Writing Prompts from “The Buried Giant”

Magical Realism: The Buried Giant

Use Quotes from Reading for Writing Prompts

I’ve come to think that some of the best writing prompts are the things we underline in the books we read. I’ve decided to periodically post some of my underlining here. The nice thing about using quotes from books is that you don’t need to have read the book in order to use the quote as a prompt—the point is to just let your own imagination take the thought forward. SO—I’m starting with my most recent read—The Buried Giant.

I had the good fortune to receive The Buried Giant as a Christmas gift from my son. I missed it when it was published three years ago, but I’m so glad I got to read it now. If you haven’t read it, check the link for my review.

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Perhaps there had been a time when they lived closer to the fire.

It was just such an idea that would drift into Axl’s mind as he lay in his bed during the empty hours before dawn, his wife soundly asleep beside him, and then a sense of some unnamed loss would gnaw at his heart, preventing him from returning to sleep.

A part of him felt sure that if, at this moment, she were awake and talking to him, whatever last barriers remained between him and his decision would finally crumble.

On a sunny day, provided the wind was not strong, it was a pleasant place to pass the time.

When I was outside just now, doing my best to remember all that I could in the stillness, many things came back to me.

No light thing to leave a place you’ve known all your life.

Our memories aren’t gone for ever, just mislaid somewhere on account of this wretched mist.

The stranger thought it might be God himself had forgotten much from our pasts, events far distant, events of the same day. And if a thing is not in God’s mind, then what chance of it remaining in those of mortal men?

I would the boy witness all that unfolds, just as I was often made to do at his age.

Or was it just that his memory had become coloured by subsequent events?

Yet are you so certain, good mistress, you wish to be free of this mist? Is it not better some things remain hidden from our minds?

I don’t forget the beast, sir. I merely consider this gateway before us.

This circle of hate is hardly broken, sir, but forged instead in iron by what’s done today.

He climbed the side of the boat and let himself fall into the water. It was deeper than he had anticipated, coming above his waist, but the shock of it took his breath only for an instant, before he let out a warrior’s bellow that came to him as if from a distant memory.

The emotion it provoked, even before he could hold it down, surprised and shocked him, for mingled with the overwhelming desire to go to her now and shelter her, were distinct shadows of anger and bitterness.

Writing Prompts from Other Reading

I just posted about finding writing inspiration in The Friend by Sigrid Nunez. It, too. has fun quotes and ideas you may find useful.

May your mind roam!