"The Lantern Bearers" by Robert Louis Stevenson was not my favorite story in full, but I definitely enjoyed and took to the metaphor of the lanterns. I was intrigued in the beginning of Stevenson's story regarding how he described his "fisher-village." I especially liked his line about how the "place was created seemingly on purpose diversion of young gentleman" which explains right away that this is probably going to have some reflection of his childhood in it. I also noted his unique way of contrasting things that were so "dear to him" with things that were outrageous, like "startling pictures" or "suggestive names." Another part that struck me was how he called all his distinct descriptions "ingredients of the town." Ingredients are written carefully and descriptive so that the end result is made correctly - something that I understand in Stevenson's story after getting to the lantern metaphor.
The metaphor Stevenson makes about the boys running in the dark with lanterns underneath their top coats can be interpreted in many ways. I like that he describes it from his younger perspective and leaves it to his readers to determine how to interpret it from an older point of view. I personally viewed his story as an overall explanation that, even at a very young/innocent age, we develop uniqueness and greatness inside of us. It's up to us to decide how to use the things we keep to ourselves, to "make your glory public." We learn to conceal things that make us different and - only when we feel comfortable or in a situation that allows us to show our true selves - we shine.
Nailed the metaphor, Sam. He's also suggesting that we need to remember other people's lanterns. ***Hallmark Card Alert*** And maybe more importantly that the best kind of art is not exactly perfectly "real."
ReplyDeleteThink about "Starry Night."
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html
These paintings speak to us not because they give a realistic view of the world, but. . .well, why do they speak to us. Stevenson would argue, perhaps, that this painting show's us some important spirituality. Chesterton might remark that this is not the cow but the soul of the cow.
http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/vincent-van-gogh/cows-1890
In our writing, how do we get the soul of the cow?
DW