The Generative Area: A Mind for Imagination

imagine.

Memory

The brain's ability to store and recall information or experiences. (woah, really?? 😱)

Mental Imagery

Visually imagining things in your mind, like “seeing” pictures without your eyes.

Memory

The brain's ability to store and recall information or experiences. (woah, really?? 😱)

Mental Imagery

Visually imagining things in your mind, like “seeing” pictures without your eyes.

Perception

How your brain interprets information from your senses (like sight, sound, touch).

World View

A person’s overall perspective or beliefs about life and the world.

Neo Cortex

The part of the brain involved in thinking, planning, language, and decision-making.

Thalamus

The brain’s relay station—passes sensory information to other brain areas.

Frontal Cortex

The front part of the brain that helps with reasoning, self-control, and planning.

REM Sleep

A sleep stage where vivid dreaming happens; stands for "Rapid Eye Movement."

Active Imagination

Purposefully exploring thoughts or images in your mind, like guided daydreaming or creative thinking.

Hypnagogia

The hazy, dreamlike mental state right before you fall asleep.

Mind Wandering

When your attention drifts away from the task and moves to spontaneous thoughts. (hilarious)

Hypnosis

A relaxed, focused state of mind where you're more open to suggestion. 🌀(woooh)

Meditation

A mental practice of focusing attention to achieve calm, clarity, or awareness.

Psychological Distance

How far something feels from you in time, space, or emotion (e.g. thinking about next year vs. today).

Nature Experiences

Experiences made outside in nature woah.

Novel Experiences

New experiences woah

Yuen Ren Chao | “Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den” (c. 1930s)-

A unique linguistic experiment written entirely in Classical Chinese using different tones of the syllable shi. It tells the story of a poet named Shi who hunts and eats ten lions in a stone den.

Marianne Moore | “No Swan So Fine” (1932)

Describes a majestic swan—ornate and elegant—but the poem focuses on contrast and irony. The swan is not alive; it’s made of porcelain, sitting in a Louis XV palace. Despite its beauty, it is lifeless, trapped in a world of artificial splendor. Meanwhile, real swans live freely, symbolizing natural grace and dignity. Extremely precise and condensed language, avoiding excess words while maintaining rich imagery.

Ernest Vincent Wright | Gadsby, Chapter 1 (1939)

John Gadsby as he rallies his town’s youth to revitalize their declining city, inspiring civic engagement and progress. Through their efforts, the town flourishes, growing in population and prosperity, but Gadsby’s success is ultimately challenged by political and social obstacles. Written entirely without the letter E (lipogram).

Dylan Thomas | “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” (1951)

A poem urging the reader, particularly Thomas’s dying father, to resist death with passion and strength. The poem repeatedly contrasts different types of men (wise, good, wild, and grave) who fight against the inevitability of death, emphasizing defiance and the struggle for life. Written as a villanelle, a strict poetic form with a fixed rhyme scheme (ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA) and repeated lines. (it took me a stupid amount of time to understand this)

Kimiko Hahn | “[the whale already]” (2022)

Poem that explores environmental themes and the impact of human actions on nature. Number of whales dwindles. The food they eat (like plankton) is also depleting because they cannot survive the warmth. We should deny ourselves things such as cars and dvd discs to save them. The moon sees all of this. Uses fragmented language, interwoven scientific and poetic elements, and shifting perspectives.

Tommy Dorsey | “Imagination” (1940)

Big band jazz song famously performed by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, with vocals by Frank Sinatra. The song is about how imagination allows the speaker to dream of a perfect love, even if it isn't real. It celebrates the power of the mind to create beauty and hope, especially in love.

Gene Wilder | “Pure Imagination” (1971)

Song from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, sung by Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. The song celebrates creativity, dreaming, and the limitless possibilities of the imagination. It invites listeners to believe in a world beyond reality, where wonder and magic are possible if you open your mind. Wonka uses the song to welcome the children into his magical chocolate factory. Also recreated in the Timothee Chalamet adaption of Wonka 😃👍

John Lennon | “Imagine” (1971)

“One of the most famous and influential songs of all time, released in 1971. It presents a vision of world peace, unity, and hope.” (Wikipedia) Lennon invites listeners to imagine a world without divisions—no countries, no religions, no possessions—where all people live in peace. The song isn't attacking religion or governments directly—it’s a call to rethink the things that separate humanity and imagine a world built on shared understanding and love.

Evanescence | “Imaginary” (2000)

A haunting, emotional rock song from their debut album Fallen (2003). It blends gothic, orchestral sounds with powerful vocals by Amy Lee. The song explores escapism through imagination. The narrator retreats into a dream world to escape pain, trauma, or a harsh reality. It contrasts a dark, chaotic real world with a calm, dreamlike inner world—a place of safety and control created through imagination.

Cast of Mary Poppins Returns | “Can You Imagine That?” (2018)

Mary Poppins encourages the Banks children to open their minds to imagination and wonder, even when things feel sad or confusing. The song begins as she helps the children with a bath, but quickly turns into a magical journey under the sea—complete with ships, sea creatures, and playful adventure. The children are struggling with grief and uncertainty, and Mary uses the song to show how imagining new possibilities can bring joy and hope.