and the author’s time period’s) morals and power. A single page of well-placed diction holds the momentum to rally people, to connect people, and to inspire people. Literature propels self-fashioning, for it gives humanity the freedom to show society who they are and why they are that way. As Greenblatt states in “Renaissance Self Fashioning,” “it suggests representation of one’s nature or intention in speech or actions” (Greenblatt 3). The agency to form our personal self is not always autonomous. We are affected by our family, our friends, the music we listen to, “the movies stranded in the Netflix Queue, the unread novels piled on the night-stand” (Scott 45). Every aspect of our lives contributes to the formation of our identity. We only have so much choice in this process, however. For example, we can choose whether or not to open the front cover of “Renaissance Self Fashioning,” but we do not get to choose whether or not we are fashion by it. The fashioning is inevitable. In “Better Living Through Criticism,” A.O. Scott explains that in our materialistic society, we like what we like based on what surrounds us throughout our lives. “You may know what you like– of course you do– but do you know why?” (Scott 44).Scott talks of the influence of criticism in the world. Criticism is a rebellion, an intimate self-expression of opposition, which stretches one’s bounds, allowing room for growth. Being on the receiving end of such a phenomenon self-fashions by forcing the self to question their actions and thoughts. Scott also spends significant time discussing art. Beautiful art has an unquestionable power to give us aesthetic experience; he explains to the reader that “beauty satisfies an impulse higher than mere sensuous appetite” (Scott 49). Art makes us think, and it shapes our minds in ways we cannot predict. When one glances at a painting by Velázquez or reads a single word of Jane Austen, that half a moment could change the way they think and act forever. “Why do we feel what we feel? What are we talking about?” (Scott 46).We are fashioned by everything we interact with including the works of Stephen Greenblatt and A.O. Scott. The two authors uncovered the truth behind the creation of selves in society, causing a cyclical domino effect that continues to fashion every other self. It’s no mistake that that these two great authors chose to write about identity. This theme is probably one of the most complex and vital phenomena that exist in the world. The formation of a self is inherently the formation of society itself. We as humans depend on art and literature to shape us into ourselves– to mold our brains to conform to societal norms. This process remains up for debate, for there will never be one answer, but understanding that we are in a constant state of renewal is crucial to understanding why we are the way we are.
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