Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

A Gentle Gleam

Blog City - Day 1123

Prompt Tolstoy tells us writers to “shine with a gentle gleam.” What do you think that gentle gleam is and how can it be applied to writing? Just guess if you are not familiar with Tolstoy.

I am thinking that he is saying shine a light on life, but do it in a way that illuminates in a gentle way and not a glaring way. Anna Karenina was about a woman being unfaithful and how that affected the lives of all of those around her. It is not meant to be judgemental or preachy. It is meant to cast a light and reflect on the ways of life and what can happen in that kind of situation.

When we write, we are to do the same... illuminate life without judgement or criticism. Paint the canvas large and luminous so that it reflects all that can be seen and understood in the world as we see it.

The definition of gleam is:
As a verb - to shine brightly, especially with reflected light.
As a noun - a faint or brief light, especially one reflected from something.

We are essentially illuminating on it as we reflect of the situation we are writing about.