“To tell a story is to take power over it.”
Mark recounts his childhood which entailed emotional traumas and deep-seated issues of the people around him. He grows up into his adolescence ashamed of his sexual orientation and inclination towards art and writing. This is due to the toxic environment created by closed-minded family members who do not provide an avenue for him to be himself. He gains power only by accepting himself for who he is and understanding that painful traumas are the doorway towards personal freedom. Therefore the assertion refers to the choice to accept who you really are in order to move forward and gain closure.
“...words can help us to see what is graceful or human where loveliness and humanity seem to fail...”
As an artist, Mark finds beauty in art and poetry in that within it is how he finds himself and feels free. Growing up repressed due to the judgment he faced for his sexuality and sensitivity, Mark finally finds himself through art. Only by discovering that others are against him because of their own insecurities and repression does he truly choose to accept himself. The assertion demonstrates the toxic environment that lacked affection and kindness that he had to endure. Thus, through words is how he sees the beauty in humanity.
