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Texts and Images:

[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Page Assets: Page Background Art: Yan, Wenqing (颜温情) / Yuumei (幽冥). (2016). At The Crossroads. YuumeiArt (CCL:NC)

Page Icon Art: Webb, Beth. (2009). Adolescent Reading Groups Icon. Kilve Court Education (CCL)

Bibliography in Order of Appearance (Included Images and Citations/Sources): POST 1: Subjectivity

Source 1: Mansfield, Nick. (September 1, 2000). Subjectivity : Theories of the Self from Freud to Haraway, Allen & Unwin. New York University Press.

Source 2: Lewis, C.S. (1967). Christian Reflections: ‘The Poison of Subjectivism’. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Image 1: Strong, Arthur. (1947). Bromide print on Ilford paper: C.S. Lewis.

Image 2: Andreaa, Elena. (2016). Vector Girl. Fiverr (CCL).

POST 2: Essentialism

Source 1: Barker, Chris. (2012). Cultural studies: theory and practice (3rd ed.). Sage Publications Ltd.

Source 2: Nabokov, Vladimir. (1955). Lolita. Olympia Press.

Image 1: Michael O. (2008). Soul Searching. Pinterest (CCL).

Image 2: ANON. (1997). Lolita Cover. Random House (Vintage). New York.

POST 3: Unconscious

Source 1: Laini, Taylor. (March 28th, 2017). Strange the Dreamer. Hodder & Stoughton.

Image 1: Bear, Mister. (2019). Strange the Dreamer Cover Proposal. 99Designs (PD).

Image 2: Tom, French. (2018). Oil Skull: Duality. Tom French Studio.

POST 4: Over-determination

Source 1: Mansfield, Nick. (September 1, 2000). Subjectivity : Theories of the Self from Freud to Haraway, Allen & Unwin. New York University Press.

Source 2: Lombardi, Vince. (1967-1968). Quotation: “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will”.

Image 1: Ito, Junji. (1998). Uzumaki. Shogakukan.

Image 2: ANON. (1967). Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Finals 1967. New York Times.

POST 5: Sensory Knowledge

Source 1: Kant, Immanuel. (1787). Critique of Pure Reason.

Source 2: Mercree, Amy Leigh. (October 8, 2016). Joyful Living: 101 Ways to Transform Your Spirit and Revitalize Your Life. Llewellyn Publications.

Image 1: Da Vinci, Leonardo. (1490). Canon of Proportions: ‘Vitruvian Man’.

Image 2: Van Gogh, Vincent. (September, 1888). Starry Night Over the Rhône.

POST 6: Creative Influence

Source 1: Voltaire. (January, 1759). Candide.

Source 2: Einstein, Albert. (1905>). Quotation: ‘Creativity is contagious, pass it on.’

Image 1: Fumino, Yuki. (2016). Hidamari Ga Kikoeru. Canna Serialised Publishing.

Image 2: Sanchez Nevado, Mario. (2018). Betrayal. Pinterest (CCL: NC)

POST 7: Authenticity

Source 1: Rennell Rodd, James (1st Baron Rennell). (1882). Rose Leaf and Apple Leaf, Verses, With an Introduction by Oscar Wilde: ‘L’Envoi (Introduction)’. J. M. Stoddart & Co. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Source 2: Chaplin, Charlie. (April 16, 1959). ‘As I Began to Love Myself’.

Image 1: Steve Theunissen. (December 5, 2017). Oscar Wilde Biography: His “Wild” Life. Biographics.

Image 2: ANON. (August 1, 1914). The Property Man (C. Chaplin). Keystone Studios.

POST 8: Creative Identity

Source 1: Buck, Dave. (2012). ‘Our Philosophy’. CoachVille (LCC).

Image 1: Chan, Jason. (2018). MTG Core Set 2019 Card Art: ‘Omniscience’. Wizards of the Coast (LCC).

Image 2: Nielsen, Terese. (2012). Avacyn Restored Card Art: ‘Descendants’ Path’. Wizards of the Coast (LCC).

Image 3: E. Bucknall, Adrian. (March 26, 2019). Google Drive Screenshot.

POST 9: Fractured Identity

Source 1: Orwell, George. (1949). 1984. Secker and Warburg.

Image 1: ANON. (2008). 1984 Paperback Edition Cover, 2008. Penguin Books.

Image 2: Jeffery Klaehn. (2010). The Political Economy of Media and Power: ‘Social Silencing Header’. Peter Lang Publishing.

POST 10: Social Identity

Source 1: C. Turner, John; Tajfel, Henry. (1978). Differentiation Between Social Groups: Studies in the Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations. London Academic Press.

Image 1: Zebarto, Paulo. (2011). Mask of Day by Day. Fine Art America Co.

Image 2: Nielsen, Terese. (2013). Gatecrash Card Art: ‘Enter the Infinite’. Wizards of the Coast (LCC).

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[END OF BIBLIOGRAPHY]

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Social Identity:

The concept of social identity in the contemporary era has morphed with the introduction of online networking. As a society, we have only just begun to re-explore this topic. Psychologists Tajfel and Turner’s thesis on the subject has laid the foundation for this discussion, stating: “An individual does not just have a personal selfhood, but multiple selves and identities associated with their affiliated groups.” [Turner, 1978. pg. 235]

I support this view of social identity as referring to the combination of contrasting personas that define human beings. In contemporary literature, this can be used as a character crux in more ways than ever before. As a novelist, the current aspects of social identity have created new possibilities. I can’t wait to acquire new narrative prospects as it continues to evolve.

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Fractured Identity:

The phrase fractured identity is an ambiguous one, which has been interpreted in various ways by artists throughout time. But personally, I think it is George Orwell’s explanation of his term Doublethink in ‘1984′ that defines it perfectly: “Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them ... in general the greater the understanding the greater the delusion; the more intelligent the less sane.” [Orwell, 1949. pg. 245]

I view the current state of society is a tumultuous time for authors. Various online ideologues and organisations vie to shackle the individual into choosing a side. The result being a world in which stigmatic side-taking is the current norm. Currently, I hold various ideals and political views that don’t fit in with the dominating stances of my generation. To represent myself or please others; This is an example of one case where I feel my identity is fractured. However, I consider my writing to be isolated from this. I view writing as a chance to express my imaginations, outside the confines of conversational pleasantries fuelled by societal expectations. To create something eloquent and untarnished by what I agree or disagree with. *[Slightly Extended post, due to the necessary quote length of Orwell excerpt.]

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Creative Identity:

To define: As artists, each of us searches for our own creative identity. A unique persona or set of characteristics which portray a piece as distinctly ours. Dave Buck, the ‘coaching-coach’, highlights why this is important: “Your brand is a gateway to your true work. You know you are here to do something – to create something or help others in some way.” [Buck, 2012]

Personally, I want to define myself as an author of powerful multi-layered narratives. My current project at this time is a first person romance novel comprised of: 2 chronologically separated narratives; a third person meta-narrative; and a memoir woven together. It has taken a lot of coffee, but I’ve finished planning. I’m now steadily progressing with the chapter drafts. I can’t define my own brand. But eventually, that’ll be for the reader to decide. I can say though, that settling on this obscure style has certainly helped me as I continue to refine the piece.

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Authenticity:

My posts on ‘Subjectivism’ and ‘Creative Influence’ have connoted that there is no true originality. We must derive to create. So in art, Authenticity is the acceptance of oneself. A concise definition however, quite vague. But it is the common forces dissuading authenticity that can truly define the notion for us. As, in many cases: “One’s real life is so often the life that one does not lead.” [Wilde, 1882] E.g: If a medium changes, the artist is pressured to change with it. If society opposes them, they feel forced to shroud their true selves.

An example of authenticity in art is this eloquent line from Charlie Chaplin: “As I began to love myself. I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living my own truth. Today I know this is authenticity.” [Chaplin, 1959]

As an aspiring author, I see the contemporary medium constantly evolving. New norms that tempt others to stray from who they are. In my novels, I’m aiming to derive from all that I’ve found captivating to create something unique; rather than pumping out uninspired dribble. (e.g: Roth’s ‘Divergent Trilogy’.)

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Creative Influence:

To define: Creative influence is based on originality. To expand on this view; “Originality is nothing but judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed one from another. The instruction we find in books is like fire ... it becomes the property of all.” [Voltaire, 1759] As an aspiring novelist, I choose which books to read by the influences acquired from its contents. I typically read classic and modern Western literature, but avoid contemporary novels. The exception to this is my fascination with contemporary Japanese manga. A medium that produces astounding works, such as Yuki Fumino’s ‘I Hear the Sunspot’.

By influencing myself with this odd combination, it is clear upon examination that all my works have been influenced by various Western philosophers and contain various re-imaginations of Eastern narrative tropes. I have yet to see any works of a similar vein. I hope that by creating these narratives, future authors will derive some of their own ideas from them. (e.g: The Dali inspired contemporary works of Sanchez Nevada.) For, as a great scientist once said: “Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” [Einstein, 1905>]

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Sensory Knowledge:

To define: “All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason.” [Kant 1787, pg. 212]

The physical world is perceived by humans through the traditional five senses, but we have created many more based on how we interpret or respond to these inputs. A core tenet of modern art is: Describing how the sensory affects our conscious and subconscious mind. Da Vinci’s ‘Vitruvian Man’ is an example of what artists shouldn’t derive from, the perfect universal human being.

I think that the artist holds the reigns to the audience’s imagination. Their unique comprehensions of sensory knowledge, allow them to manipulate the reader’s; Art can submerge someone into another world. (e.g: Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night Over the Rhône’.) And this is wonderful, because in the end: “Our senses are the lavish gift of being human.” [Mercree 2016, pg. 122]

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Over-determination:

To define: “When we talk about over-determination, we are seeing the most intense psychological energies invested in the smallest behavioural space.” [Mansfield 2007, pg. 29-30]

From my perspective, there is no such thing as excessive determination. To expand upon Mansfield’s statement: I believe over-determination is the ability to push past your limits. Devoting yourself to the creation of something never made before. Many uncontested works, across time and in various fields, have been the results of excessive author determination. (e.g: Ito’s ‘Uzumaki’, Clare’s ‘Shadowhunter Chronicles’, Doyle’s ‘Sherlock Holmes’, etc.) Inspired by these figures, I write and edit 800-1000 words of prose per day in pursuit of my own goals.

I think this notion is affirmed by football coach Vince Lombardi, in his famous line: “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” [Lombardi 1967-1968] And so, in order for me to be proud of my work: As a writer, I will not falter. I won’t hinder myself with excuses. I shall strive towards my goals.

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Unconscious:

To define: “The unconscious mind is open terrain - no walls or barriers, for better or worse. Thoughts and feelings are free to wander...Terrors roam, and so do yearnings.” [Taylor 2017, pg. 60 ] The modern notion of the unconscious mind proposes that we are all driven by our inner selves into acts of cruelty, passion and wanton. Perhaps even kindness. It is this concept that drives both narrative and narrator within literary works of the late 19th-21st century.

Delving into your unconscious, through one’s imagination, is the locus of creative practice. In writing, the result of this is mainly seen through the characters. As an author, I want to create personas who resonate with the reader. And not due to being stereotypical, but by having flaws and thoughts that develop them into realistic individuals. My goal is to give each story a sense of agency within the reader’s mind.

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Essentialism:

To define: Essentialism,‘The western search for identity is premised on the idea that there is such a ‘thing’ to be found...We might say that persons have an ‘essence’ of the self that we call identity’ [Barker 2012, pg. 221]

Within the context of creative writing, essentialism is strived towards by authors in their introspective ventures. It refines their successive creations in unique ways as they develop as individuals. 

In Vladimir Nabokov's magnum opus ‘Lolita’, his persona Humbert states: “We live not only in a world of thoughts, but also in a world of things. Words without experience are meaningless.” [Nabokov 1955, pg. 201] Nabokov’s sentiment here is clear; as he transforms his raw and lustful desire for his niece into something beautiful to behold, effectively turning the reader into his accomplice. Akin to this, it is the very essence of myself that I wish to capture in my future novels. I shall portray who I am, and how I have lived.

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Subjectivity:

To define: ‘..subjectivity is cultural theory in process. Whether the subject is political, or personal’. [Mansfield 2000, pg.VI] In my field, subjectivity drives the notion that: art is the amalgamation of natural and crafted personal experiences.  C.S. Lewis once exclaimed to a full lecture hall: “The human mind has no more power of inventing a new value than of planting a new sun in the sky or a new primary colour in the spectrum.” [Lewis 1966, ‘The Poison of Subjectivism.’] This quote resonates with my aforementioned viewpoint.

To redefine; Subjectivity is comprised from facets of the same notion or idea, garnered by various individuals. That idea’s shape is morphed as it’s bearers re-examine it in new forms and contexts over time.

As a novelist, I aim to derive my work from both the personal and ideas from past authors redefined.