Express Yourself

Everyone has those times when they just need to get something off of their chest. Whether that be some sort of secret, some kind of guilt, or just a really bad feeling you may have. There are many ways that people use to release these feelings and express themselves. For me that can be one of a few things. For example when I’m feeling in the dump I like to listen to my music very loud or if I need to express my anger in a non-violent way I will go for a drive and work on my bike or car to release that built up aggression. These things mostly just calm me down and express the way I am feeling and those around me can usually tell my mood and feelings by what I am doing at the time.

In the story The Harmony of Spheres by Salman Rushdie, the main character Eliot Crane is said to be insane or crazy. He “…had been suffering from what he called ‘brainstorms’ of paranoid schizophrenia…” (p. 125) He believed that his best friend was a martian, he also believed in and communicated with the devil, and he was also a student of the “Dark Arts”. In the book we see that his being insane leads to his suicide.

I think that what caused Eliot’s “Brainstorms” is that he really did not know a way to express himself or release his feelings in a way that was somewhat normal. “…He seemed better as long as he did not try to write, he seemed worse because not writing plunged him into such deep depressions…” (p. 128) One of the ways Elliot liked to express himself was writing, but the writing just made his ideas and views even worse. It just made him more insane.

Also in the book there is a part where Rushdie questions Eliot’s sexuality. “Eliot the occultist pretending to be an academic, with me, mo prosaically, perhaps half-lost in occult love.” (p. 139) This could have played a huge part in his insanity. He probably had to hold it in because of the way society might view him or even the way that those close to him may see him. This probably led to a lot of pent up anger and could possibly one of the reason for his deep interest in evil.

I feel that havening a good way to express yourself and your feelings is a huge part of life. I know that it has helped me through a lot of very tough times.