Imago Inklings : Writing Prompts
August 8, 2012
I.
Bertrand
Russell, in his Introduction to Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus writes,
“The essential business of language is to assert or deny facts.” Russell
continues, “Given the syntax of a language, the meaning of a sentence is
determined as soon as the meaning of the component words is known. In order
that a certain sentence should assert a certain fact there must, however the
language be constructed, be something in common between the structure of the
sentence and the structure of the fact. This is perhaps the most fundamental
thesis of Mr. Wittgenstein’s theory. That which has to be in common between the
sentence and the fact cannot, so he contends, be itself in turn said in language. It can, in his
phraseology, only be shown, not said,
for whatever we may say will still need to have the same structure.”—Bertrand
Russell (Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Russell, Bertrand. Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, Introduction, pg. X. Routledge
Press, ©2009) [Emphasis Russell’s]
If Russell’s claim holds true for all of language—language consists only of asserting or denying facts, what would it mean for the timeless claim of the artist to reveal truth through story? Does Russell’s definition leave room for art? How should we compartmentalize Russell’s claim? Over the next 15 minutes, begin to write a personal essay describing your thoughts on Russell’s claim that language consists of asserting or denying facts.
If Russell’s claim holds true for all of language—language consists only of asserting or denying facts, what would it mean for the timeless claim of the artist to reveal truth through story? Does Russell’s definition leave room for art? How should we compartmentalize Russell’s claim? Over the next 15 minutes, begin to write a personal essay describing your thoughts on Russell’s claim that language consists of asserting or denying facts.
II.
You are sitting in your/a dentist’s office in
Portland/a city of your choice. Suddenly (and quite unexpectedly), a group of
people dressed up as elves straight out of Tolkien walk in and sit down next to
you. You look up from your magazine/book and begin to stare. Their costumes are
amazingly lifelike—almost as if Weta Workshop designed them for a Peter Jackson
film. You become curious and wonder if these people are from a local fantasy
convention or are part of a film. You think nothing odd of young people
dressing up for a con. But, given the quality of the outfits, the realism, and
the size of the group, you turn and ask, “Are you attending a local fantasy
convention or cast for some fantasy film?”
The receptionist looks up and stares, not at the clan of elves, but at you—as though it were commonplace for a clan of elves (or more accurately, a group of people dressed up as elves) to walk into her office (and how bothersome of you to point it out). One of the more distinguished looking convention attendees looks frightened. “What do we look like to you?”
You begin to laugh, “Why, elves, of course! Although, I don’t take part in role playing games (unlike my roommates, who do nothing but), so I don’t know what kind of elves you are trying to be.”
By this point, all the members of the little group are looking alarmed. Each is speaking in a Tolkienesqure language. Stranger still, the other people sitting in the room are looking at you as though you were hallucinating. You think, “What’s wrong with pointing out they are dressed up as elves?” But, as you look back at the group, you begin to notice that what you had at first taken for latex ears and makeup, fake hair and costumes, look far more realistic than you had at first assumed. Their ear extensions seem solid, and the gems on their hands look real. “These are surely some dedicated fans,” you think.
Suddenly, the most fearsome member of the group offers, “We are city dwelling elves. You should not see us as we are.”
Over the next 15-minutes, continue the story. You may alter the introductory details as necessary to match your style and voice.
The receptionist looks up and stares, not at the clan of elves, but at you—as though it were commonplace for a clan of elves (or more accurately, a group of people dressed up as elves) to walk into her office (and how bothersome of you to point it out). One of the more distinguished looking convention attendees looks frightened. “What do we look like to you?”
You begin to laugh, “Why, elves, of course! Although, I don’t take part in role playing games (unlike my roommates, who do nothing but), so I don’t know what kind of elves you are trying to be.”
By this point, all the members of the little group are looking alarmed. Each is speaking in a Tolkienesqure language. Stranger still, the other people sitting in the room are looking at you as though you were hallucinating. You think, “What’s wrong with pointing out they are dressed up as elves?” But, as you look back at the group, you begin to notice that what you had at first taken for latex ears and makeup, fake hair and costumes, look far more realistic than you had at first assumed. Their ear extensions seem solid, and the gems on their hands look real. “These are surely some dedicated fans,” you think.
Suddenly, the most fearsome member of the group offers, “We are city dwelling elves. You should not see us as we are.”
Over the next 15-minutes, continue the story. You may alter the introductory details as necessary to match your style and voice.
III. What is your favorite breakfast food?
Besides these prompts I made, see:For the next 15-minutes, describe a scene where a character is ordering this in a greasy spoon diner. The location may be real or fictitious. Add details as necessary.
http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/
for some other great prompt ideas we may be using.
