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I pushed through and finished "Diary" by Chuck Palahniuk, the author of "Fight Club." I must admit, the novel served its purpose; I was depressed when I finished it. Part nihilism, part horror, part popular art critique, "Diary" tells the story of a young girl who had hopes of being an artist, but instead marries a man who will carry her to a New England like home to flee the poor, trailer-park of her childhood. The novel is a diary that she writes to her husband who has slipped into a coma after attempting suicide. Along the way, she expresses her anger at her husband and herself for making compromises - hers was giving up her art - his was marrying her. But along the way, she discovers that the townspeople start encouraging her to paint again because they feel that her art can save the island from outsiders in some way. The means the townspeople go to get her to paint is both sick and horrorful.
Palahniuk is first and foremost a nihilist. His writing reflects the idea that the world is without meaning and purpose leaving anyone who tries to find it frustrated and disillusioned. You hear the author's voice in these words from the novel, "It’s so hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace." Recently, speaking with a fan of his (the reason I read the book) I heard these words, "You can't really argue with his point of view." Well, I can.
I don't need to go into a treatise for finding meaning in the world. I'm aware that not everyone holds to my beliefs about Jesus and the Bible, so I won't even argue that. Meaning, purpose, happiness, and peace can be found around us and it is real and does teach us a lesson. (Try playing hide and seek with your daughters. Heck, take them to Disney Princesses on Ice and tell me there is no real happiness or joy in this world.) Yes, it is fleeting, and yes, it is allusive sometimes, but I find the turning away from it lazy. But Palahniuk is right in one way. If we no longer choose to look for beauty, if we no longer choose to remember sweetness, then we are those that live lives of regret and become dangerous to ourselves and society. Palahniuk is pointing out the truths of some in this world, and that is one of the purposes of the artist. However, over and over again, neglecting to find any beauty is not a true artistic reflection of this world because beauty does exist. It is just harder sometimes to bathe in than self-pity.
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Right on Brother. You wrote, "However, over and over again, neglecting to find any beauty is not a true artistic reflection of this world because beauty does exist. It is just harder sometimes to bathe in than self-pity. " I could not agree more. You HAVE to choose to look for it and then hold on to it. Someone once said that God is in the stuff of life. It's out there, Beauty is.
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Right on Brother. You wrote, "However, over and over again, neglecting to find any beauty is not a true artistic reflection of this world because beauty does exist. It is just harder sometimes to bathe in than self-pity. " I could not agree more. You HAVE to choose to look for it and then hold on to it. Someone once said that God is in the stuff of life. It's out there, Beauty is. Posted by 4WheelDrive | Posted at 02/21/2007 9:08 AM