PARAGRAPH WRITING

. A man is known by the company he keeps and the books he reads

   One’s choice of friends and books reveals one’s character. A man whose interest in reading is confined to cheap, titillating books cannot make any tall claims to have a philosophical bent of mind, while one who reads classics is most likely to be influenced by them in a suitable manner. Similarly, a man with a perverted mind will shun the company of good people and will always flock with his own kind. Whereas, a good person will always seek like-minded people. Books and friends provide us with companionship when we are lonely and bored. They do influence the personality to a large extent. It is, therefore, necessary to exercise utmost judiciousness in selecting one’s reading material and friends. Proper guidance in the formative years can go a long way in developing discretion and judgement about people and books, thereby helping to avoid indiscriminate selection of either.

 All art lies in concealing art

   A good work of art is so close to nature that one can easily mistake it for a real thing. A truly great artist seeks creative expression when he is overwhelmed by the spontaneous overflow of feelings. At such a moment his work is effortless. That is the real essence of a true work of art, be it a painting, a poem or musical rendering of a composition. Something which is obviously artistic, reveals the effort that has gone into giving it a mark of perfection. A skilled craftsman does not allow his work to reveal the effort and ingenuity that he had to employ to create a master piece. The art of artlessness is most fascinating. Only an expert can discover the manifold qualities of an object d’art. His trained eyes, experience and close observation help him to recognize a truly valuable piece of work. Therefore, the real art is to create a work which is devoid of any signs of effort. All true art is effortless and that is the final test. An artist who fails to pass this final test is not  true artist.

A rolling stone gathers no moss

   The key to success is to have a definite purpose in life. People who are wavering, irresolute and indecisive never come to much in life. They change their field of study or occupation very frequently. As a result, though they acquire a little knowledge about various fields, yet they are unable to achieve proficiency in even one field. Besides, man shifting from trade to trade, is never able to utilize his past knowledge and experience. He always has to start from the lowest rung of the ladder. He never applies himself to anything seriously. It takes time to establish one’s credibility in any organization one sets out to work for. If one is important and capricious by nature, then he does not wait to gain people’s confidence and establishes one’s reputation. One is forever moving on to greener pastures. Consequently, one remains a non-entity and never achieves a steady position in life.

 . A hungry man is an angry man

   Food is the basic requirement of man for his very survival. Though he cannot live by bread alone, yet he cannot live without it at all. What is love, god, religion to man on an empty stomach! The poor are often driven to dire measures like selling their own flesh and blood to satisfy the pangs of hunger. A hungry man cannot reason. He becomes impatient, angry and loses all sense of proportion. Any attempt to pacify him with words can be disastrous. He may strike back with all his fury, when his pent up emotions explode on the slightest provocation. Sermons, argument cannot fill his belly. They will only infuriate him. He may resort to violence, theft and other anti-social means to provide food for himself and his family. Therefore, it is the duty of a responsible government to ensure that no man goes hungry in its state. For, hunger can drive a man insane to the point of betraying his nation in his wrath.

 All art is useless

   All art aims at portraying an authentic picture of life from the point of view of the artist. But an artist has an important function. He has a moral duty. The business of the artist is not just to show, but also to give a message. A good painting, sculpture, book or musical composition should leave a lasting impression on the mind and stir the soul. It should acquaint us with the meaning of life, its joys and sorrows, ups and downs. And, thereby, instill courage in us to face it with equanimity. An artist is a student of life. He dispassionately exposes incongruities of life and arouses emotions in the heart of his admirers and uplifts them from their petty preoccupations. When we hear an enchanting piece of music, it moves us to tears and lifts our spirits. For some time we forget our worries and anxieties. Thus, art not only pleases us, it also teaches and touches us. It helps us to rise above our narrow minded thoughts and tame the brute instincts inherent in our mental makeup. It makes us aware of a higher meaning of life. Therefore, art is not useless, it is purposive.