This passage discusses the concept of defamiliarization in literature. It provides examples from Tolstoy's works where he uses techniques like describing familiar acts in unfamiliar ways and using unconventional perspectives to challenge readers' usual understandings. The goal of defamiliarization is to make the familiar seem strange in order to engage audiences and provoke new ways of thinking. The passage also mentions how defamiliarization can be applied through other literary techniques like imagery, parallelism, and intentionally complex poetic language.

1. This paragraph is saying that art involves thinking in pictures or images. Poetry, in particular, is a special
way of thinking because it's a method of thinking in images. This way of thinking allows for efficiency
and a sense of ease in the thought process.
The author emphasizes the importance of imagery in art, stating that without images, there is no art. Some
people have taken these ideas to interpret various forms of art, such as music, architecture, and lyric
poetry, as types of thinking in images.
In simpler terms, the paragraph is highlighting the significance of visual thinking in art, especially in
poetry, and how this approach can be applied to understand and interpret different forms of artistic
expression.
The crux of this paragraph is that some people believe that the essence of poetry lies in thinking in
images. However, the author argues that the history of "imagistic art" should involve changes in imagery
over time. Contrary to this expectation, the author observes that images themselves don't change much.
They persist from century to century, across nations and poets, remaining relatively constant. The author
suggests that these images are almost borrowed or shared across poets, indicating that the emphasis in
poetry is not on creating entirely new images but on arranging and presenting them in unique ways. The
key point is that poets are more focused on organizing and utilizing existing images, and the ability to
remember and arrange these images is deemed more crucial than the ability to invent entirely new ones.
This paragraph discusses the scope of imagistic thought and its relationship to poetry. It emphasizes that
not all aspects of art or verbal art are covered by imagistic thought, indicating that there are various
elements and techniques involved in artistic expression.
The statement also highlights that a change in imagery is not a mandatory factor for the development of
poetry. It notes that sometimes, expressions are considered poetic or created for aesthetic pleasure even if
they weren't initially intended as such. This introduces the idea that the perception of poetry is subjective
and can vary.

2. The paragraph further suggests that the artistic value attributed to a work is based on how it is perceived.
It introduces the concept that a piece can be created with either a prosaic (ordinary) or poetic intent, and
its classification as art depends on how it is received and interpreted.
Finally, the mention of "works of art" in a narrow sense refers to pieces created using special techniques
aimed at making them overtly and intentionally artistic. This implies that certain artistic techniques
distinguish works that are explicitly crafted for their artistic quality.
This suggests that imagery serves two purposes. First, it can be a practical tool for thinking, helping us
categorize and understand objects. Second, imagery can be used poetically to strengthen or enhance an
impression or feeling. In simpler terms, imagery can be like a helpful thinking tool and, at the same time,
a way to make things in language more vivid and powerful.
The main idea here is that poetic imagery, which involves using vivid and expressive language, aims to
leave a strong impact on the audience. It suggests that, depending on its purpose, poetic imagery is
equally effective compared to various other poetic techniques. These techniques include things like
parallelism, comparison, repetition, balanced structure, hyperbole, and other methods that highlight the
emotional impact of words and expressions. In essence, the passage emphasizes the power and
effectiveness of poetic imagery in conveying emotions and making a lasting impression.
The text suggests that certain concepts like conserving energy, and the rules and purpose of creativity, are
relevant and make sense when applied to everyday or "practical" language. However, these ideas were
also applied to poetic language, which, according to the author, is a mistake. The point made is that the
rules governing everyday language are not the same as those governing poetic language. They have
different characteristics and should be understood separately. In essence, what works for practical
language might not be directly applicable to the unique nature of poetic expression.
This sentence suggests that when discussing how language is used in poetry, we should not rely on
comparisons with everyday or prose language. Instead, we should focus on understanding the unique

3. principles and rules that govern the use of language specifically in poetry. The idea is to analyze poetic
language on its own terms rather than drawing parallels with non-poetic forms of expression.
This passage talks about how, as we get used to things, our perception of them becomes automatic. It uses
the analogy of habits becoming unconsciously automatic, like how we might not fully notice the
sensations of holding a pen or speaking a foreign language after doing it many times. The text suggests
that this habituation is why, in everyday speech, we often leave phrases unfinished or words half
expressed. It introduces the idea that, in this process, things are simplified and replaced by symbols, akin
to the way algebra works. For instance, complete words aren't fully expressed in fast speech; only their
initial sounds are somewhat perceived. The example of a boy breaking down the sentence "The Swiss
mountains are beautiful" into letters illustrates this concept: T, S, m, a, b.
Think about how sometimes you do things without really paying attention, like cleaning or walking
around. Imagine you approach a sofa while cleaning, but you're so used to it that you're not sure if you've
already dusted it or not. It's like your actions are automatic, and you might not even remember doing
them.
The passage talks about this way of thinking as "algebraic." It means seeing things as shapes with vague
outlines, like looking at an object wrapped in a sack. You recognize the object by its main features, like
its silhouette, but you might not remember all the details. This kind of thinking is very efficient because it
doesn't require a lot of effort.
The example given is about forgetting whether you've dusted a sofa while cleaning. If someone is
watching you consciously, they can confirm what you did. But if no one is paying attention, it's as if those
actions never happened, especially if they're habitual and unconscious. It's about how our lives can go on
automatically, and if no one notices, it's like those moments didn't really exist.

4. The passage talks about how the routine, everyday things in life can become so automatic that they lose
meaning. Habitual actions, like work, getting dressed, or even relationships, can fade into the background.
The fear of war, too, can become just another part of the routine.
The quote, "If the whole complex lives of many people go on unconsciously, then such lives are as if they
had never been," suggests that if we go through life without really paying attention to it, it's like those
moments didn't really happen.
Then it goes on to say that art exists to bring back the feeling of being alive. It's there to make you truly
sense things, like making a stone feel really stony. The purpose of art is to show things as you experience
them, not just as facts. The technique of art is to make things seem unfamiliar, to make shapes and forms
a bit challenging to see. This is because the process of really seeing something is an art in itself and
should be enjoyed. In the end, it says that the actual object isn't the most important part of art; it's about
experiencing the cleverness or beauty of the object.
When we look at something repeatedly, we start to recognize it, but it becomes so familiar that we don't
really see it anymore. We know it's there, but we can't say anything meaningful about it. Art, however,
takes objects out of this automatic recognition. Leo Tolstoy, the writer mentioned, has a way of
presenting things in a manner that makes it seem like he truly sees them, sees them completely without
changing them. This is one of the ways art helps us really look at things instead of just recognizing them
automatically.
Tolstoy makes ordinary things seem strange by not using their usual names. He describes objects and
events as if he's encountering them for the first time. For example, in a story about punishment, he doesn't
just say "flogging" but describes it in a more detailed way, like hitting on the naked buttocks. By doing
this, he makes us question why certain actions are chosen for punishment and why not other methods, like
using needles or a vise. This technique is called "defamiliarization" - making the familiar unfamiliar to
make us see it with fresh eyes.

5. Tolstoy often uses a technique called "defamiliarization," where he makes familiar things seem unfamiliar
to make us think more deeply. For instance, when describing the act of flogging, he presents it in a
detailed and questioning way, suggesting alternatives to make us reconsider its nature. In another story,
"Kholstomer," the narrator is a horse, offering a perspective that makes the concept of private property
seem confusing. The horse doesn't initially understand phrases like "his own" or "his colt," highlighting
the confusion around being considered someone's property. This technique challenges our usual
understanding of things.
The horse in Tolstoy's story, "Kholstomer," initially finds phrases like "my horse" confusing. These
words, such as "my" and "mine," make a strong impression on the horse, leading it to ponder their
meaning. After various experiences with people, the horse realizes that humans are guided more by words
than actions. The words "mine" and "my" are used to claim ownership over different things, and people
compete to say "mine" about the most things, considering the one with the most claims as the happiest.
Despite the horse's initial confusion, it recognizes the significance of these words in human interactions.
Defamiliarization, as a technique, is quite versatile and can be applied in various forms. The idea is to
make familiar things appear new and fresh, creating a unique perception of the object or concept. This
technique is not meant to provide a permanent reference for the complex aspects of life but, instead, aims
to offer a distinct way of seeing the object. The goal is to generate a vision or impression of the object
rather than serving as a straightforward means of understanding it. Defamiliarization is a tool that artists,
like Tolstoy, use to engage audiences by presenting the ordinary in an extraordinary light.
Defamiliarization can also be seen in constructions like "the pestle and the mortar" or "Old Nick and the
infernal regions" (from Decameron). In my article on plot construction, I discuss defamiliarization in
psychological parallelism. The key idea is that recognizing disharmony in a harmonious context is crucial
in parallelism. Like imagery in general, the purpose of parallelism is to shift the usual way we perceive an

6. object into a realm of new perception. It aims to create a unique change in meaning, making the familiar
seem unfamiliar in order to engage the audience differently.
When we examine poetic language in its sounds, words, and how thoughts are formed from these words,
we consistently find a distinct artistic quality. This artistic touch is intentionally crafted to disrupt the
automatic nature of perception. The goal of the author is to create a vision that arises from this altered
perception. Artistic works are intentionally constructed to slow down perception, aiming for the greatest
impact through this deliberate pace. As a result, the object is perceived not just in its physical space but
also in its continuity, creating a unique and satisfying experience termed as "poetic language." According
to Aristotle, poetic language should seem strange and wonderful, and indeed, it often takes on a foreign
quality, such as the Sumerian used by the Assyrians or the Latin of medieval Europe. Even common
poetic elements like archaisms, the intricate sweet new style, or the phonetic "roughening" of language, as
demonstrated by Leo Jakubinsky, contribute to this intentional complexity. Essentially, poetic language is
designed to be challenging, rough, and obstructed, deviating from the smoothness of everyday language.
While there are occasional instances where poetic language may resemble prose, this doesn't contradict
the fundamental idea of intentionally introducing a "roughened" form.
Currently, there's an interesting shift happening in the Russian language. Initially, literary language,
which was somewhat foreign to the people, has now become a part of everyday conversation. Conversely,
literature is showing a trend toward using dialects and even deliberately incorporating provincial or less
refined language, as seen in the works of Remizov, Klyuyev, Essenin, and others. Additionally, some
writers, like Maxim Gorky, are moving away from the traditional literary language towards a more
colloquial style, as seen in the works of Leskov. This change has led to ordinary speech and literary
language swapping positions. There's also a notable effort, led by Khlebnikov, to create a new and
distinctively poetic language. In light of these shifts, poetry is described as intricate and winding speech,
while prose is considered straightforward, easy, and precise. The essence of this transformation is
discussed more thoroughly in an article on plot construction.

7. The argument about conserving artistic energy in poetic language, especially regarding rhythm, initially
seems reasonable. Spencer's explanation of rhythm compares the mind's preparation for unorganized
stimuli to the body's readiness for unpredictable impacts. Just as the body readies itself for varying
shocks, the mind readies its perspectives for unarranged articulations. If these articulations follow a
specific order, the mind can save energy by predicting the attention needed for each syllable.
The idea that rhythm in poetry saves mental energy is a mistake. The author is pointing out that there's a
confusion between the rules of poetic and everyday language. Rhythm in prose or work songs can make
tasks automatic and easier, like marching to music. However, poetic rhythm is different; it's intentionally
disorderly and can't be predicted. Trying to organize it defeats its purpose. The author hints at a future
book where they'll delve deeper into the intricacies of rhythm.