All Arts Tell the Truth - Essay Example

Can Literature 'Tell the Truth' better than other arts or_________ All arts tell the truth. Art is the depiction of truth that lies before us. Anypiece of art that doesn't honestly reflect the facts cannot last longer. Art that has withstood the vagaries of time is the real art and all such art does not grow old. It always remains fresh and vibrating and continues touching the human emotions as it were at the time of its inception. It is usually believed these days that literature is out of place in the present day technological milieu. Technology has registered unprecedented achievements the world over. It has resulted in affluence and prosperity for all so there seems no need for literature to grow. The top brains of the world are involved these days in the processing of scientific achievements and fruitful applications of modern scientific inventions and as such, the relevance of art and literature seems too small for people of high caliber to digest. Modern technology is so increasingly dominating the world minds that the taste for art and literature has taken a back seat in our interests. Literary compositions--- poetry, drama, prose, novel, and story are a very old form of art and have always been very close to human heart. The immortal compositions of great masters continue to entertain the human hearts of all generations. The present day masters in the field are in no way inferior but given the other faculties of entertainment that modern technology is offering this art is attracting lesser interest. Now the question---- can literature tell the truth ---- has two aspects of thought, what it tells and how No literary depictions are factual events, but they always reflect some objective observations of the artist. They are the feedbacks of truth if not the actual truth. There are lots of literary works based on true historical events but they do not depict the historical events in the truthful perspective. The artist here by his artistic talents produces a piece of art though related to the historical facts. The purpose of the artist here also is not to depict an historical event but to create a piece of art. A literary artist is not a historian whose duty is to find out the real truths and present them before the reader and preserve them for use by all future generations. The truth of a historian is determined by how he has toiled to find out the truth and how honestly he has put it in his work. The literary artist has no such obligation to fulfill. He writes for the pleasure of the reader by fabricating events through the rich flights of his imagination just like a painter who paints a painting the details of which touch the cords of human heart so deeply that it becomes a joy forever. A present day poet or novelist or a playwright is a professional too. He has to keep pace with the other professionals in maintaining himself financially. He writes according to the tastes of his readers that would fetch him enough money besides name that he wants for himself. He is not much interested in the service of the literature as the old masters in the field used to be. He is not expected to write about true stories or events but at the same time his work cannot be away from the hard realities of life. They should reflect them truly otherwise public cannot appreciate them and he can be thrown out of the public gaze. The modern literature thus really tells the truth by reflecting the facts of life. Literature, in fact, has the capacity to tell truths better than other arts as different forms of literature have a much larger field. Take the case of poetry in almost all the languages of the world, both the widely used and little used, it is the oldest form of literature that continues to entertain people at all levels since time immemorial. Poetry has always been closest to the human heart in all ages for it's reflecting the truest and hardest realities of life. It continues to do so and cannot be equaled or superseded by any other form of art whatsoever. Though no serious poetry depicts in its original form any true event but it is only the honest reflection of the hard realities of life that makes this art form so popular among the masses. It is also true with Drama, Novel and Prose. They also do not fail to fulfill the obligation of delivering truth before the society honestly by reflecting the realities of life. It cannot be out of place to mention here again that no literature or any other form of art can appeal to the human heart or senses unless it tells the truth of life. And literature especially has the capacity to bare truths more effectively and purposefully than other forms of art. A casual look on the history of literature reveals that it is the oldest form of art with the highest appeal on the human senses since time immemorial. The reason can be nothing other than the fact that it is the unique form of art that represents the real truths of life and has as such the universal appeal. The other forms of art like painting, dance, and music etc do also enjoy the highest universal appeal but cannot compete the literature in its vivid representation of the facts of life. Literature is the product of thought of very sane and gifted people who have lived in all ages irrespective of cast, creed, color and language. The world's best literature is produced in the environment of peace and tranquility. The best literary artists of yore have presented the ultimate truths of life in their own artistic patterns thus making their compositions immortal. Blessed are the masters, who have composed these pieces of art to be enjoyed by people of all ages, all lands, all languages and religions till eternity. These eternal masterpieces of literature do speak only the truth and nothing other than the truth otherwise the universal appeal that they enjoy across the cross section of all people of all times and ages. The serious present day literature can also perform the same way if it tells the truth. Using literary talents just only to make material benefits cannot make the literature of all times but for a day or two only. Such a literature cannot perform the duty of saying the truth of life and that is the reason it cannot withstand the impact of time and it fades into oblivion. The truth depicted in the literary and the other art forms only makes it capable to stand against the vagaries of time. And the literature with its vast scope for presenting the truths of life can do the function more vividly and clearly. There is a general belief that literature has lost its universal appeal in the present advanced technological world. In fact scientists and technologists do not encroach upon the field of literature, as it is the source of great peace and inspiration for materialistic related distractions of the mind. Literature is an essential part of culture and its values cherished by people since time immemorial and technological progress cannot afford to cause decay and neglect of nature and her processes. The latest drift to technology and neglect of literature and other related arts is due to people taking more interest in material pursuits than cultural values and natural processes. It is also because the literary artists have generally taken to subjects and themes away from the hard realities of life just to get more and more material benefits by satisfying the senses not the heart. And the result is that the suspicions about literature and other arts grew. The fact is that literature can serve its purpose effectively even now if it reflects the truths of life as honestly as it used to earlier when reading of poetry, drama and novel was among the highest entertainers of man. The pieces of art and literature, poetry, prose, drama, etc are the source of sustenance of the soul of man today equally as it used to be earlier. In today's ever-increasing tensions of day to day, good literature makes a lasting impact on the mind; it entertains, instructs and ennobles the spirit of human beings. There is a strong reason for such impact of literary pieces on human spirit. The poets and artists have been souls gifted exclusively for the works created by them. No ordinary men could venture into the field of literature, so the pieces of literature produced by these genius of men and women had a strange power of giving solace to the depressed souls. The present day poet, novelist or essayist can equally gain the public attention if he works honestly to say the truth of life, which he can and regarding the financial aspect it can be said here also that money comes sure to the deserving. Any job done honestly and fervently earns the public gaze and money is sure to come. It is unfortunate that the modern youth are distancing away from the rich realm of literature This drift has deteriorated their personality as the cherished old values are not valued by them. The fault lies in the system, which does not provide sufficient opportunities for them to develop talents in art, and literature that would otherwise keep their heads cool and cherish the technological advancements with a greater taste. It is time that modern planners and educationists no longer ignore the value of art and literature so that the development in art and culture can promote the technological culture to its truly desired ends. Regarding the proposition under discussion it is an admitted fact that all true arts promote, propagate and say truth only as they cannot survive on the basis of falsehood. The literature with a vast field of activity can definitely tell the truth better than all other arts by reflecting the harsh realities of life on a broader canvas comprising of poetry, prose, essay, play, etc to suit the aspirations of modern man. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read More