Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chuck Palahniuk, Esprit d'Escalier, Haunted, literature, novels, Oregonian, phrases, reading, Spirit of the Stairway, writing
I’m posting this more for my own future reference than anything else. I’m not sure if I’ve made mention of this before, but Chuck Palahniuk is one of my favorite authors. But then again, I’m living in modern times and I am also an Oregonian; how many of us aren’t fans of Palahniuk? Couple that with the cult-following of Fight Club and you’re most likely living under a rock if you don’t recognize his name.
My favorite novel of his would have to be (at this moment in time) Haunted. The entire thing is a beautiful work of words, in the way it magnifies the less desirable aspects of humanity today and how fixated we can become on the things that we let haunt us. We all have scars on our souls from things you could only understand if it happened to you. We all have our little obsessions that when left unchecked run rampant and consume us entirely.
I can never choose just one singular favorite short story from the book. I think I have it, but then I remember the story of another character, decide upon that one, but then recall a different account. Why the need to have a favorite? I just choose to love the entire book instead.
One of the many pieces of the novel that sticks out in my memory is in the short story “Guts” written by the character Saint Gut-Free:
People in France have a phrase: “Spirit of the Stairway”. In French: Esprit d’Escalier. It means that moment when you find the answer, but it’s too late. Say you’re at a party and someone insults you. You have to say something. So under pressure, with everybody watching, you say something lame. But the moment you leave the party?
As you start down the stairway, then – magic. You come up with the perfect thing you should’ve said. The perfect crippling put-down.
That’s the Spirit of the Stairway.
The trouble is, even the French don’t have a phrase for the stupid things you actually do say under pressure. Those stupid, desperate things you actually think or do.
The Spirit of the Stairway is one of the most biting common occurrences, and it’s experienced so often. I don’t know about yourself but knowing that there is a phrase for it, that it is named and therefore a widespread phenomenon, is a comfort in itself. No matter how shitty you feel, there is someone, somewhere, that has felt so much the same.
We are never alone in our loneliness,
Dacoda.
p.s.
If you’ve read Haunted, tell me some of the moments of it that stuck out to you, stories, characters, anything. If you haven’t, read it, and we could pick apart each others’ brains (:
Filed under: Day To Day Shit | Tags: creativity, culture, Drew Barrymore, Ellen Page, eyecandy, fashion, habits, influences, inspiration, journaling, Landon Pigg, lifestyle, literature, music, notebook, phrases, polyvore, sayings, style, trends, Whip It
I’m going to try doing one of these every month, and see how things evolve. It’s awfully fun, I’d suggest picking up the habit (:
And I definitely recommend carrying a notebook with you everywhere you go to jot down all the little things that strike you at any given time to aide in creativity later.
Oh, and my new heartthrob:
Landon Pigg <3
(a.k.a. the guy from Whip It)
Speaking of Whip It, who else is so inspired by Ellen Page’s character Bliss/Babe Ruthless’s style? I know I am. Lordy, over all fashionably inspired. Those girls were babes with good, unique taste. Drew Barrymore is a golden lady.
On a side note, how do you personally define the saying ‘cast pearls before swine’? I know my definition, and I know it’s not biblically correct, and I don’t really care. I’m just interested to know what your own views on it are (:
A final piece of advice, don’t be afraid to mark up your books. Your own books. Annotating is the key to grasping why the written word is so impacting.
Enjoy the rest of this leap-less February,
Dacoda.
