Zelda's Inferno exercise: manifestations of emotions

Posted on: Sun, 09/20/2009 - 21:34 By: Tom Swiss

Today's Zelda's Inferno writing exercise (this one from Jodi): we made a list of emotions (jealousy, apprehension, relaxation, exhilaration,frustration, anger, irritation, peaceful, resignation, enlivened, confusion, relaxation, relief, ambivalence, auaudacity, shame, lust, abject terror) and then each picked several to write physical manifestations, metaphoric or otherwise, to describe that emotion.

amibvalence: You have to reach into center of the fire. Which hand will you use?

shame: if I look away from you, you can't see me, right?

audacity: I'm only 5'7" on the outside. Inside I'm 6'4".

frustration: 1) There's only one left, and it's on the top shelf, an inch above where you can reach. 2) It's illegal to smack people for being idiots.

peaceful: warm sun, sitting on a stone in the cool stream, just sitting

confusion: the big grassy hillside out in back of my elementary school, we'd roll and tumble down until when we came to rest at the bottom the world spun around us.

resignation: letting go of one breath and, after a pause, deciding to take another.

exhilaration: his heart grew three sizes that day, stretched out by being filled with joy