I am a writer at heart, I may not be great at it, but as someone has put it, "hearts knows reasons what reason knows nothing of". So that being settled, here is an excerpt from the movie " Atonement" (based on the book of the same name by Ian McEwan). To cut a long story rather short, this movie is about an little girl whose action damages the lives of many people and she harbors a strong guilt in her heart for her action till the day she dies. She becomes a famous author and her last novel (which is she reckons as her first) is autobiographical in nature where she actually attempts to tell the truth.
What I like about this particular dialogue is how deftly the biggest of a writer's dilemma is captured. To decide between telling the whole truth or add embellishments to the reality. It is a temptation / problem we all face (even those of us who don't write). Even when we are narrating a story / event / incident we unknowingly add or modify the truth to suit ourselves. That temptation is a great one and I guess one of the reasons, writers become what they are, is to have a world which they can control.
Briony (the little girl who is a big time author now) is talking to a tv show anchor. Here is the beautiful piece of writing:
BRIONY : "I had, for a very long time, decided to tell the absolute truth.
No rhymes, no embellishments.
And I think, You've read the book, you'll understand why.
I got first-hand accounts of all the events. I didn't personally witness, the conditions in prison, the evacuation to Dunkirk, everything. But the effect of all this honesty was rather pitiless.
You see, I couIdn't any Ionger imagine what purpose would be served by it."
TV Show Anchor : "By what? Sorry. Served by honesty?"
BRIONY: "By honesty. Or reaIity."
I know this one is a peculiar post (and rather indulgent), but watch the movie atonement and you will come to understand this post much better.
-Stay Beautiful
Amitabh
What I like about this particular dialogue is how deftly the biggest of a writer's dilemma is captured. To decide between telling the whole truth or add embellishments to the reality. It is a temptation / problem we all face (even those of us who don't write). Even when we are narrating a story / event / incident we unknowingly add or modify the truth to suit ourselves. That temptation is a great one and I guess one of the reasons, writers become what they are, is to have a world which they can control.
Briony (the little girl who is a big time author now) is talking to a tv show anchor. Here is the beautiful piece of writing:
BRIONY : "I had, for a very long time, decided to tell the absolute truth.
No rhymes, no embellishments.
And I think, You've read the book, you'll understand why.
I got first-hand accounts of all the events. I didn't personally witness, the conditions in prison, the evacuation to Dunkirk, everything. But the effect of all this honesty was rather pitiless.
You see, I couIdn't any Ionger imagine what purpose would be served by it."
TV Show Anchor : "By what? Sorry. Served by honesty?"
BRIONY: "By honesty. Or reaIity."
I know this one is a peculiar post (and rather indulgent), but watch the movie atonement and you will come to understand this post much better.
-Stay Beautiful
Amitabh
