The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative by Vivian Gornick - Literature review Example

The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative by Vivian Gornick Vivian Gornick in his book “The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative” writes “…the prose is an amazement of energy, crowded with description and response” (11). This is the story of one such King who was a great lover of art and literature. Art flourishes in his Kingdom. He arranges regular workshops, competitions and exhibitions of paintings to encourage the budding artists and offers them liberal grants. 4 top artists enjoy high reputation and ministerial status in his court. They are of equal merit and talent and also full of vanity about the knowledge of art and creativity, except one of them! That one is humble and full of humility. Others brag about their brilliance! The King being a Realized Soul, knows the inner mold of each one of them—But how will he single out the one he loves most for praise and annoy others in the secular surroundings? He thinks that the time has arrived to make the people of the Kingdom aware that one of them is the greatest! He arranges an art competition! “Make a painting of a three month old child!” he tells the artists. “You are given a week’s time. Next Sunday, the paintings will be placed before the Expert Panel, the connoisseurs of art. The panel’s decision shall be final. The King will preside over the panel.” Next Sunday, the Royal Court is brimming with officials, functionaries and the art enthusiasts! Who is the greatest artist in the Kingdom? Well, it will be decided soon. The four paintings are put on display at a prominent place in the court. What astounding works of art they are! Skill and divinity in the paintings amazes one and all. The King and the panelists examine them! They evaluate! They study them stroke by stroke! They are engaged in threadbare discussion! They re-examine the paintings! Have a fresh look at them! Think from all angles, secular and spiritual; the finer points that make a work of art great! They again re-examine, take notes and yet find it difficult to come to a conclusion. They huddle together for quite some time and ultimately come to a decision. “This learned panel has come to a unanimous conclusion that all the four paintings are of equal merit. These are the greatest works of art.”—the fair and the impartial King-Judge announces! --and he has something more to say. “I feel one of them has got to be first among the equals. This competition will be held again after 3 days. You can resubmit the same painting, if you are convinced about its ultimate perfection. You may improve upon it; you may even make a new paining—the decision is left to you. “ Making a new painting or improving upon the present painting? Impossible! The paintings are the perfect pieces that our brushes can stroke on the canvas! Each bristle of the brush has done its best and the appropriate job with appropriate colors in the most appropriate manner, as if a mission has been set out before it—the three artists have no second thoughts! The painting of a three month baby is matchless—in each case! “Any thought of improvement upon this painting is tampering with its perfection and exercising such an option is below our dignity! We shall resubmit the same work after three days,” think the three artists. Let the King solve his own problem—not we! Aren’t we all equal? God has created us thus, they argue! Yes, God had created them equal, yet with a difference! For, the fourth artist thought it fit to present a revised painting for the competition, as if he had a divine-ordained mission to do so! * * * The Royal Court is highly enthusiastic and expectant on that day. Everyone waits for a decision this time. They also know that the just and benevolent King will not make an arbitrary decision! Justice and fair-play are his watch-words. He will give convincing and logical reasons for the selection. He is impartial and will not be influenced by any extraneous considerations. He will make the right choice! As the paintings are the same, nothing much is involved in their re-examination and judging. They just examine and proceed towards the fourth painting. The panel members see nothing special as such in that painting also and yet they gaze and gaze at it, as if some unique vibrations make them ponder over again and again. ---but the knowledgeable King jubilantly shouts which is unusual for the King. “O! My God! How great! What an imagination! I knew you are the greatest!” What is the revised painting anyway? The same painting but with a few fine, delicate strokes he has made some minor alterations. The discerning can see the age difference of three days in the painting. The King observes the changed perception of the child in the world around it, in those additional three days. The artist visualizes the balance right! With divinity and sparkle in the eyes, the baby looks as if directly flown from the celestial world. He has succeeded in conveying in a unique style, the particular aspect and meaning through the spiritual canvas, with regard to the time and growth element in the life of that innocent little entity! That soul! The difference on account of additional three day’s journey on this Planet Earth! Work Cited Gornick, Vivian. The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative. Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 200; USA, Print Read More