Let’s start with one of Auster’s quotations. I would love you to respond to it. So … activate your brains and unlock your imagination. Let’s see if as a starter, this can tickle your appetite for one of America’s leading contemporary writers. "Whenever I complete a book, I’m filled with a feeling of immense disgust and disappointment. It’s almost a physical collapse. I’m so disappointed by my feeble efforts that I can’t believe I’ve actually spent so much time and accomplished so little. It takes years before I’m able to accept what I’ve done – to realize that this was the best I could do. But I never like to look at the things I’ve written. The past is the past, and there’s nothing I can do about it any more. The only thing that counts is the project I’m working on now. Beckett once said in one of his stories, ‘No sooner is the ink dry that it revolts me’". (from "The Red Notebook")Disclosing Paul Auster
Let’s start with one of Auster’s quotations. I would love you to respond to it. So … activate your brains and unlock your imagination. Let’s see if as a starter, this can tickle your appetite for one of America’s leading contemporary writers. "Whenever I complete a book, I’m filled with a feeling of immense disgust and disappointment. It’s almost a physical collapse. I’m so disappointed by my feeble efforts that I can’t believe I’ve actually spent so much time and accomplished so little. It takes years before I’m able to accept what I’ve done – to realize that this was the best I could do. But I never like to look at the things I’ve written. The past is the past, and there’s nothing I can do about it any more. The only thing that counts is the project I’m working on now. Beckett once said in one of his stories, ‘No sooner is the ink dry that it revolts me’". (from "The Red Notebook")
This comment gives the idea of writing as a long and tiring process. To use a metaphor it may seem that the author gives birth to a novel and the “delivery” was so painful and difficult, that s/he does not want to look back, but just ahead. The reference to Beckett makes it even more clear how the Irish playwright deeply influenced Auster. In one of his many interviews Auster said that he is mainly interested in Beckett’s prose. I have never read his short stories, so it is high time I did it. Write to you all soon.
Arnoldi Martina
I think Auster’s feelings can be seen in two differents ways.In one hand his feelings,his considerations underline a sort of insecurity,fear and weakness of him.He maybe has many doubts when he finishs a book.For example he thinks the book is not enought complite and satisfactory for the reader.On the other hand he is aware of the fact that he has just finish a masterpiece.He knows the impact the book will done to the reader and he fells lost in an immencity of satisfaction.That brings him in a reality that he doesen’t understand.Auster decides to read his works after a long period of time when he is sure that the past is past and there is nothing to do about it so he thinks about the present but with the consciousness of the past.
I really appreciate this quotation.I found it very interesting in order to better understand the author himself.Trough this statement we came across Paul Auster’s thought first of all as a man and then as a writer.He abandons his role as writer and reveals his fears and his moods about his own creations.So we discover that at the end of each “drawing” he feels somehow “empty”,without strenght.He feels he has spent so much time and made so many effords but has produced very little as a student who studied so much but gets a bad note.(In this case seems the author close to us!)We used to think that all artists are satisfied and proud of the work they have done because somehow they mannaged to express their own ideas and thought through their works.We also used to think that artist’s creations are like a children to a mother. But we descovered that this is not completely true.Paul Auster,for example,feels a sense of disgusting every time he finish to write a book,he his always dissatisfied about his creations.Only when he realised that the past is past he manage to reaches a kind of balance that let him accept and appreciate his work.I think that this “reject” of their own work is the Leitmotiv of all the artists. Guarino Ilaria
Before reading this quotation, I thought that a writer considered his work as a child; I thought that he saw it with remark and pride.
Instead, I understand that a writer is a person with his fears and worries, his lack of security and dissatisfaction. He is frightened of having spend much time in a work, that maybe people will not like. He decided to not read his past creations: maybe also for not having conditioning in his next works.
This Auster’s vision can be associated with mine. In my little world, his idea is true. When I do a work, I’m never glad of what I’ve done. So reading this quotation gives comfort to all the people, writers or not, who lives his same fears.
Santi Monica
I think that this kind of feelings are so typical for an author, because what all writers do is to utilize curiosity everywhere: in feelings, in history, in landscapes, in art and so on, and when their knowledge is fed enough of that topic they need to move on to another one being always very active in searching new things to analyze.
Francesca Cazorzi
this quotation gives to me the idea of a two-phased writing process.
in my opinion paul auster doesn’t decide voluntary how to write, but he has a sort of insight: in his brain arrives suddently a sort of intangible hurricane full of statements, quotations, feelings, simply words that he “must” collocate within the work, but the mind is faster than the pen and he doesn’t manage to note them all. so i think this is the reason why he’s frustrated in the very end: because he think the best ideas has already gone, or he has lost the “only” word to express it. i think also that he is so annoyed by himself that he spends lots of time re-reading, correcting because he wants to reach his perfection.
i think in this way i’m a bit close to him because when i used to write ( simply fan-fictions, years ago when i had a creative vein) i felt somehow like him ( or i post my work soon because i was frustrated to keep on correcting it)
giacomin elena
I think that Mr Paul Auster is a little bit contrdictory because in the other post he says:”the past is better than the present” and here he says “the past is the past and there’s nothing i can do about it any more”. here he refers to his books but however he is contradictory… maybe he doesn’t like his own books because he doesn’t realize the fact that he is famous and has written that or maybe because he is scared about what people would think of his books… i don’t understand his problem i can only imagine it…sometimes yet more, often happens in real life, also in the school, that a person works or studies hard to get few money or a low mark..perhaps it is the life and there are few people who is satisfied with what has done!
Santarossa Barbara
An artist is never satisfated at all by his work, because of his will of doing the best he can, the will of discovering new situations, new ideas.
I comprehend him, he wants to do the best that he can do, he wants to improve himself.
Expressing feelings isn’t so easy as we can think: it takes lot of concentration and an exellent knowledge of language. Not always he achieve tranforming the feelings he feels inside his heart into words and he’s disappointed by this.
I’m confortated by his words because i have always believed taht a writer is proud about himself, instead he’s as everybody, he has the same fears as mine.
Giulia Raineri
By the quotation I understand everybody can be a writer. When I write somehting for school, I never think it’s a good job. I know I spent energy and time to do that, but I think even that I could do more, that it’s not my best. Then, it happens that my work was appreciated, and only in that moment I feel happy of my work.
The words of Paul Auster are a sign of humility. His works become great books when people read them, when they are appreciated. You can’t say something you’ve just created is great if someone else has not seen it. It can be great according to you, but if you did it to say something to other people, you have to wait for appreciation.
Pietro Perin
In our life no one is the best, no one is perfect, this quotation is an example of it: Paul is considered one of the most important writers nowadays and it doesn’t matter to him. He’s never satisfied with his job, and it’s natural, me too. when i write something in english, I know I commit a lot of mistakes, but being conscious is the way to improve myself. It is the same for him! when we will say:”I have made the best (something) is possibile”, it will be our literary end. Therefore it is the best behaviour: try to improve ourselves every day, without fear, with a critical and constructive eye.
Matteo Cervesato 🙂
Paul Auster’s words give the idea of a modern man, characterized by doubt and sense of incompleteness, in fact I think is really strange that a person continues writing, even not being pleased with his works. So I ask myself (and I’d like to ask to him) why he has chosen this work.
Besides, I admire the author’s capability of thinking only about present and future, because past things can’t be changed… It’s true!
I also think that reading Paul Auster’s books can be really interesting for manifold reasons. As a matter of fact, themes and plots are various and also contemporary, but perhaps the most fascinating thing is that we could “discover” the inner turmoil of a man through his works and characters.
Giulia Marcassa
“hey Paul,take it easy!!if that is what you think about your books and your efforts,and you are one of the most leading contemporary writers,maybe you should review your point of you!” these is what I’d say if i could talk directly to Auster! i would really like to be able to write in such a catchy and interesting way,and to have such a great and complete culture. When i read what i’ve just finished writing i think that it won’t be a masterpiece,but i know that i’ve tried to do my best and i don’t feel so disgusted about my work. Moreover, i don’t like writing,so I’d better say I usually feel relieved when i’ve completed a written test or something like that.
Cervo,i like your comment,it’s very constructive,but i disagree with you!
Simone De Luca =D
I love seeing that some of you are reading the others’ comments. I think this is a sign of respect and curiosity. One suggestion: I know this blog is not meant to empower our language or to check grammar. Yet, I would really appreciate if you could reread your comments before posting them: too many spelling mistakes and grammar mistakes, then some words are really invented, like “confortated”!!! No pointing of fingers, we all make mistakes, me too, but let’s try to make an effort. Paul Auster may be reading (“watching”!!!) us, and poor man, he is not a teacher, he is not used to foreign students, so we must try to make our comments clear enough for him to understand.
ciao,
your teacher
Before reading this quotation, I’ve seen Paul Auster’s interview at “Che tempo che fa” with Fabio Fazio. I think that Auster is a great writer, not only for how and what he write but also for his way of facing things. I mean: if I write a book (I’ve already did something like that) that I think is incomplete and if I also think that my creation in disgusting, I will never publish it! But Auster was able to realize that the book was “incomplete” for him but, objectively, was “complete” with the qualities to become a best seller.
It’s also strange for me to read this quotation because it forces me to see him as a man, sitting in the dark with his pieces of paper, with his hands on his head, desperate because is not convinced of what he had done. On the contrary, I want to think to him as a busy man that walks around his desk, trying to catch a starting point, a moment, that can inspire his next masterpiece.
Returning to the master question, I think that no one could be completely sure about his/her “creations”. The doubt is a big part of our life: what could be happen if Paul Auster didn’t published his last book “Man in the dark” and all of his works? No one knows.
PS. Although I’ve never heard the name Paul Auster before the teacher tell us, I decided to watch his interview. It was one of the most brilliant interview I’ve ever watched! He was such a kind person! Very funny and very interesting!
Elena Poles
Elena,
Thank you for your spontaneity. I loved reading your post. You see, you made me feel more confident with my teaching input. I think a teacher should always promote independent learning, that is why I suggested you should watch the interview. I am gaining lots of satisfaction from all the posts, you people, are writing. At first I was skeptical asking you (5B) to join the Dedica Festival. I have known you for one year only (unlike 5H), so I was hesitant. But reading your comments made me feel positive about my decision. I am sure most of you (5H and 5B) will love this experience.
Once again, mind your grammar when you write, the “S” third person singular, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Your teacher is admiring you from Brighton. You’re giving me lots of satisfaction. Thanks. You see, it takes so little to make a teacher happy. Give her a little bit of “spicy” and “salty” comments, and she will rejoyce over them.
Love
I’ve never stand the famous person that eulogize their ideas, works and actions. I appreciate Paul Auster’s humility, that is a big value that nowadays it’s difficult find. well…i can tell that very often i feel like Paul Auster…I’m never glad of what I do. i feel in every moment in last place…unable to do everything…maybe because i’, afraid of negative opinions, but at the same time i need to receive opinion about myself and my actions. i knoe…i’m really strange. But i feel better because this fear isn’t also mine…reading the other comments I found that i’m not he only one with this fear!!
The essence of the problem is that when you are an artist, looking at your work, you have the constant idea in your mind of what you intended, and you see the flaws in the real artwork compared to the mind’s eye version. An outside observer looking at the artwork lacks the “perfect” image in his head to compare it to, therefore the piece in question seems ‘”wonderful”. On the other side the artist feels dissatisfaction for his work, like a sense of imperfection, like a sort of inability to create a masterpiece. This is because everyone tends to have his own idea of what equals perfection: an artist’s mind could have an abstract idea of perfection, or perhaps he feels that if he created it, then it simply cannot be great (although there is the narcissistic artist who believes his shit equals gold).
An artist will not, in general, commit suicide because of the hate or dislike for his work (I think that this could happen only if the doubts that every artist have about the success of their artwork degenerated into a mania), and can come to the understanding of the difference between their perception and the work. Maybe this difference could be connected with the fact that the real artwork (not the abstract idea it) is distorted by constantly being bombarded with what is considered beautiful by the media. In this sense, people need to realize that it is just as important to be yourself.
Alessandro Piccin
Yes Laura, it is nice to realize we’re not alone in our fears. Speaking about us with people that we can trust makes us feel better and definitely less lonely, more understood. As to Alessandro, I agree with you when you mention how affected we are by what the media present as “beautiful” forms of art. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, so let’s trust our eyes.
I’m off to my classes. See you.
Art is the expression of our deepest feelings and foughts.Nobody can describe completely the immensity of his interior world.That’s why every type of art is always evolving.The wall which precludes the author to express his ideas in their totality can only be destroyed by the reader who,with his personal experiences, can fill the gaps.It’s typical for a writer to feel this powerlessness in front of one of his creations but he has the obligation to use words in the best way in order to try disclosing his thoughts to the reader.
I think this feeling is very normal, this is the same feeling i feel when I finish something, you think that you didn’t do the best, that you could do better, when you finish your work you start thinking of new way to do it or to improve it. This is frustrating because you are never satisfied of your job. In my opinion this feeling is caused by the fear of the comparison with other people. In the case of Paul Auster I think his biggest fear is being judjed by his readers. Then, when the audience’s response is positive, he starts seeing the best aspects of his works. This is what I also feel now, posting this comment, I constantly think that what I write is not what I want to express. Of course I’m not Paul Auster and the results are not that good. =)
Riccardo Bagattin
Riccardo, who knows, you could become a writer yourself in the future. In his interviews Paul Auster underlined on different occasions that he cannot imagine himself doing a different job. He needs writing, he cannot possibly live without it, it would be unconceivable for him. So, if you have the same feelings, then pick up your pen and start writing.
Marco, I loved your post. I am so happy to see that you are giving the best of you this year. Please, do not give up, show all of us what you are capable of and how gifted you are. I’m sure Paul Auster’s readings will make us give the best of us.
Love to you all.
There is not anything perfect in this world, but unfortunately there are a lot of people that don’t admit it if you are talking about their works.A writer that want to declare his sence of incompleteness has to be a person with a considerable capacity of self-criticism, that is really important in order to open mind to different points of view.
Damiano Verardo
Self-criticism is fine as long as it does not jeopardise your self-confidence. It is constructive when it leads to awareness and awareness leads to the need to investigate, to find new strategies, to find new ways of expressing yourself.
Before reading this quotations I thought that a writer did not have any kind of problem or fear for write a book. I thought that this was just an attribute that a little number of people could have and that this people have not problem to write something and everythings they create was perfect. Of sure they have to correct their doing sometimes but in the end they were ever gratified of their doing.
Instead, I understand that also a famous writer like Paul Auster could be have doubts on his elaborate. This is an important thing because if he has this problem is normal that I have these problems too and I am never sure of my works.
luca