Part Two: The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

This particular excerpt from the book well exemplifies Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of the psychology of flow. The main character has become well-skilled at the art of rug production (in a deeper analysis in a future blog entry I will explain this skill development through Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger’s idea of “legitimate peripheral participation” that will also tie into learning, generally).  At another point, the character’s dedication to her art is noticed and praised by her uncle who says, “Mash’Allah! Neither earthquakes, nor plagues, nor misery will ever stop you from making carpets that delight the eyes” (p.347).  Later that same day, the rug maker works surrounded by difficult and poor conditions and still reaches productivity.

            After we ate, the others took up household tasks, while I turned my attention to knotting the new feathers carpet.  It was much easier this time, for I knew the pattern well and had chosen colors based on Gostaham’s [her uncle’s] criticisms of my first attempt, in an effort to make the design seem even more delicate.  I took great pleasure in the work.  My fingers seemed to fly over the knots like birds skimming the surface of a river, and the carpet flowed from under my fingers like water.

            It was hot in the courtyard, and I had to wipe away the sweat from my brow.  From time to time, my mother bought me water mixed with the essence of roses to refresh me.  But I was intent on what I was doing and forgot about the children in the courtyard and the sound of braying donkeys bearing their burdens down the street.  It was as if I were living within the surface of the carpet myself, surrounded by its soothing colors and its images of eternal tranquillity [sic]. Lost in its beauties, I forgot the misery around me.  At nightfall, my mother had to pull me away from my work and remind me that I must eat, rest my hands, and stretch my limbs” (p. 347).

In this passage, she loses sense of time and place, finds fulfillment in her work and almost seems to live within what she creates. As in flow, she contentedly remains absorbed in the activity of knotting the rug.

References

Amirrezvani, A. (2007). The blood of flowers. NY: Back Bay Books.