the art of loving

A detailed Summary of the art of loving

In Erich Fromm's novel, The Art of Loving, the author tackles the task of defining what exactly is meant by the word love and what it means to love someone. He begins by presenting his theories on love and how they apply to the different areas and aspects of life. He then explains how these theories should be applied. The author's account is very convincing and gives readers a clear understanding of what exactly love is and how they should use his explanation in developing their own love lives.

He begins by asking, "Is love an art? Then it requires knowledge and effort. Or is love a pleasant sensation, which to experience is a matter of chance, something one "falls into" if one is lucky?"(Fromm,1) In the first short chapter, Fromm sets up what exactly he intends to explain in his book. First he dispels all of the false characteristics, impressions and attitudes that people tend to have towards love. He blames the many "failures of love" that occur throughout people's lives on these false views of love. He presents the idea that love is an art, and as with any art, it requires knowledge and effort. Fromm continues on by stating there are three steps in this learning process: Understanding the theory, learning it

s applications, and applying it to real life. Individuals must realize that love isn't something that just happens. It requires practice, and through this practice a true understanding of love can be developed.

God. While it is similar to motherly love, it is completely based on the maturity of the individual.

After having thoroughly examined the theory of love, Fromm beings to discuss the necessary practice of love. He explains that there are general requirements that are needed when learning about any art form. It requires discipline, concentration, patience, a supreme concern with the mastery of the art, and the continually practice of the discipline. If all five of the requirements are utilized, a clearer understanding of the art of love becomes attainable. It is also necessary for the individual to use reason and humility to further their understanding love as an art form.

"Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person; it is an attitude, an orientation of character which determines the relatedness of a person to the world as a whole..."(Fromm 43). Fromm states that there are various types of love, which depend on the kind of object that is being loved. The first type of love is Brotherly Love. This is the love for strangers. Those who are equal to us, and who we wish well throught their life. The second is Motherly Love. This is the unequal, unconditional love between a parent and child. The third is Erotic love. This type of love is the craving for "complete fusion, or union with one other person" (Fromm, 49). This form of love is love from the essence of the being, and completely unique between two specific persons. Self-Love is the forth form of love. This is obviously the love for myself as an individual. It is through this form of love that one's own happiness, growth, and freedom are rooted. The final form of love is the Love of!

When I was in middle school my parents decided that they were going to get a divorce. Being hardly a teenager, it was hard to comprehend

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Approximate Word count = 1354
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous