As culÂturÂal figÂures, the late James Earl Jones and Kurt VonÂnegut would seem to have had litÂtle in comÂmon, but each could easÂiÂly be recÂogÂnized by his voice. Jones’ will come to mind as soon as you think of Darth VadÂer, SimÂba’s father, or “This is CNN.” VonÂnegut’s disÂtincÂtion was the voice eviÂdent on any givÂen page of novÂels like Cat’s CraÂdle, BreakÂfast of ChamÂpiÂons, and of course SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five — a voice many of us have known since adoÂlesÂcence. They come togethÂer in the LetÂters Live video above with Jones readÂing a VonÂnegut letÂter to the stuÂdents of Ms. LockÂwood’s EngÂlish class at New York’s Xavier High School in 2006.
VonÂnegut was writÂing in response to five such stuÂdents, who’d choÂsen him when assigned to write to their favorite author. We’ve preÂviÂousÂly feaÂtured his letÂter here on Open CulÂture as read aloud by Sir Ian McKÂellen, but its mesÂsage bears repeatÂing by anyÂone who will speak it, beloved actor or othÂerÂwise. “PracÂtice any art, music, singing, dancÂing, actÂing, drawÂing, paintÂing, sculptÂing, poetÂry, ficÂtion, essays, reportage, no matÂter how well or badÂly,” he writes. The idea is “not to get monÂey and fame, but to expeÂriÂence becomÂing, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.”
The celÂeÂbratÂed novÂelÂist even hands down an assignÂment to his teenage fans: “Write a six line poem, about anyÂthing, but rhymed. No fair tenÂnis withÂout a net. Make it as good as you posÂsiÂbly can. But don’t tell anyÂbody what you’re doing. Don’t show it or recite it to anyÂbody, not even your girlÂfriend or parÂents or whatÂevÂer, or Ms. LockÂwood.” After thorÂoughÂly disÂposÂing of this entireÂly priÂvate piece of art, know that “you have expeÂriÂenced becomÂing, learned a lot more about what’s inside you, and you have made your soul grow.”
None of this conÂflicts with the stanÂdard advice about writÂing, which tends to emphaÂsize just getÂting startÂed, workÂing under restricÂtions, and not makÂing an undue rush to pubÂliÂcaÂtion. But they make a difÂferÂent kind of impact when recÂomÂmendÂed by VonÂnegut in what would turn out to be the last year of life, and with his charÂacÂterÂisÂtic tenÂdenÂcy to reach for the heavÂens while nevÂer departÂing from the munÂdane, even silÂly things of this earth. “Dance home after school, and sing in the showÂer and on and on,” he sugÂgests. “Make a face in your mashed potaÂtoes. PreÂtend you’re Count DracÂuÂla.” There writes a grand old man of AmerÂiÂcan letÂters who knew how comÂmuÂniÂcate across a disÂtance of genÂerÂaÂtions.
RelatÂed conÂtent:
James Earl Jones (RIP) Reads Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” and Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”
James Earl Jones Reads OthÂelÂlo at White House PoetÂry Jam
FredÂerÂick Douglass’s Fiery 1852 Speech, “The MeanÂing of July 4th for the Negro,” Read by James Earl Jones
Darth Vader’s Voice: The OrigÂiÂnal Voice VerÂsus the Vocals of James Earl Jones
Kurt VonÂnegut Urges Young PeoÂple to Make Art and “Make Your Soul Grow”
Sir Ian McKÂellen Reads Kurt Vonnegut’s LetÂter to High School StuÂdents: Make Art and “Make Your Soul Grow”
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities and the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.