Chapter 1: Courage
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert focuses on the courageous journey of creativity, highlighting that creativity is in fact, magic. The first chapter discusses courage as a means to nurture creativity, noting that it helps surpass fear and find originality. Gilbert inspires readers to fight the fear of failure and take a leap of faith. For example, actress Jada Pinkett Smith had to demonstrate courage before she became an established actress. She didn’t have any connections so she had to take a chance at going to audition, giving her agents the impression that she was something special. With that courageous leap, she has gone on to become a Hollywood sensation with iconic roles like Mai in Matrix and Helga Katrina in Collateral. Her fear of failure did not stop her and her courage is a perfect example of how anyone can manifest their own creative power.
Chapter 2: Enchantment
The second chapter of Big Magic accentuates the importance of enchantment in any creative process. To Gilbert, enchantment is just another way of saying 'joy'. She emphasizes the importance of finding joy amidst the process of being creative. Without joy, it’s hard to transcribe any creative spirit. To showcase how the enchantment of joy can overtake any negative feelings, Gilbert draws upon Lucille Ball’s journey. Ball had to struggle in the industry before she was cast for the popular I Love Lucy Show. By maintaining her sense of joy, she was able to bring a classic tv show to life with her enthusiasm for comedy. Her relationship with joy allowed her to keep a positive outlook that is celebrated until today.
Chapter 3: Permission
The third chapter of the book discusses the importance of permission and how it helps the creative process. Permission is allowing yourself to be creative without any limitations. Gilbert makes an effort to state that there is no need to wait for permission from someone else or any other validation. One of the most uplifting stories Gilbert uses is that of Sydnee and Cody Myers, a husband and wife duo from Oklahoma who decided to rejuvenate their lives and follow their dreams of becoming musicians. They sought no permission from anyone and made their own Youtube channel titled, ‘Wood and Whitney’. In a span of a few years, they have created a successful business, world tours, and 4 million subscribers. Their story is an inspiring reminder that self-permission is the most supportive permission there is.
Chapter 4: Persistence
The fourth chapter of this book features the importance of persistence and how it makes creativity lasting. Gilbert writes that persistence is key to keeping any creative experiment alive. To illustrate her point, she includes the example of Hedda Sterne. Sterne was an artist who kept creating art even after she had been rejected from galleries, the art world, and the popular set around her. Despite her struggles, she continued to paint and draw to express her creative pursuits. This eventually led to her works being featured in museums around the world and be acknowledged as an important figure. Hedda Sterne and her persistence to follow her love of art gives us an inspiring example of the power of persistence when it comes to creativity.
Chapter 5: Trust
The fifth chapter of this book each of the past chapters, drawing attention to the importance of trust when it comes to creativity. Gilbert talks about how trust in your craft can help push boundaries and illusions out of our way. She references the story Maurice Sendak, the author of ‘Where The Wild Things Are’. Sendak wowed titans such as his peers who didn’t necessarily agree with his creative direction. His idea of adding ‘wild things’ to what people thought of as a children’s book threw them off balance. However, Sendak still stuck onto his beliefs and trusted that his work was good enough to stand up. The result: Maurice Sendak is an iconic figure of children’s literature, his book, a beloved classic.
These five chapters of Big Magic all highlight the importance of support when trying to pursue the creative spirit. Courage helps us fight our doubts. Enchantment lets us find joy in the process. Permission encourages us to be ourselves without hesitation. Persistence pushes us to go the extra mile and Trust lets us put faith onto our craft. Gilbert’s purpose is to make creativity accessible, inviting us to find strength from the stories and examples she provides.
