Plum fountain pen across blank cream paper hearts with a small ink stain, plus small plum flowers

Original artwork, not a still

Roger Ebert

It is human nature to look away from illness. We don’t enjoy a reminder of our own fragile mortality. That’s why writing on the Internet has become a life-saver for me. My ability to think and write have not been affected. And on the Web, my real voice finds expression.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

People tend to look away from illness because it reminds them how fragile they are. Ebert says writing online became a lifeline, since his ability to think and write remained intact. On the Web, he says, his real voice finds expression.

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