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Confluências SCRIPTOMANIAS Identity & Artists When we are young, the world seems to give us too many directions. We have to make constant choices and to overcome problems and difficulties that appear along the road of life. Now, “as time goes by”, like Sam said in the film Casablanca, we are all becoming adults. But before that moment we need to grow up and to learn a lot of things. More than learning we need to follow role models. What’s a role model? Well, that’s right; a role model is someone that becomes an example to us, someone who influences our behaviour and our way of thinking. It can be everyone but, in fact, role models start to appear when we are really young with the parents figure, and then that figure also starts to appear in friends. But, as we become teenagers it’s natural that role models start to be actors, singers, writers and all those famous people. Teenage years are a time of our lives when we are yet trying to discover who we are, and there’s nothing wrong about it. It’s just natural, no one is born taught, no one is born with a completely settled personality. Idols can be very good role models, of course, if we know how to choose them. Otherwise they can also be a very bad influence. But I would like to talk about the good effects of it, and, in fact, I think there are many. I think it’s quite stupid and out of sense when people say we shouldn’t imitate other people. I always though what the hell? Imitating is our life. No one lives without imitating anybody, and that’s not a bad thing. Only people with a lot of different views can be able to then create something of their own. Let’s take an example. If I have a favourite writer
he or she will certainly have an influence about the way I write, about the way I see things; if I have a favourite film director he or she will open my mind when it takes to cinema. A young film director can only be an expert if he has already watched thousands and thousands of films. No one just arrives somewhere and writes a book or makes a film without any learning, without any role models. Someone who can give an example to us is very important when constructing an identity. If we have bad examples or if we don’t have any examples at all, I think our minds will just become a big maze, without any starting point or safe place. And, of course, we all need a starting point, we all need someone to guide us, and not only when we are teens. What we learn when we are young can last a life time and adults also have role models. A century ago, Alfred de Musset, a French poet, said “Even to plant cabbages is to imitate someone”. Cabbage means “couve” in Portuguese. And because it’s a little bit strange, it may not make sense for you but, basically, it means that even a common thing such as planting cabbages is a state of pure imitation. Just like other people have planted cabbages before you, other people have done what you’re doing and even other thousands of people may have thought what you are thinking about now. What I mean is that there’s nothing wrong about it, and it doesn’t mean we are not unique. Otherwise, it just means that we are living with each other. And everything that we create will always be different because looking at others work doesn’t mean imitation, it means inspiration. And just like the French philosopher Alain said “Who does not imitate, does not invent”. Leonor Gaião, 10º I
LUX LIBERATRIX Hoje, mais do que nos outros dias, sinto-me cansado Sempre melancólico e magoado Quero que pare e que desapareça Como a nuvem que se condensa Na minha turva mente Ou será que é a minha alma que já não sente? Todos os dias vejo e sinto aquela luz Que me dá esperança e força Entre o caminho tenebroso Que me mata a cabeça de questões e depressões
E com o seu raio de claridade na minha face Aquele nó apertado à volta do pescoço subitamente tem o seu desenlace Mas com o final do dia vais desaparecendo E a mim o que me resta fazer? Apreciar cada segundo Fumo o meu último cigarro e despeçome de ti Sabendo que amanhã nos voltaremos a encontrar. Daniel de Almeida Dias, 11º J