Plagiarize This

Prose Number Six

The trees were very leafy, all the greens rattling because the wind couldn't sit still.  They sat in the park over a bench, towering, I saw a man, he was dressed in ragged clothes.  I was looking for the truth in life, and I didn't care if he was a bum, I had to ask.  "Sir," I began, "What is truth?"  He had a nub of a cigarette in his hand, which he placed to his dry lips and pulled back a drag.  Exhale.  He choked on his  own polluted air.  "Truth?"  He chuckled and hacked.  "Truth, my dear, is here."  He got up and walked away, and I sat alone, while the gardenia bush gave off its perfume and a lady bug tickled my hand.  I flicked it off and picked a flower and thought, I need to ask someone else.

Response

In these reading I found myself in a middle ground, especially dealing with the topic of what is really plagiarism, to what is really inspiration?  In the poetry department every one of my professors has encouraged everyone of there students to read poetry.  And just like in the film department, film majors are encouraged to watch films and read reviews, so we can draw inspiration, and also how could I be a poet or a critic or a filmmaker, if I've never read a poem or watched a film or read a review.  I mean yes it is possible to do so, but if your mind is not opened up to possibilities then your thoughts cannot go very far.

Joy Garnett saw a photo and was inspired.  Just like when van Gogh saw the night sky and when the shadows of the day changed, he painted and drew the same setting over and over again.  An artist need to create goes along with their mood or for better words, emotion of the current time.  If they are feeling political, then expect the new face of change to be multi-colored, or a morbid picture of grief when they are enduring that pain.  Did Joy copy Sarah's photograph and plagiarize?  I don't know if I could answer my own question, but I'm pretty sure that money is the root to the whole issue between the two.

I just recently watched a documentary entitled Catfish, and the thing, besides many things (and I promise I won't spoil the story for anyone) but the photographer featured in the film had his photos painted by an artist and I never heard of any controversy in that area.

And just like in The Ecstasy of Influence article, when the writer talks about the story of Lolita being drawn from other influences, and Bob Dylan using lines from every place imaginable.  I guess that it is only plagiarism when someone takes the actual work of another person and try to present it as their own, then the work is plagiarized.  But I think every day we humans draw influence and inspiration from one another, we serve as each others seasoning, and I consider it a great form of flattery when someone can use you work to express their feeling.  But if you make millions off of me, then expect to pay up, because I want my cut...20%!!!  :)