11. Truth and Beauty
John Keats’ poem, “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” ends with two lines: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty, — that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.” (See also Challenge 120.)
This set of challenges asks you to reflect upon what you believe is true, as well as small fibs, exaggerations, and bad liars. What is lying? Why do we lie? Is it as Jack Nicholson, playing Colonel Nathan R. Jessop, in A Few Good Men shouts? “You can’t handle the truth!”
What do you find beautiful, and how do you describe it? It takes practice to convey all the nuances of truth and beauty.
Now get started writing!
226. Flower
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Think of a flower. The term flower is abstract; however, the flower you picture will be precise and concrete. Describe that flower in detail, including its color, scent, texture, and look.
If you don’t want to describe a flower, picture an automobile. This term is also abstract and general. But describe the car you imagined in great detail, including its color, its design, its scent, and the sound of its engine.
Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. – Anne Frank
227. Angels
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Do you believe in angels? Tell why or why not. If you have an angel, describe how your angel has helped you.
Did you know?
For 60 years, on Edgar Allen Poe’s birthday, someone left three roses and a bottle of French cognac at Poe’s gravesite. This tradition began in 1949, and no one knows why it ended in 2009, the 200th anniversary of Poe’s birth.1
228. Lotus
Suggested time: 15–30 minutes
The lotus flower grows in muddy water, yet it rises from the muck and mire to produce beautiful and clean blooms. For this reason, the lotus is considered an auspicious symbol. In ancient religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, it is used as a teaching tool, a perfect example of purity that overcomes and rises from mud.
Use the lotus as a metaphor to describe how you or someone you know has emerged, beautifully, from a dark or murky place.
229. Adage
Suggested time: 15–30 minutes
An adage is a short, pithy saying that many believe to be true. For example, Murphy’s Law—“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong”—is an adage.
Find an adage that you believe to be especially true for you and explain why.
230. Tall Tale
Suggested time: 30–60 minutes
Write a tall tale about why you were absent for an important meeting or event.
The tall tale is typically a simple story that begins with everyday events but quickly slides into incredible exaggerations that are told as if the story were true. For some good examples of tall tales, see AmericanFolklore.net at http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/tall-tales/.
Did you know?
It’s commonly thought that Gustave Eiffel was the architect of the Eiffel tower. However, the architect was Steven Sauvestre, who based the design on Eiffel’s ideas.
231. Clouds
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Describe what you see in the clouds.
You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight. –Elizabeth Gilbert
232. Style Statement
Suggested time: 15–30 minutes
We often hear someone say, “That’s not my style.” Write a statement about your style. Then back up your statement with at least three paragraphs that describe you in terms of the following:
• Fashion
• Manners
• Culture
• Speech
• The car you drive
• Music you listen to
233. Sunrise
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Describe an experience you’ve had while watching the sun rise.
Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. –Buddha
234. Sunset
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Write about your favorite place to watch the sun set.
235. Beautiful Eyes
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Bette Davis are all renowned for having the most beautiful eyes. Describe the most beautiful eyes you have ever seen.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. – George Orwell.
236. I Have a Dream
Suggested time: 20–45 minutes
Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his famous speech in which he repeatedly said, “I have a dream.” Repeating a phrase over and over again can give your story strength, cadence, and symmetry. It is a technique that works well for written as well as spoken words.
Listen to Martin Luther King’s speech on the web at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs
In addition to “I have a dream,” the many phrases he repeats include:
• One hundred years later...
• Now is the time to...
• We can never be satisfied, as long as...
Write several paragraphs, repeating one of Martin Luther King’s phrases or words of your choice.
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. – Confucius
237. Surprise Invite
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Describe a time when you’ve been surprised by an unexpected invitation. State what the occasion was and tell whether or not you enjoyed the event.
238. Your Muse
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Who is your muse? Describe your muse and your relationship with him or her. (Although most writers speak of a female muse, Stephen King says his is male.) Is your muse anything like the nine muses described in Greek mythology?
Before you begin, you might want to watch Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED Talk, “Your Elusive Creative Genius.”
239. Observe
Suggested time: 20–45 minutes
Good writing begins with keen observation. For this exercise, pretend that you have just landed on the planet and are seeing everything in your backyard for the very first time. Take a walk outside with your notebook. Keep your eyes wide open. Find something new, something you’ve never before noticed. You might find a plant that’s thriving or one that’s barely surviving; you might watch someone favoring one leg while walking; perhaps you’ll see a child poking a caterpillar, hear an odd noise, or smell exhaust on the street. Maybe you’ll see a strange car or hear a cricket that sounds like it has smoked Camels all its life.
Make notes of all of your observations. You might also sketch what you saw. Then find a quiet place to write. Write three paragraphs about what you observed.
Did you know?
It’s true that you grow taller when you sleep, by about 8mm. During the day, gravity makes you shrink back to your former height.3
240. Worst Liar
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Are you or is someone you know terrible at lies? Describe, with specific examples, how the lies are obviously lies.
241. White Lies
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Is it all right to tell a little lie? Describe an instance when you’ve told a white lie, and explain what the consequences were. Was the lie helpful or harmful?
242. Romantic Evening
Suggested time: 10–15 minutes
Describe your ideal romantic evening. Have you already had such an evening, or are you planning it?