20. Negotiating with the Dead

"[...]Writing itself being, above all, a reaction to the fear of death. Despite all of the remarks about enduring fame and leaving a name behind them that are strewn about in the letters and poems of writers, I had not thought much about writing per se as being a reaction to the fear of death-- but once you've got hold of an idea, the proofs of it tend to proliferate." -- Margaret Atwood, Negotiating with the Dead

I've mentioned a couple of times Margaret Atwood and her "fear of death" writing theory. I think it's worth some time discussing.

Is it true? I don't know. But it certainly is understandable. I don't think that a 13 year old writing stories in her room is necessarily reacting to a fear of death, but then again, who do we really consider "a writer"? (A question for another blog, I'm sure.) As we get older, though (because wisdom always comes with age and nothing else, doesn't it?), and our writing becomes more developed, I think this could inadvertently be true, in a sense. Maybe not the only reason for writing, but a contributing factor for many, to be sure.

In a sense, (good) writing leads to immortality. If you're published, there is a record of you out there even after yourself and every person that's ever seen you is gone. It's a way to give yourself a definitive place in the grand scheme of things. There's some quote out there, that I can't remember the exact wording of nor the speaker, of course, that says something like, "If I found out I had five minutes to live, I'd write a little faster." I think that really captures the spirit of it, doesn't it?

This also relates to Plato/Socrotes/Diotima's idea of immortality through either physical birth or the birth of ideas. According to his Symposium, you either achieve immortality by (the inferior way of) having children with a woman, or (the superior way of) giving "birth" to a Truth, an idea, with another man. Luckily, we've progressed past some of that, but I think the idea stands true.

Thoughts, opinions? Is this why you write? Do you think there is any truth to it? Does anyone else adore Margaret Atwood?