Let's workshop this poem about a culture of intellectual conformity and censorship, where people are--or, to bully, fake like they are--too dumb to distinguish between an artist and his characters
It really does amaze me how people can fail to distinguish between a creator and his characters. Either option--that they are merely faking like they do not get the distinction in order to bully the artist or that they really do not get the distinction--is bleak beyond bleak!
Dec 11, 2023·edited Dec 11, 2023Liked by M. A. Istvan Jr.
I deliberately make all my fictional characters as unlike me as possible to dodge this problem. There are some minor emotional and personal similarities, but that's it.
It's rather absurd to assume authors are like their characters, unless they specifically and clearly note that their text is autobiographical or based on their real memories (e.g. Marcel Proust).
The irony, of course, is that these same people would be happy to take a selfie-photo with Jack Nicholson despite his heinous role in The Shining. Indeed, such a moment would be a life highlight for them.
It really does amaze me how people can fail to distinguish between a creator and his characters. Either option--that they are merely faking like they do not get the distinction in order to bully the artist or that they really do not get the distinction--is bleak beyond bleak!
I deliberately make all my fictional characters as unlike me as possible to dodge this problem. There are some minor emotional and personal similarities, but that's it.
It's rather absurd to assume authors are like their characters, unless they specifically and clearly note that their text is autobiographical or based on their real memories (e.g. Marcel Proust).
I was terminated from my professorship because of my creative characters and poetry topics. It is utterly toxic what is going on.
And despite my "Message to Readers" clarifying the distinction. there are people--supposedly close people(friends and family)--who will not talk to me any more for characters like John Smith: https://maistvanjr.substack.com/p/indigenous-inferior-punching-down-6e7
The irony, of course, is that these same people would be happy to take a selfie-photo with Jack Nicholson despite his heinous role in The Shining. Indeed, such a moment would be a life highlight for them.