Imagine the beast, strong and perilous. No gentle giant this man, a notorious killer. Anger is his demeanor. Violence is his expression. He is mortal danger, make no mistake. It is best to leave him alone. No, that is not enough. It is best to run. Run away. His malevolence is active.
Now imagine the innocent, a tiny child, good natured and naive, unsuspecting and curious. He is too far away to stop; he cannot hear your warning. You watch in horror as, smiling, he engages the beast. The beast has not heard his approach; he is startled, caught unaware, and springs, from habit, to a fighting stance. Seeing the innocent smile, his twisted snarl of surprise settles into a blank, unblinking stare. The threat is palpable, but the innocent is unaware.
It is the power of juxtaposition, of contrast, that gives strong pathos to the kindness of a beast. If the beast abides the innocent, allows him to stay unharmed, allows him to leave unharmed, this elicits a visceral emotional reaction unattainable for normal human interactions. This perception of strong kindness is not necessarily accurate. A mother caring for a child every day is more valuable than a beast allowing an innocent to live, but it is common. It is expected.
Value cannot be measured by emotional response. Artistic beauty is not the measure of value. We play games with words, create strong tension to illustrate strong notions. The most valuable things, however, are often unstoried, unsaid, unwritten.
Hello, friends. How are you today?
Later. Love.
P.S. - Hey! Guess who started a blog? My lovely wife, Susan, can now be found at soozeecue. (There's a link to her at the top right, under "Our Links.") Go by and see her. She's much more personable than I am. Thanks for stopping by.
