“imagination: every one is jostled by it, but some are overthrown
by it.”
For as long as I can remember I have been full of
imagination. One of my favorite things in life is dreaming and using my
imagination to be creative and fulfill my hopes. The word imagination has
always been something positive in my life; a way to describe the interworking
of my thoughts and dreams. I was excited to read Montaigne’s “Of the Force of
the Imagination” because I thought it would emphasize the power and the
importance of the imagination. Instead it seems that Montaigne was questioning
the power of imagination to take over an individual and those around them.
“’tis quite another thing, when the imagination works not
only upon one’s own particular body, but upon that of others also.”
I don’t know that I fully connected with the point Montaigne
was trying to make. However, his essay did get me thinking about another aspect
of imagination. When someone becomes consumed with an idea, they start to
embrace that concept. Their enthusiasm and attachment to that idea can then
lend itself to others, and in a way it seems the imagination of one person has
become contagious, plaguing others. It’s interesting to think about the power
imagination can have over ourselves, and the people that surround us. Though
this power can be positive and productive to our lives, it is also the type of
power that can turn into a type of evil or negativity. Montaigne’s essay made
me start to consider that there’s more to imagination than the positive dreams,
imagination can fuel the negative as well.
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