There are two types of realists: the one who offers a good deal of dirt with his potato to show that it is a real one, and the one who is satisfied with the potato brushed clean. I'm inclined to be the second kind. To me, the thing that art does for life is to clean it, to strip it to form.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Realists either present raw, unpolished truth or a cleaned‑up version; the speaker prefers the latter, seeing art as a way to simplify and clarify life.
- In plain terms
- Two realists: one shows raw truth, the other cleans it; I prefer the clean version.
- What can you take from it?
- Use art to distill and clarify complex reality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is raw truth more valuable than a cleaned version?
- How does art simplify life for you?
Another view
Over‑cleaning can erase important nuance and authenticity.
More from Robert Frost
There are tones of voices that mean more than words.
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