Summary of The Ideal of Craftsmanship | BBS Second year | vision English

The Ideal of Craftsmanship

-Charles Wright Mills

Summarize the essay in your own words.

The essayist, Mills tries to define craftsmanship and provides the six features associated with craftsmanship:

According to William Morris, craftsman works for pleasure. He gives whole attention on the quality of product. To create, he forms the image at first in the mind. Then, he produces the product spontaneously. For him, money, reputation or salvation are secondary matter while creating art.

If his work is not accepted legally, he is seen happy psychologically. In other words, if the producer does not legally achieve the product, he owns it psychologically. He can own art because his skill and sweat are mixed on it. The craftsman has complete picture of the product even though if he does not make it all. It means from the part; he can sense whole of his work. His works give consummatory satisfaction. If the making tools are dull, improper, however, he goes on making the art. If he completed the work with many resistances, he would be happier that arises while creating the art.

The workman goes on creating his own plan. While making, he can also modify it his own will. So, he is the master of all activities. He himself must solve problem of difficulties.

While creating or producing, craftsman can develop and foster his skill. It is not only the self-development but cumulative (RR) development of his skills. In such condition, his mind gets exercise as a result, he becomes creative and active.

In craftsmanship, there is not different between work and play or work and culture. Actor gets pleasure acting in play. If work can give pleasure, it is also play. According to Gentile, work and culture are not separable. In crafting, consumption and production are blended together.

Craftsman thinks to give freshness and originality even in his leisure time. If he does not think about the product in his leisure time, his rest is only animal rest. So, craftsman is far from animal rest. According to Henry James, to give freshness, craftsman should meditate upon the producing material. According to Tilgher, peace and calm flow from done work through quiet and thoughtful mind.

What is the craftsman's work? (?)

Ans: The craftsman's work is his property. While producing, he can modify. He works for pleasure. If his work is not legally accepted even though he feels pleasure psychologically. His work is made from continuous thinking and rethinking. His work is the outcome of his well-regulated mind.

What is the world of art according to Bourget? (Bourget अनुसार कला को दुनिया के हो?)

Ans: According to Bourget, the world of art is less self-consciousness, an impulse of life while forgets itself, the alternation of dreamy idleness with fervid execution.

What does James mean by "we have practically lost the faculty of attention" (13) ? (“हामीले व्यावहारिक रूपमा ध्यान दिने क्षमता गुमाइसकेका छौं (१३) भन्नाले जेम्सको अर्थ के हो ?)

Ans: According to James, to create, we need to have much attention on our creation. Today, artist has forgotten mediation, thinking and attention on the object. In order to produce well and appreciate works of art, deep attention and observation are required.

Consulting a dictionary, compare the of "craft" and craftsmanship" with Mill's article. What similarities and differences do your definitions discover ? ( शब्दकोशको आधारमा, मिलको लेखसँग "शिल्प" र शिल्पकारिताको तुलना गर्नुहोस् । निबन्धमा के समानता र के भिन्नताहरू पाइन्छ ?)

Ans: Craft can be used to mean craftsmanship, but in usual use, craftsmanship is the craftsman's set of skills, while 'craft' is the trade he practices. For remaining answer see the summary section.

Mill's essay is taken from his book entitled White Collar. What is a white collarwork ? (मिलको निबन्ध उनको White Collar शीर्षकको पुस्तकबाट लिइएको हो। सेतो कलर काम के हो?)

Ans: White-collar workers are suit-and-tie workers who work at a desk. White-collar jobs typically are higher-paid, higher-skilled jobs that require more education and training than low-skilled or manual work.

How does Mills structure "The Ideal of Craftsmanship"? fcud “द आइडियल अफ क्राफ्ट्सम्यानशिप लाई कसरी संरचना गर्छन् ?

Ans: Mill structure the body part of essay keeping six major features associated with craftsmanship. His most of the sentence's structure are lengthy with having philosophical quotation of the different thinker and philosopher. Before providing six features in he has initially given the background about the craftsmanship. As in conclusion, to conclude the idea of craftsmanship, he uses concept of Bourget, Henry James, and Tilgher.

What assumptions does Mills make about human nature? Discuss each assumption by referring to one of the six ideals of craft. (मिल्सले मानव प्रकृतिको बारेमा कस्तो धारणा राख्छन्? शिल्पका छवटा आदर्शहरू मध्ये एकलाई उल्लेख गरेर प्रत्येक धारणालाई छलफल गर्नुहोस् ।)

Ans: Mills makes the assumption that human nature is formed by interaction of historical and social structure. Socio-cultural system, in particular the modern nation-state, determine the type of men and women who inhabit the system. Human beings, Mills asserts, cannot be understood apart from the social and historical structures in which they are formed and in which they interact.

Human beings are motivated by norms, values and belief system that prevail in their society. Such assumption can be applicable as he talks about culture in the essay, "Ideal of Craftsmanship. A craftsman creates something but cannot create beyond human hope because his mind is bound to cultural norms and value. He can just give originally and fresheners through his art.  

"Play is something you do to be happily occupied, but if work occupies youhappily, it is also play" (9). Do you agree? Why?] Play भनेको तपाईंले खुसीसाथ व्यस्त हुनको लागि गरिने कार्य हो । तर यदि कामलेतपाईंलाई आनन्द दिन्छ भने यो पनि खेल हो" (९) । के तपाईं यसमा सहमत हुनुहुन्छ? हुनुहुन्छ भने किन ?

Ans: It may be true. Actors can get pleasure from the play. If the work can give pleasure to artist, the work and play are similar. Work is also play. Craftsman never thinks about money, wealth and reputation while producing. He just goes on producing keeping his creative mind. He does all whatever his mind tells him to do. He does so because he gets pleasure. If his work is completed in his desired way, he will be happy. Similarly, artist in play feel happy, so art is like a play. In this regard, play is something you do to be happily occupied, but if work occupies you happily, it is also play.