Literature, Emptiness and Empathy
It is a popular opinion that literature promotes empathy in the reader. Author John Green says in his Crash Course video “How and Why We Read,“By understanding language, you will have a fuller understanding of lives other than your own.” In the above video, author Azar Nafisi agrees, asking the question at the 2014 American Library Association Annual...
The Elusive Authenticity of the Artist
You’ve probably heard the Picasso quote: “We all know that art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth, at least the truth that is given us to understand.” An article by Drew Calvert, published online by AGNI Magazine, explores the notion that art is a lie by looking at the role of the artist, and the potential...
A Tree Falls
Greg Weatherford is a vital staff member of Broad Street Magazine. He is a founding advisor of Broad Street as well as the Director of Student Media at the Student Media Center at VCU—out of which Broad Street is produced. His essay “A Tree Falls” was originally published in Henrico Monthly, and won an award...
The Tune of True Stories
True stories come in all forms. From Elizabethan murder ballads to rap songs, music has been a font of stories drawn from real life. But how much does truth really matter when it comes to songs? First, there’s the question of narrative itself. For example, Nick Cave, front man for Australian alternative-rock band the Bad Seeds, has moved...
Are We Taking the Thought out of Nonfiction?
by Hannah Morgan We’ve all heard it a million times: “Show, don’t tell.” In creative writing classrooms nation-wide, this is the guideline. So, naturally, a commonly voiced criticism in workshops is something like: “This doesn’t need to be stated outright; it would be more engaging if the reader could glean it from the scene.” I have...
