The one thing a writer has to have is a pencil and some paper. That's enough, so long as she knows that she and she alone is in charge of that pencil, and responsible, she and she alone, for what it writes on that paper.
Ursula K. Le GuinRead
Burlesque girls were alchemists. They were steel-tough performers who were willing to use kitchens as dressing rooms, haul their costume bags through the snow, and go into debt over fake diamonds, all for the five minutes onstage when they were goddesses.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the dedication and resilience of burlesque performers who endure hardships for a fleeting moment of glory on stage.
Molly Crabapple's quote emphasizes the transformative power and commitment of burlesque performers, who, despite facing significant challenges such as difficult working conditions and financial struggles, embrace their craft with fierce determination. The metaphor of alchemy illustrates their ability to turn hardship into momentary beauty and empowerment, emphasizing the contrast between their everyday struggles and the ephemeral exhilaration of performing.
In practice
In a speech about the resilience of artists in tough times.
The one thing a writer has to have is a pencil and some paper. That's enough, so long as she knows that she and she alone is in charge of that pencil, and responsible, she and she alone, for what it writes on that paper.
The poet, the artist, the sleuth, whoever sharpens our perception tends to antisocial; rarely 'well adjusted,' he cannot go along with currents and trends.
Creation comes before distribution -- or there will be nothing to distribute.
There's always a need at a critical time for poetry.
I think that when you're making your way up in the music industry, you have all these heroes and the reasons why they are your heroes. As soon as you get into the industry, your guidelines change a little bit. For me, my heroes now are great people first and great artists second.
When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he is no longer a critic; he is a censor.
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