Review EWC4U

Having never taken a creative writing course before, I did not know what to expect when I enrolled in Writer’s Craft. I was simply hoping that it would be a fun way to improve my writing and to obtain a credit over the summer. The course, even though I did not really have any great expectations, was much more beneficial and fun than I had thought it would be. As a result of generating multiple drafts and by constantly reviewing my work as well as the work of others, I feel as though I have begun to learn what it takes to become a better writer. The part of the course that I enjoyed the most was when successful writers came to the class to speak to us about what they do. I found these visits particularly interesting because before this course began, I had never met a well-published author, let alone have one speak to me for a lengthy period of time. When Cathy Gildiner came, I appreciated her method of creating her stories. She showed us her large Bristol board, which outlined the events of the story in order. I thought this method was a very good way to approach creating a story and it made me think about how I should develop my ideas for future stories. When Wayson Choy spoke to us, I learned valuable life lessons as well as how to become a good and successful writer. One lesson that he stressed was that every failure is a learning experience. I found that this relates both to writing and to everyday actions, and can have other applications in life. It was exciting to meet and speak to people who have been at the same stage as we are now, and hear how they decided to become professional writers.

Throughout the course, there was never anything that I disliked; I found that everything we did and accomplished had a goal that could help us improve our writing. I do think that my writing has developed over this month of classes for several reasons. The primary reason is that we constantly practiced writing. There is no substitute for challenging yourself to convert your thoughts into words. I also think that I benefited from Dennis Bock’s comments. He told me how to make dialogue work in a story as well as how to make my words “come off the page” instead of forcing the emotion on the reader through words. Those comments will always be on my mind when I write going forward. Also, I learned from Ms. Somerville certain grammar rules of which I would not have otherwise been aware. One grammar tool that I really appreciated learning was making sure I have nouns to follow whenever I use, “this,” or “those.”

In conclusion, through taking this course I have enjoyed discovering new writing techniques and look forward to applying them to my future writing endeavors.

Jane Tattersall's visit/ American Movie documentary

Through information gleaned during Jane Tattersall’s visit on Tuesday and from watching the documentary, American Movie, I learned a great deal about the process of filmmaking. After we watched Jane’s short film, “Hot Water,” she told us about all the work that was involved in creating the four-minute piece. She explained to us that the requirements were that the piece had to have something to do with water and it had to use a specific camera. When she said that it took twelve hours just to film it, I was astonished. I did not expect that it would take so many hours to film something that was only four-minutes long. She also explained how some of the details such as the pattern of the blood splatter on the wall and making the blood pool form under the victim, were not as easy to create as one would expect. Jane explained how the crew was having issues making the fake blood that they wanted to have run out from under the victim in the bathtub. The film is black and white, so the filmmakers decided to use chocolate syrup, and found that it worked much better. As for the blood spatter on the walls, the crew had to flick it onto the wall with their hands, and then wipe it off and then do it again if the spatter didn’t look quite natural enough. Another aspect of the film that I did not realize took as much work as Jane revealed it did, was the sound that had to be added in after the film has been shot. She revealed that the sounds of the knife against the table, the taps without any water, the stabbing sounds as well as various other noises were added during the post-production phase. I found that the amount of time dedicated to the small details was quite surprising. In American Movie, there were also a few details about the filmmaking process of which I was previously unaware. In this documentary, Mark Borchardt is shown creating his short film, “Coven.” The documentary showed the “behind the scenes” work and how much time is spent creating one scene. In the movie, Mark would sometimes spend several multiple days working on the same scene. Even though the film was only half an hour long, it took him over two years to complete. This was in part because he also tried to start his feature film, “Northwestern.” Although Mark never ended up completing his feature film, he did end up selling 5,100 copies of “Coven” by 2004. The American Movie documentary shows how much passion is required to finish a film independently, especially when faced with difficulties such as insufficient funds.

After hearing about the difficulties of making a film and watching the American Movie, I would probably not be interested in making my own short film. In fact, I doubt I could ever do so anyway without the help of many volunteers. Jane Tattersall, when asked if she would make another short film, responded by saying that she may, after she forgets about how much work is involved in making one. That response, combined with the constant setbacks that Mark Borchardt experienced in the documentary, have probably deterred me from making a serious short film.

In conclusion, I learned a lot about the filmmaking progress from Jane Tattersall’s visit on Tuesday and from watching the documentary, American Movie. Although the result can apparently be very satisfying, I do not think I will be venturing into the making of my own short film.

Blog #7, "Across the Bridge," by Graham Greene

Graham Greene’s story is a great short story model to analyze because of the quickly moving plot and the use of rapid character development. Greene’s plot continues to evolve throughout the whole story, and is constantly building tension. At the beginning of the piece, when the narrator first introduces “Mr. Calloway,” the reader is informed that he is “worth a million.” The reader then quickly finds out that Mr. Calloway made his million through committing fraud. This detail unveils a whole other side to Mr. Calloway’s character. We then see him described as, “an elderly man who kicked his dog and swindled the poor.” The tension in the plot increases when the detectives come to find Mr. Calloway in the town. The entire plot is filled with irony. When the “detectives” come to the Mexican border town to try and find Mr. Calloway, they cannot find him, even though he is the only non-Mexican in the entire town. The detectives can be seen as an imitation of the types of people that exist in our modern society. They are wandering around, constantly bumping into and having casual conversations with the man that they are supposed to arrest. The part of the story that I really admire is how Greene relieves the tension in the ending, “the dog started across the road right in front of the car, and Mr. Calloway yelled, at the dog or the car, I don’t know which. Anyway, the detective swerved – he said later, weakly, at the enquiry that he couldn’t run over a dog, and down went Mr. Calloway, in a mess of broken glass and gold rims and silver hair, and blood.” Through having the detectives accidently kill the man they had been looking for all along, it gives the death a comical outlook, which is curiously satisfying for the reader.

The other quality that I liked about Greene’s piece was the use of rapid character development. The piece is not very long, however it is filled with details that are constantly revealing traits about the characters, most specifically, Mr. Calloway. I tried to input this trait into my short fiction piece, because it causes the reader to become attached and understand the character of the story more clearly. We are shown three different perspectives of Mr. Calloway within the story. These perspectives are the narrator’s, “an elderly man who kicked his dog and swindled the poor,” the people of the Mexican border town, “they respected him too much to talk to him – he was worth a million” and the detective’s who could never identify him. Through reading these different perspectives about the same person, the character becomes visible from all angles and the reader is able to classify them correctly.

In conclusion, through reading “Across the Bridge,” by Graham Greene, various literary techniques may be observed. The techniques that I admired were the quickly moving plot and the use of rapid character development.

ISP Blog #6, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," by James Thurber

In “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” James Thurber exhibits a superb example of the use of the limited omniscient point of view. The contrast of Mitty's thoughts, his daydreaming, with his humdrum everyday life creates the humor and irony of this story; without this contrast, the story would have no meaning. As well, Thurber creates a connection between the narrative voice and the language of that voice; the point of view makes that connection.

Although I did not use this method in my own piece, I found Thurber’s use of contrast throughout the piece to be very effective. While reading, I would sometimes forget that it was simply one of Walter Mitty’s daydreams. I would feel as though I was reading about someone who was actually in that situation, “He began fingering delicately a row of glistening dials. ‘Give me a fountain pen!’ he snapped. Someone handed him a fountain pen. He pulled a faulty piston out of the machine and inserted the pen in its place. ‘That will hold for ten minutes,’ he said. ‘Get on with the operation.’” The reader is reintroduced to his real life in a manner that really underlines the pathetic vibe of his everyday life. When Mitty is daydreaming that, “The District Attorney struck at her savagely. Without rising from his chair, Mitty let the man have it on the point of the chin. ‘You miserable cur!’” he is brought back to his real life when he remembers the “puppy biscuit.” The puppy biscuit is the other item that he was supposed to buy for his wife. His wife, who keeps a watchful eye on him, dominates Mitty’s real life, “You’re not a young man any longer,” she tells him when he complains about getting “over shoes.”

The narrative voice of the story is connected to the language of that voice through the point of view. One example that makes it obvious to see this link is the repetition of “pocketa-pocketa-pocketa,” throughout Mitty’s daydreams. We first hear this sound in reference to the "Navy hydroplane" that Mitty steers through a violent storm; he imagines it's the "pounding of the cylinders". Later, in Walter's fantasy surgery, the "new anesthetizer" gives way and makes the same sound. Finally, when Mitty imagines himself a British pilot, flame-throwers make the same noise. The sound provides a solid link between the real world and Mitty’s fantasies, as well as a common link between his multiple fantasies. It is one of the many comic elements of the story – the same funny sound cropping up over and over again – and it lends a tangible, permanent element to Mitty's various fantasies. The story is told from Mitty’s perspective and it allows the reader to see why he finds himself in the situations that he does. His own life lacks the adventurous aspects that he is unable to attain in his own life. Therefore, he is forced to only daydream about them, unable to put them into action. He can barely remember what he is supposed to buy, let alone perform a life or death surgery. This perspective allows the reader to think, and really grasp the character of Walter Mitty, categorizing him as a “dreamer” instead of a “doer.”

In conclusion, the contrast of Walter Mitty’s thoughts with his actual life, creates a different and interesting element to the piece. As well, the narrative voice provides an understanding of character that would otherwise be lost.

ISP Blog #5, "A Deep Hole," by Ian Rankin

I learned a great deal about short fiction writing through the writings of Ian Rankin. In this particular piece, I learned about the importance of picking an effective title, as well as the importance of a good plot that coincides with good character development.

In my opinion, "A Deep Hole" is a title that I do not think is effective for the piece. There never is a "deep hole" of any importance within the story. The narrator cannot find a hole big enough to hide the body in, so he returns the body back to Daintry's garage. Even figuratively, there is not a "hole" in the narrator's life unless one considers the fact that he does not have a wife as a “hole”. However, I do not think that his single status qualifies as a “hole” in his life. Also, at the outset of the story, the narrator begins by saying, "I still dig up roads - sorry, highways." This statement causes the reader to immediately assume that the reason the piece is entitled, "A Deep Hole" is because of the narrator’s profession. That statement is not only untrue, but could cause the reader to be disinterested from the beginning of the story. Unlike Rankin’s story, “The Hanged Man,” this title is not very effective because it does not cause the reader to become intrigued and to want to read more of the story. I found this particular title less effective because, for me, it did not provide sufficient mystery or encouragement to cause me to want to read more of the story.

Although, I did not like the title, I found the actual piece to be quite helpful in aiding me to write my own story. The plot moves very well throughout, and it has a strong narrative voice. While reading, I forgot that I was reading and actually imagined myself in the story, and in the same position as the narrator. Throughout the story, the reader becomes aware that the narrator does not have enough “gusto,” to carry off the digging up of Daintry’s victim’s body. At first, the reader thinks that the narrator is going to be swift with digging the body as he coolly says to Daintry, “A hundred,” causing Daintry to reply, “All right, one twenty-five. But it’s got to be tonight.” The narrator then says to himself, “I knew just the hole.” At this point in the story, the audience thinks that the narrator has done this before and is good at completing this task. It does not take very long to discover that this idea is untrue. I found that throughout the rest of the story, realizing this detail about the character really came hand in hand with the development of the plot. After realizing that the narrator is not comfortable with this task, it causes the reader to become closer to him, because the reader most likely has not been presented with this task before either and can thus relate to the character. I found that this tactic caused me to continue reading because I was concerned for the character as I was concerned for myself.

In conclusion, through analyzing the title of the piece, “A Deep Hole,” along with the coinciding plot and character development, one can greatly appreciate Ian Rankin’s story.

ISP Blog #4, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," by J.D. Salinger

In the short fiction piece “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” by J.D. Salinger, the author uses certain literary tools in order to make the story more effective. Through analyzing the structure and the character development, one can determine how Salinger successfully creates a captivating story.

One method that can be seen is the use of balanced structure. The story begins with the description of a girl, Muriel, as she waits in a hotel to get her long-distance call through. We are shown that, to pass the time, Muriel partakes in meaningless activities such as painting her fingernails, “with her little lacquer brush, while the phone was ringing, she went over the nail of her little finger, accentuating the line of the moon.” After this scene, we are introduced to the character of the “young man”. The structure of the piece is balanced when we see the path of the “young man” (Seymour, Muriel’s husband) from that part of the story become intertwined with that of Muriel. As he “got off at the fifth floor, walked down the hall, and let himself into 507,” he notices that “the room smelled of new calfskin luggage and nail-lacquer remover.” Through the young man’s perspective, we are shown that Muriel spent the rest of her time removing the nail polish she had recently just applied. Through reintroducing the first character of the piece with another character, the structure of the piece becomes very balanced and satisfying.

Another tool that can be analyzed is the development of characters in the story. One can learn about a character through what they say, through what others say about them, through their actions and through their personal appearance. At the beginning of the story we are introduced to Muriel who, while waiting to place her call, spends time improving her personal appearance, “took the spot out of the skirt of her beige suit, moved the button on her Saks blouse.” From this detail, we can tell that she is somewhat narcissistic as well as slightly disinterested in the call she is about to place. We learn more about her as soon as her mother begins talking to her on the phone. We learn that Muriel does not feel the need to have her mother completely involved in her life and that she wants to be independent. Her mother repeatedly asks her if she is “alright” to which Muriel responds, “Yes, Mother, for the ninetieth time.” The other main characters in the story (Sybil and Seymour) are introduced as the scene shifts from the phone conversation to the beach. We notice immediately that Sybil is a child because of her words and attitude. The first thing we witness her say is “See more glass.” She wants to see “Seymour”. We learned through Muriel’s conversation that “Dr. Sivetski said Seymour may completely lose control.” We are aware that there is something wrong with him. His interactions with Sybil prove this further. He “picks up one of Sybil’s wet feet, which were drooping over the end of the float, and kissed the arch.” This interaction demonstrates that Seymour is most likely a pedophile. Salinger has created a well-developed character as we can see him from various angles.

In conclusion, through analyzing the character development and balanced plot structure of “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” by J.D. Salinger, one can learn how to create a captivating story.

ISP Blog #3, "The Hanged Man," by Ian Rankin

This story by Ian Rankin is uses good writing techniques that are worth noting. These techniques include the structure and believability of the piece along with the applicability and appropriateness of the title chosen. The structure of the piece makes the reader feel very satisfied when finished the story. This is because the character introduced at the beginning is a completely different character, and can be viewed with a completely different perspective, than at the end of the story. The character first introduced is an assassin, or a “killer,” as he describes himself. He mentions various euphemisms for the same term, however it is concluded that his job classifies him as a killer. The character at the end of the story is different because he finds out that his victim is in fact his mother, and that he was sent to kill her by his own father. Unveiling this other dimension creates a new view for the character who at the beginning was essentially “just” a killer. Although I did not use this tactic in my original short fiction piece, I found it very effective in this work of Rankin’s. It takes readers on a journey, forcing them to change their views on certain characters in an unexpected manner.

The plot is believable because we see how, for the protagonist, killing is simply business. He has no moral standpoint on it, “and for today, the fair was his place of work, his hunting ground.” This lack of morals makes it understandable that he would accept any task, without question, as long as he is promised a relatively large sum. This detail is how it becomes reasonable that he would not realize his relations to his client, as he was simply focused on the task. Also, the discovery that the victim is his mother also makes sense. The killer is used to having the upper hand on his victims, holding their life in his hands. His mother (the fortune teller), begins saying things to him that make him feel vulnerable and exposed, “No, dear, your problems all stem from your particular line of work.” All of these attributes help add to the believability of the plot. As well, Rankin also chose a very effective title. Before reading the story and seeing the title, “The Hanged Man,” you would expect that you would come across a “hanged man.” Thinking that you will come across a hanged man, causes the reader to be curious until the end, wanting to find out why that is the title. When the fortuneteller says, “the final card is intriguing – the hanged man,” the reader thinks that this is why the piece is titled in that manner. I hope to be able to incorporate a title as convincing as that of Rankin’s, “The Hanged Man.”

In conclusion, I found it useful to read “The Hanged Man,” because it demonstrates a superior use of structure and believability of the piece along with the applicability and appropriateness of the title. Through observing these qualities, it becomes easier to apply them to one’s own work.

ISP Blog #2, "Ava's Apartment," by Jonathan Lethem

Jonathan Lethem’s, “Ava’s Apartment,” uses several literary techniques that made his story a very satisfying reading experience. These techniques include the believability of the plot and the use of vivid descriptions. The aspect of Lethem’s plot that I admire is its unpredictability and element of surprise. The concept of the story is one that I had never seen before, and this concept caused me to be even more curious. I would like to be able to imitate this concept in my original fiction piece, through what I hope is an original idea that allows for unpredictability. The beginning of “Ava’s Apartment” shows the reader a glimpse of “Perkus Tooth’s” life, introducing him as he stumbles out the morning after a party. However, this is not the same “Perkus” that will be seen throughout the rest of the piece. This snippet of his previous life becomes the reader’s image for what “Perkus” refers to repeatedly as “his old life.” I found this image added to the effect of the story because it made Perkus’ character more interesting through explaining his history. Also, because it was at the beginning, it made the next series of events more exciting.

Another part that I enjoyed was how Lethem revealed that “Ava,” was a dog. Letting out small hints such as, “he heard the volunteers at individual doors, calling each apartment’s resident by name, murmuring ‘good boy’ or ‘good girl,’” made it very satisfying when it is revealed that “Biller’s words retroactively assumed a coherent, four-footed shape.” The development of a dog as an active character in the story was also an interesting part of the story. In some ways, the dog becomes personified as Lethem writes, “Ava was a listener not a barker.” I also find that this draws the reader into the story.

The other technique that was put into effect was the use of vivid description. There are multiple descriptions in the story that aided in making the particular scene “come off the page”. Examples include: “trudging sickened through the snowdrifts like a Napoleonic soldier in retreat from Moscow,” “passed out in a melting pool on the tile,” “a feast of familiarization, an orgy of pair-bonding,” “Ava’s surgery scar was clean and pink,” “she seemed like a muscular furry torpedo,” “the pale brown of her liverish lips,” and “the woman, perhaps fifty, in a lumpy cloth coat, her frizzy hair bunched under a woolen cap, now fishing in a Ziploc of dog treats for one to offer Ava.” These descriptions are used throughout the entire story. This element is something that I also hope to be able to recreate in my original fiction piece. I find it effective because each description creates a new image in the reader’s head. Through using comparisons of familiarities, such as “ugly Nikes,” the reader becomes drawn into the story.

In conclusion, I found that the several literary techniques used made “Ava’s Apartment,” by Jonathan Lethem to be very satisfying. The techniques used were the creativity and surprise element of the plot and the use of vivid descriptions.

ISP Blog #1, "Face," by Alice Munro

Alice Munro’s, “Face,” is a very effective piece of short fiction. Munro uses various literary tools to create a story that keeps the reader gripped until the very end. One aspect of her writing that I admire is the structure of the piece. Her piece begins with the main character explaining his “deformity.” This deformity is described through how other characters (his mother and father) react to the sight of his “mulberry coloured birthmark.” The rest of the story essentially describes what he accomplishes in his lifetime with the theme always revolving around his birthmark. The end of the story brings the reader back to his childhood, when he finds the version of the poem that the nurse had partly read to him. It reminds him of his childhood as he refers back to Nancy, wondering what would happen if he ran into her on the subway. I admire how Munro finished the piece, reflecting on whether running into Nancy later on would change things, he says, “The answer is of course, and for a while, and never.” This ending leaves the reader thinking, wondering and trying to picture in their head the scene that Munro has just created.

Another aspect that I admire about this piece is the skilful use of character development. All of the characters, especially that of the narrator and Nancy are very well created and cause the reader to become attached to them. This trait is especially true because the narrator’s one major weakness is his physical flaw, which we are shown immediately and which is always a barrier in his life. The reader becomes engrossed by the character as we experience with him some of the most mortifying experiences of his life. The one that really stuck in my head was when Nancy took red paint and splattered it all over her face saying, “Now do I look like you?” As the narrator’s birthmark was never formally addressed, this came as a shock to him. He runs away saying, “I’m not red.” As a reader, this part of the story made me really connect with the narrator. Munro uses similar examples throughout the text.

Munro’s story also had a very believable plot. All parts of the story seem as though they were a memory being recounted by this narrator. I found that his job as a radio spokesperson was also a believable career option for the narrator. I liked how after we were shown the weakness and shame that he felt as a result of his birthmark, we were also shown his talent, his gift, namely his beautiful voice that people from all over admired on his radio show. The only issue that I did have with the piece is how irate the narrator’s mother got with Nancy. It is understood that what Nancy did was cruel and made fun of the poor little boy. However, Nancy was a child, and like all children was just being honest. Her actions only seem cruel from the perspective of an adult, especially that of the mother of the child being made fun of. This aspect of the story could be seen as the intention of the author. The narrator’s mother was already upset that Nancy and her mother were living on their property and she was just waiting for the child to do something, anything, that she could get angry at her for. This episode was the perfect opportunity.

In conclusion, after reading the story, I felt as though I was reading a story that had actually happened to a real person. This feeling is consistent with all of Munro’s pieces and I hope to be able to create this same sense of realism in my short fiction writing.

TV Critic

Through watching three different TV shows, “Samantha Who,” “Brothers and Sisters” and “NCIS,” I was able to identify the narrative structure as well as the character development in each show.

The show, “Samantha Who?” is centered around Samantha Newly a 30-year-old vice president of a real estate firm who developed retrograde amnesia after a hit and run accident. Upon waking, she realized to her dismay that she had been selfish and unlikeable before her accident. The purpose of the show is for her to become a better daughter to her somewhat dysfunctional parents, Howard and Regina, and a better friend to self-centered Andrea and to needy but well-meaning Dena. Also she tries to be a better on-again, off-again girlfriend to her roommate and ex-boyfriend, Todd. In episode 17, I identified the three different story arcs that developed. The first story line involves Sam and Todd’s romantic relationship as contrasted with Sam and Winston Funk’s romantic relationship. Winston Funk with whom Sam had an affair in her previous life (before the accident) is Samantha’s boss. Now, Winston has divorced his wife for Sam, but she is not interested in getting together with him. Episode 17 is full of Winston trying to “woo” Sam, and to eliminate his competitor for Sam’s affections, Todd. The other story line concerns Andrea and her engagement to the gay basketball player, Tony Dane. Andrea is only in the relationship for the money and fame, and she signed a contract that said she would marry him to conceal the fact that he is gay. The final story arc revolves around Howard’s retirement. Howard has different ideas than Regina as to how he will spend his time now that he is retired. While Howard wants to watch the entire X-men series, Regina wants to go to Venice. The character who develops immensely throughout the episode is Sam as she continues to uncover details from her past. We learn in the episode that Todd is moving away, and, as a result, Sam grows as a person and learns how to move on with her life.

In “Brothers and Sisters,” the show is centered around the “Walker” family, which is comprised of five children and their parents. In the first episode of the first season, it was easy to identify the major story arcs. The first major story arc is the home life of each family member. Each of the family members has different problems within their own lives. Sarah and her husband are in counseling. Kitty has a new TV job that her boyfriend does not like. He basically proposes that “it’s either him or the job”. Kitty decides to choose the job. Justin is struggling with a drug problem and coping with the aftermath of the war in Iraq. The father is seeing another woman, Holly. As well, Kevin is trying to get promoted to partner in his law firm, but there are prejudices against his gayness. The other major story arc is the life of the family when they are all together and their relations with each other. Kitty and her mom do not get along because she blames Kitty for Justin’s going off to the war. After the father dies from a heart attack, the entire family is affected. Upon reading the will it is uncovered that Justin’s money will be rationed out to him. Justin takes offence to this and runs away. The last major story line is that of the family business. The father ran the business originally, but after he dies, Sarah is left as president. This angers her brother, Tommy, who also helps run the family business. The main problem with the business is that there are accounts that are locked and no one can seem to figure out where all the money is going. The character that develops the most is the mother, who more or less resolves her disagreement with Kitty. After an argument where Kitty tells her mother that she has never loved her, her mother responds by saying in her birthday toast to her, “To Kitty, whom I will always violently disagree with, but who I have never stopped loving for all her 32 years.” They realize that although they disagree, they will always still be family.

The final show that I watched was, “NCIS.” Essentially what happens in this episode is that Gibbs returned from his retirement (which Tony had taken over in his absence) and Ziva gets framed for an assassination. I identified the three major story lines as those involving first, Ziva David and Gibbs, second, those involving the people working at the office, and finally, those involving the criminals. Gibbs comes out of retirement to help Ziva because no one in the office can help her without getting in trouble with the FBI. Gibbs can help her because technically he is not considered an agent. Together, they have their own story line which features communications back to the NCIS headquarters. The headquarters itself has its own story line, which includes Tim Mcgee’s over-bleached teeth and Abby and the other team members trying to help Ziva from the building. The final story line is the interaction with the “bad guys.” The “Iranian Intelligence” officer who tries to kill Ziva ultimately turns out to be the vehicle that Ziva uses to prove her innocence (through recording their conversation). The character that developed the most is Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, who was taking over for Gibbs after he retired. Because he is forced to be a leader, at the same time as following in Gibbs’ footsteps (both literally and figuratively), he learns how to take control of his crew and establishes himself as a leader.

In conclusion, through watching the different story lines in different TV shows, one can identify how narrative structure can vary along with the importance of good character development.

Different Perspectives on the US occupation in Iraq

The war in Iraq can be, and is, seen through various different perspectives. There are four sources in particular that will be discussed to demonstrate this point. Dexter Filkins’ poem, “Lost Soldiers,” Ashley Gilbertson’s “The Shrine Down the Hall” photo essay, Deborah Scranton’s “The War Tapes” and Charles Ferguson’s “No End in Sight” are all different, yet similar perspectives on the war in Iraq. Through looking at these different representations of the events that are taking place in Iraq, one can see how these events can affect us emotionally.

“Lost Soldiers,” by Dexter Filkins delivers a contrasting view about the war in Iraq. Filkins’ main message is that the soldiers involved in the war are “just kids.” He contradicts the traditional view of stepping “into the barracks thinking big, burly and deep-voiced,” by revealing that, “what you get are chubby faces and halfhearted mustaches and voices still cracking.” To emphasize his message, Filkins mentions that, “Sept. 11 was junior high, fifth grade even, a half a lifetime ago.” Through Filkins’ technique of stating the facts in a somewhat blunt matter, the reader is able to identify exactly the type of soldiers that are being sent to fight in the war. The personification in the piece also causes the story to come alive. “Death rides along. In the back seat, in the Humvee, on the bouncing road, in the dark,” reminding all that death is a high possibility for these “men,” and that it will be their shadow for their time in Iraq. Personally, I find the final paragraph to be the most moving emotionally. It mentions, “what the family will do when the terrible news finally arrives, how they will resist it and wrestle with it and suffer from it, and how they will cope and how they will remember.” Finishing the piece on that note registers with me how hard it is for the family and friends of soldiers to deal with their loved ones’ going off to war. This helps the reader to see the reality of the situation from the perspective of people actually involved in the war. I find this method very powerful.

In Ashley Gilbertson’s, “The Shrine Down the Hall,” we are shown photographs of some of the bedrooms that America’s young war dead left behind. This perspective is different because it allows for the reader to imagine the person who left it behind. It brings one closer to the loss that the soldiers’ loved ones have to bear by demonstrating an inescapable reality. Part of the reason these photographs are so effective is because a bedroom is a very private room for a person. It is where we sleep, when we are in a state of our uttermost innocence. Seeing the bedrooms of the soldiers who died in the war allows for the onlooker to connect with these people on some level and to begin to understand them. Through seeing what these soldiers had on their shelves, walls and beds, the reader can begin to create a picture of what those individuals were like outside the warzone. Breaking this barrier between the warzone and home life is hard for most people. A common theme in the various rooms is that they all generally have some sort of patronage to the United States on display. Whether it is in the form of a flag or a banner, there is usually a symbol of their country hanging or resting in their rooms. This displays to us the true reason why these soldiers went to Iraq in the first place; these people wanted to serve for their country. Emotionally this photo essay affects me because it reveals the unvarnished truth of the home situation of the soldiers which in turn invites me to hold a higher respect for the people who dedicated their lives to serving their country in war.

Deborah Scranton is a remarkable person who has created a brutally honest representation of the events in Iraq. Scranton’s documentary, “War Tapes,” views the war in Iraq from the inside out rather than the outside, which we are usually accustomed to seeing. Cameras are put into the hands of the soldiers fighting in the war, and the resulting data was transferred back to Scranton. Even through the few clips that were shown in her presentation, the image of the war is portrayed quite vividly. In one scene after a car bomb goes off, a soldier takes the camera and shows what is left after the explosion. He narrates the scene and points out where scattered skin and blood is all over the ground. From the clips that were shown, most of the film seems to address this type of effects of the war. Unlike other documentaries, this film shows what is happening from the perspective of the soldiers who are actually fighting in the war. We are shown their views on matters and how the war has really affected them. One point that was addressed was the killing of innocent civilians, and the soldiers’ thoughts on that. This documentary reveals the deaths of innocent children, including those who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although it is rare to hear about this aspect of the war, soldiers confess how this can happen and also how they are tragically affected by incidents such as the killing of innocent bystanders. This piece affected me emotionally because it revealed parts of the war that are never spoken of. Deborah Scranton commented on her video saying, “kindness and compassion like Pink's squad did spending their entire day, at great risk to themselves of secondary attacks, outside the gate at Taji after a double VBIED struggling and saving Iraqi civilian lives, which more often than not, ever gets reported or noticed.” These actions, which are also shown in the video, again provide a greater perspective on the events in Iraq.

The final perspective about US occupation in Iraq can be seen through Charles Ferguson’s, “No End in Sight” documentary. This documentary gives the inside information on the wretched state that Iraq is currently in and how it came to be. It uncovers the actions of people put in charge by the US government, and how these actions were the cause of many problems that developed in Iraq. Various staggering statistics are shared in this film. One is how only 60 days were spent planning the invasion into Iraq. Another is how “ORHA” only started to work at the Pentagon 50 days before the invasion. After the invasion into Baghdad, no one knew what was next. There was lawlessness, chaos and the Americans were not doing anything. There was no progress. When the US government was informed of the extreme looting (people even stealing parts of factories) in Iraq, there were specific orders for US troops to not get involved. They were “not there to establish marshal law.” Although the US said that they would protect certain areas in Iraq such as the National Library, no such protection was given. All of their texts and archives were burnt and/or ruined. The Oil Ministry was the only major facility protected by the US. There was also an argument concerning how many troops were required Originally it was said that only less than 100, 000 troops were needed. After much debate, 160 000 were finally sent. When ORHA entered Iraq for post-war reconstruction, they discovered that an entire division (16, 000 troops) had been cancelled. Post-war Iraq is chaotic as there is no working police force. Saddam had released all of the prisoners from the prison onto the street and Americans were not seen as “police” in the streets of Baghdad. The people put in charge of managing US involvement in post-war Iraq such as Paul Bremer have never served in the war, spoke no Arabic, have never been to Iraq nor do they have had any post-war experience. Three ideas that Bremer put into practice were excluding the Iraqis to participate in formal decision making, debathification and disbanding the Iraqi military. These three ideas, more specifically the last one, proved fatal in assisting in the recovery process in post-war Iraq.

In conclusion, the war in Iraq can be, and is, seen through various different perspectives. Through looking at these different representations of the events that are taking place in Iraq, one can determine how these events can affect us emotionally.

Wayson Choy's Visit

“I feel that it’s essential in literature to discover what matters. I can’t say enough about the power of stories to give meaning to one’s life.”

Throughout his visit today, Wayson Choy spoke about paying attention to the “signs” in life and also about what matters in good writing. He also provided us with advice about life in general. By giving us examples of signs in his life, he showed us what type of signs we need to look for in our own lives. He spoke about “connecting points,” and how you must connect one event to another in order to recognize signs and coincidences. He gave us the example of how, when his father was sick, he went across the street from the hospital to get some Kleenex and other items from a store. He remembers the store as a shining light amidst a fog. He recognized this as a sign. After talking to the shop keeper and revealing his concerns about his dying father, the shop keeper told him that his father would be okay, and that he would not die. It turned out that the man from the shop was correct, and Wayson had correctly identified a sign that appeared to him in his life. He encouraged us to look out for these signs and symbols, mentioning that we may have already come across some, but have yet to “connect the points.”

With respect to writing well, and to becoming a successful author, Wayson also provided us with useful advice. He said that there are two things that cause people to want to read your work. He said that writing must have a narrative voice that comes through the writing. A good narrative voice is achieved when the reader forgets that they are reading, and are transported into the image that the author has created. Examples that he gave where this is true are “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and “Harry Potter.” The reader needs to be enchanted to continue reading, and there must always be a rhythm. Of course, the rhythm can easily be broken by the improper use of writing mechanics. Wayson refers to this as “the craft.” His reference to “the craft” lead him to discuss another important point concerning good writing which he called the “narrative drive.” The narrative drive is really a combination of different things of which one aspect is the movement of action, or the “plot”. Wayson describes this as “after the explosion what happened next.” However the more important part that he stressed was how “character development equals emotional development.” A “character is drama,” and characters that grow and change are enlightened. As well, he discussed the importance of having someone else read over your work. He spoke about how sometimes one event will result in another event, and the reader will not understand how they arrived there. He outlined how, when you are writing, you must “unpack” the details that you have left out, or left in your head. In storytelling, you are trying to recreate the image in your head and portray it to the reader. At the end of his visit, he urged us to, “write on!”

Wayson also gave us advice on life. He told us about three outlooks which, if followed and believed, should bring anyone success. The first thing he stressed was that every failure is a learning experience. We must learn from our failures in order to help us move forward. Our failures tell us what we need to accomplish or work on in order to become better at what we do. His other motto, which he described to us as a “life theme” of his, is to never give up and to always propel yourself forward. He demonstrates this through the example of how in his youth he contemplated committing suicide. What made him change his mind is the urge to “find out what happens next.” In giving up, you will never know how far you could have gone. This motto is relevant to any challenge presented to us in life. His last message is that when things are going well you should always remember to look back. This message requires people not to become too enamoured with their successes. By looking back and reflecting, one becomes more humble in future activities and learns not to rely totally on past achievements.

In conclusion, Wayson Choy’s visit was an enlightening experience which opened my eyes to the importance of paying attention to signs, to what really matters in good writing and to different outlooks on how to live one’s life.

Travel Writing, "In the Jungle"

In Annie Dillard's piece about the Ecuadorian jungle, the reader is taken on a journey with her, as she explains her experience there and entices us to join her. Her writing conforms well to the expected elements of the travel writing genre. She shares with us many personal experiences, some more pleasurable than others. "We were holding cool drinks and idly watching a hand-sized tarantula seize moths that came to the lone bulb on the generator shed beside us." She mentions how she interacted with the "village girls" and portrays their playfulness, noting that, "they were all braiding my hair, all five of them, all fifty fingers, all my hair, even my bangs. And then they took it apart and did it again, laughing, and teaching me Spanish nouns, and meeting my eyes and each other's with open delight."

 

As well as giving the reader her personal experiences, Dillard fills the piece with sensory details. Through her use of certain verbs and nouns, one can clearly picture the image that she is describing, "Green fireflies spattered lights across the air and illumined for seconds, now here, now there, the pale trunks of enormous, solitary trees. Beneath us the brown Napo River was rising, in all silence; it coiled up the sandy bank and tangled its foam in vines that trailed from the forest and roots that looped the shore." She is constantly reminding the reader of the atmosphere throughout the piece. The final element that Dillard combines into her travel writing is convincing the reader to make the journey. Her personal anecdotes provide a friendly, joyful, positive and intriguing atmosphere that could potentially cause the reader to take the trip. In conclusion, through the author's experiences, sensory details and positive descriptions of the destination, Dillard successfully captures all of the expected elements of her genre and, at least in my case, achieves the ultimate goal of convincing the reader to want to take the journey.

Effectiveness of titles in fiction

The title of a piece sets the tone for the reader. It should intrigue readers, and make them want to find out more. Four stories that we examined in class were "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," by J.D. Salinger, "Take all of Murphy," by Vincent Lam, "The Hanged Man," by Ian Rankin and "A Deep Hole," also by Ian Rankin. These stories have titles that are meant to reflect a certain tone in the story.

 Salinger's title is quite effective, as it appears somewhat ridiculous and makes you want to understand it. A "bananafish" is not a real type of fish and therefore it entices the reader to learn more by reading the story. In "Take all of Murphy" the title is both appropriate and effective. The title does not really make sense until part way into the story, when the group names their cadaver, "Murphy." At this point, the reader recognizes part of the reason for the title. The other reason is because at another point in the story, someone takes half of the cadaver's head. The title is also applicable to how the group wants to cut around "Murphy"'s tattoos. In a sense they are not "taking all" of Murphy, because they are leaving his tattoed symbols in tact. This makes the title satisfying and relevant because various parts of the story relate back to the title.

 In "The Hanged Man" the title was also effective and relevant. The only negative element is that the title gave away the ending of the story. Once the reader realizes that the psychic is in fact the killer's mother, it is also divulged that, "in her hand, she was holding a Tarot card. The hanged man." Therefore it is inevitable that there will be a death almost as soon as the reader begins reading the story. The final story, "A Deep Hole" has a title that I do not think is effective. There never is a "deep hole" of any importance within the story. The narrator cannot find a hole big enough to hide the body in, so he returns the body back to Daintry's garage. Even figuratively, there is not a "hole" in the narrator's life unless one considers the fact that he does not have a wife as a “hole”. I do not think that his single status qualifies as a “hole” in his life. Also, at the outset of the story, the narrator begins by saying, "I still dig up roads - sorry, highways." This statement causes the reader to immediately assume that the reason the piece is entitled, "A Deep Hole" is because of the narrator’s profession. This is not only untrue, but could cause the reader to be disinterested right from the beginning of the story. In conclusion, certain titles are very effective because they cause the reader to become intrigued and to want to read more of the story. Other titles are less effective because they do not provide sufficient mystery or encouragement to cause the reader to want to read more of the story.

On Writing, Sections -6- to -10-

Stephen King provides numerous suggestions with respect to writing fiction throughout sections 6-10 in his novel, On Writing. He begins with explaining the importance of description in a story. He states, "Description begins with visualization of what it is you want the reader to experience." I agree with this statement, and find it very useful to understand the boundaries of under-description and over-description. King classifies these boundaries, "Thin description leaves the reader feeling bewildered and nearsighted. Over-description buries him or her in details and images. The trick is to find a happy medium." Throughout the rest of this section, King shows examples of what he considers to be a good use of description, and what he does not. This demonstration makes it clear for the aspiring writer when they may have “gone overboard”, or when they may not have done nearly enough.

 Another area that King reviews is that of dialogue. The importance of dialogue is that, "It's dialogue that gives your cast their voices, and is crucial in defining their characters. What people say often conveys their character to others in ways of which they - the speakers - are completely unaware." He explains that, although one may be able to describe a character's situation in one sentence, it is often more effective when the reader can uncover this themselves through reading dialogue. It makes the character seem more real and closer to the reader. He uses the example of telling the readers that a character is not educated, and has never attended school, versus demonstrating this through his dialogue. The latter creates a much more realistic situation. I really found this tip to be useful, and hope to remind myself to write dialogue where possible in order to create a more realistic atmosphere. 

The last tip that I found quite helpful, was King's explanation of theme. Essentially, he says that theme is what occurs once you have finished writing and you "ask yourself, why you bothered - why you spent all that time, why it seemed so important." You will uncover what the theme is, once you have finished writing or "identifying the trees" and you reflect on what you've written, "step back and look at the forest." Doing so will reveal the true reason why you wrote your piece and in turn will reveal a theme of some sort. In conclusion, I was able to draw various helpful tips from King's sections on writing fiction. Reading his examples of how (and how not) to use different tools in writings broadened my perspective with respect to different ways of approaching story telling.

After the falls: Cathy's friendships

Cathy speaks of many different friendships throughout her memoir. Two friendships that greatly influenced her life were those of Fran "hit the dirt" Stephens and Laurie Coal. Fran Stephens had an impact on Cathy's life because, through their friendship, Cathy was exposed to things that she otherwise would not have been. Cathy already stayed her distance from males after the Donny Burns incident and this particular incident with Fran certainly did not help matters. Upon spying on Fran's older brother's "fraternity meeting", Cathy witnessed a horrible event where the entire fraternity invited over a girl, "Veronica Nebozenko" and all eight members, essentially raped her. This event was traumatic for obvious reasons and left Cathy horrified. Fran was also a part of Cathy's "Black Lawn Jockey" movement. Cathy found these antique lawn ornaments offensive, and with good reason. After sending letters to all the houses which displayed this ornament on their lawn, Cathy was disappointed with the result. Only two houses out of a total of thirty-nine houses removed their lawn jockeys. Cathy came up with a plan "B". This plan involved an event where the faces of the black lawn jockeys would be painted white. Cathy told Fran not to invite anyone else because it would not produce positive results. Fran ignored Cathy’s request and brought along "thugs" named "Jitters" and "Joe". As predicted by Cathy, the extra company got out of hand and started lighting lawns on fire. At this point Cathy declared to Fran, "If you know what's good for you, you will come with me now. I swear I will never speak to you again if you don't." Fran chose to stay with the thugs. Cathy realized that she "had come to the end of the line with Fran," and that they could, "never be friends again." This declaration demonstrates how Cathy did not approve of Fran's negative influence on her. Through ending her friendship with Fran, Cathy confirmed her independence.

Cathy meets Laurie Coal on her prize trip to New York after winning the essay contest. After the contest, Cathy thought that Laurie was a female and was unsurprised when they were assigned to room together for the trip. Cathy reflects on her first encounter with Laurie by saying, "I opened the door and was taken aback to see an amazingly handsome black man sitting up in the king-sized bed." Cathy gradually gets to know Laurie over the course of the trip and they become good friends. She says that, "Everything I liked, he liked. And when I was with him, time flew". After the trip, once Cathy returns to university in Ohio, Laurie visits her, saying he attends Ohio State on a football scholarship. They also spend a lot of time together there. However, Cathy never interrogates him on his life at Ohio State or how he makes his income. While working with the "Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee", she uncovers another part of Laurie's life, which she did not know about. This is unearthed when one day, someone working with the committee says to Laurie, "You think Splits don't tell me gots yourself a wife and kids at home." Upon learning this, Cathy forever loses interest in political affairs and loses her ability to place trust into others, especially men. This loss caused Cathy to reflect on her life and to become a stronger person. Perhaps this is partly how she was able to cope with her father's illness so well, as she had personally been a victim to things that could be considered far more emotionally damaging than her father’s illness. In conclusion, although Cathy had many friendships in her lifetime, there were some that had a greater influence on her than others. Fran's friendship influenced her decision making throughout adolescence, while Laurie's betrayal strengthened Cathy's ability to handle unfortunate situations.

After the Falls: Cathy's work life

Cathy is introduced to working life at a much younger age than would normally be expected. However, her experiences from these jobs help define her as a person. Three jobs in particular that had a large influence in her life were those at, "McClure Drugs", "The Dunk" and "New York State Welfare". Working for McClure Drugs is a defining moment in Cathy's life because it alters her childhood. As she was a very "active" child, a doctor suggested that she be given a job as a method of deploying her extra energy in a more positive direction. Instead of playing with other children her age, she would spend her time delivering prescriptions with Roy and working alongside her father. This can be seen as Cathy reflects on her life in Lewiston, as she says, "The problem was that I hadn't had real friends in the past, other than the occasional boy on my street with whom I would play outside. I had never had a friend to my house because I was never there. I had worked since I was four years old, and my closest friends were the employees in the drugstore, mostly Roy, the driver, and my father." She and her father would share "the same concerns about the store and consider how to make things run more smoothly." She was devoted to working to her fullest potential.

Cathy lands her job at "The Dunk" in a manner that seems typical of her eccentric personality. She and her mother and father had gone down to the city "to get a new blade for what her father referred to as his 'self-propelled'". They "were in the Puerto Rican part of the city and there were mostly warehouses and rundown bars." While she and her mother waited for her father, they came upon a doughnut shop where they decided to eat. While eating, they noticed that there was a job interview in progress for a waitress position. The final task was to figure out how to work the coffee machine in less than two minutes. Cathy, after watching the first potential waitress fail, immediately jumps in and does the job in "record time". She gets hired and begins working there a large portion of her teenage life. She describes "The Dunk" as "a soggy doughnut at the bottom under the intertwined concrete." Cathy learns a lot from other people through her work experience there. She takes her father's philosophy, "you can learn from everyone if you ask the right questions" and applies it to her everyday life. She asks questions of the customers who come from all over and turns her everyday work into a learning experience.

Another job that Cathy had was with "New York State Welfare". This job caused her to absorb two of life’s most valuable life lessons. She begins her work there as a summer job and admits to having no interest to become a social worker. It "took her a while to understand how the welfare system operated." She realized that when she "worked a full eight hours that she was upsetting not only her co-workers but also the clients." She describes how "Mr. Shoomack looked the other way when everyone in the office went home after lunch. And in return, they covered for him by never asking any question or imposing in any way." After Cathy realizes this, she begins returning home at noon with the rest of the employees. Her mother states to her, "This is a pattern." After Cathy explains everything to her mother, she only replies, "I'm surprised." Cathy learns a valuable life lesson as she realizes her mother's disappointment in how she was corrupted by the system so easily. "From then on, she decided, she would work a full eight hours every day". The other lesson she learns is through her carpool that she forms with two other girls who were working there. Cathy becomes livid with the way that one of the girls, Miriam, is treated by her father (who is a judge). After Cathy gets into an argument with him about his attitude towards parenting, she becomes inspired and transforms this rage into something positive. She notices in the newspaper that the "American Heritage Week would be running an essay contest." She enters the contest and tells the story of Miriam and ends up winning the contest. This leads to her involvement with Laurie Coal, a girl who tied Cathy for first place in the contest. In conclusion, because it was realized that when she worked, "she got into far less trouble" Cathy always spent a lot of time tied down to a job. Through each experience, she learned different lessons and her life was shaped accordingly. Working gave her new values and motives to help her continue her life always in a more positive direction.

After the Falls: The influence of popular culture

The influence of popular culture  can be seen through examples of fashion, music and political events. We see the influence of fashion at the beginning of the novel when Cathy declares, "I had to find those matching outfits that the popular blonde girls wore." She goes through the process of buying the "Ladybug blouses", "John Meyer of Norwich cable-knit sweaters with matching knee socks" and "London Fog raincoats in three variations of khaki." Although she admits that the exercise was "incredibly expensive", she reasons that it is simply, "the price of doing business." This need to be a part of the ever-changing fashion world is again evident much later in the novel when Cathy is packing to return to Ohio for her sophomore year. Cathy comments on her previous attire by saying, "I looked at my matching golf-club clothes, the hairpieces and shoes that I had spent on, and wondered who the girl was who'd worn them. By then I had switched to hip-hugger bell-bottom jeans, men's long undershirts and desert boots." This latter style was representative of the hippie era, and all of the political and social views that went along with it.

Another example of popular culture which had a great influence on people was music. We see how different parts of Cathy’s life are complimented by a particular era of music. Her escapades with Roy in the delivery car are represented by the "staccato blast of the Les McCann and Eddie Harris rendition." At her 8th grade slumber party, Cathy speaks of how they were "doing the twist to Chubby Checker's music". After getting into an argument with her father over Donny, Cathy escapes to the attic and listens to "Louis and Ella singing, ‘Cheek to Cheek’". Cathy and Leora (along with the majority of the population) are drawn into the rage surrounding the Beatles. The girls clear out their evening’s calendar  in order to watch them perform on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time in 1964. They "locked themselves into her parents' room and watched the Beatles singing, ‘She Loves You’". When Cathy resorts to having her father pick her up from the "Idle Hour", she recalls turning on the radio, listening to "Stand by Me" and "I've Got You, Babe," and being shocked that her father knows the words to "popular music”. Later, in university, Cathy's friend (Sarah) introduces her to an album called, "Cheap Thrills". Cathy recalls, "I listened to Janis Joplin wail with a voice that sounded like a freight train with a broken heart: ‘A Piece of My Heart,’ ‘Summertime’ and ‘Ball and Chain.’”

Political events also had a huge influence in Cathy's life, beginning with the emergence of John F. Kennedy as a political force. Cathy’s mother started volunteering to do the accounting for JFK’s local campaign office. "In her new role, she worked on that campaign day and night. She organized the late stages of the Buffalo Kennedy Campaign with military precision, dividing up volunteers and making sure every square inch of the city was covered." We can see how this election had a huge influence over the culture as, "everyone at school watched the Kennedy-Nixon debates with bated breath." When Kennedy won, her mother was honoured at a luncheon at the Statler Hilton for all the work she had done. This added to the importance that this election had in Cathy's life. Another political event that had a great influence on her life was the assassination of President Kennedy. At this point in her life, Cathy had been working at "The Dunk". They dragged a TV out of the back room so that everyone could watch the news coverage. People from all over stopped by to see what had happened. The reason this event had such an influence on her life was the effect it had on her mother. After this, her mother was crushed and never took an interest in any political events thereafter. "No matter how many times people called her to be involved in politics again, she politely declined. In fact, she had very little to do with anyone after that."

Another event that had an impact on Cathy's life was the assassination of Martin Luther King. At this point in Cathy's life, she was at university and on her way back to her dorm with Laurie. She describes the event as if it were happening in "slow motion". She was notified of what had happened when "the man who owned the photography studio near the corner came out and stood on the stoop of his establishment." She asked what was wrong and was informed, "Martin Luther King was assassinated". This was a particularly dramatic event for Cathy because at this point she was in a relationship with "Laurie", a black man. The killing caused Cathy to become increasingly involved in the civil rights movement.  She and Laurie became active members of the "Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee." 

During the summer before the Chicago Democratic National Convention, the Democratic Party was in disarray and needed to choose a candidate to oppose Richard Nixon in the November election. The University of Chicago was the site of significant protests when Cathy and Laurie went to visit Leora. Laurie and Cathy "went to hear Bobby Seale speak at Lincoln Park." It was surrounded by rows of cops and the National Guard. After this, they decided "to go down to Grant Park and see what was happening with the mules and the Poor People's March." Rennie Davis, the SDS spokesman, was scheduled to speak there. This had an influence on Cathy's life and her opinion of the culture because on their way to Grant Park, they "saw protesters stampeding toward them, screaming that police had charged and Davis had been beaten unconscious." People were beaten by the police and left in the street. At the time, Cathy did not realize that the "silent majority" did not agree with the students or with the liberal press. This event caused Cathy to take an active role in the November election, "On weekends Laurie and I traveled all around in his little VW Bug, registering blacks in West Virginia, preparing them for the November election." In conclusion, one can see how popular culture, specifically fashion, music and political events had a great influence on Cathy's life and the lives of those around her. 

After the Falls: Cathy's relationships with her Mom and Dad

Cathy, being an only child, had a very close relationship with both her mother and her father. From an early age, because she had no siblings, she would spend copious amounts of time with them both, and her father especially. As she was a very "active" child, a doctor suggested that she be given a job, as a way of deploying her extra energy in a more positive direction. This job at McClure's Drugs allowed for her relationship with her father to really flourish. She would spend hours working in her father's store. This relationship is evident and can be seen as Cathy reflects on her past life after her move to Buffalo. "The problem was that I hadn't had real friends in the past, other than the occasional boy on my street with whom I would play outside. I had never had a friend to my house because I was never there. I had worked since I was four years old, and my closest friends were the employees in the drugstore, mostly Roy, the driver, and my father," she said. Cathy compares her relationship with her father to that of a "well-oiled machine". They would share "the same concerns about the store and how to make things run smoothly." After having stabbed a bully with a compass, Cathy was sent to see "Dr. Small". What he told her predicts exactly the outcome of her and her father's relationship. Cathy reports that the doctor said, "I was far too close to my father and Roy and needed to have female friends, or I would not be ‘socialized’ correctly. If I didn't have girlfriends at a young age, as a teenager I would grow too far away from ‘normal female concerns.’" Dr. Small, of course, was correct. As Cathy’s mother repeats years later, "Remember when Dr. Small said that all that time with your dad and not with other little girls would come home to roost when you were a teenager?" She paused. "Well, welcome to the chicken coop."

Cathy's relationship with her father began drifting away really as soon as they moved out of Lewiston. She had become a teenager and like most teenagers, wanted less and less to do with her father. Although she wants to gain independence, we can still see how much her father means to her. This can be clearly demonstrated through one example which is repeated multiple times throughout the book. Cathy always brings up the way her father spoke to her after she went to see "Donny Burns" after a mass. Her father's words were, "Girls that chase boys come to a bad end. You looked like the kind of girl I don't want for my daughter." These words forever resonate with her as she is quite reluctant to have anything to do with males for a very long time. This is because her father rarely used a harsh tone with her. The only other time that her father really reprimanded her was on the one occasion that she had a fight with her mother. Her father told her, "if you ever make your mother cry and have to go to bed like that again, you'll have more scars to worry about than acne." However, it is easy to see her father's unconditional love for her as he gives her two dimes so that "if she ever gets in over her head" she could call him, "no questions asked, ever." Her father holds true to his word when he drives to pick her up from the "Idle Hour, about an hour out of town in Lakeview", in order for her to avoid driving home with "dead-drunk drivers". Cathy never really begins to feel remorse for how she treated her father in her teen years until she realized that something was not quite right with him. She realized this when she asked her father why he had a vial of various pills. When he responded, "I just love all the different colours when the sunshine hits the vial," Cathy declares that her "father had lost his mind."

Cathy hires Dr. Zukas to look at her father and he determines that her father has a brain tumour which is what had been affecting his behaviour. After her father is diagnosed with this condition, Cathy's relationship with her father changes. She has to look after him, as her mother in the beginning cannot face having to deal with the tragedy. We see how much Cathy truly values her father's words and his opinion of her as she visits him one time when he was hospitalized for "Cheyne-Stokes". He cannot recognize Cathy in her adulthood, so he talks about his daughter to Cathy as though he was talking to a stranger. She asks him, "So tell me about your daughter." Her father responds after saying she was bossy that, "She was a real pip." Cathy really takes this to heart as she spends lots of time and energy into looking up the meaning of the word, "pip" and trying to uncover what her father had meant.

Cathy and her mother always had a good relationship, however, it did not become really close until after her father had become ill. Cathy did not disclose to her mother most of the bad things that happened in her life. For instance, Cathy never told her mother why she had not made the cheer-leading team as she, "knew that her mother would suffer more than her from the acne comments, and she didn't want her to feel sad." Although she had various disagreements with her father, Cathy only had one fight with her mother. On the ride home from seeing the acne specialist, Cathy tells her mother, "In the future, don't tell me what I see in the mirror is not true when it is true. That's how they make crazy people. Next time, just be honest." Later on, as her mother drives away after having dropped Cathy off at Ohio U., Cathy reflects on how she will miss her mother. "As my mother drove away, I realized that I was losing my best friend. I'd had no sisters or brothers, and she had functioned as both. We both had the Irish penchant for black humour and for teasing the one funny thread from a tangle of tragedy. I hoped she would be able to handle being at home alone with my father and not miss me as much as I would miss her." I think this passage best exemplifies her true relationship with her mother, as it shows what her life would lack without her mother's presence. In conclusion, I would describe Cathy's relationship with both her mother and father as very close, however each relationship was special in its own way. Cathy's relationship with her father was altered through his illness, and her relationship with her mother was strengthened through having to deal with the complications and everyday stresses caused by her father's illness. They bonded over using the words or phrases that her father would deploy for everyday things such as, "big skate" for car. The demise of her father helped Cathy to uncover the true importance that both her parents held in her life.

Entry 2: Memoirs

Out of the several memoirs from today's class, two that really stood out for me were David Sedaris' Big Boy and Augusten Burroughs' Ass Burger. I am going to begin with Sedaris' piece. I found that the blunt, colloquial descriptions in the story really allowed for one to become involved in the event/predicament that the author found himself in. The comparison of the turd sitting in the toilet to "this coiled specimen, as thick as a burrito" really places in one's mind an unforgettable image. As well, the use of italics helps to create a sense of urgency in the situation. "Just a minute", "I'll be out in a second!" and "Here I come. I'm just washing  up." help to transport oneself into the state of panic in which the author was feeling. Also, this event all takes place in one very specific setting. This factor assists in recreating this moment as it is all focused into one area. In the story, everything revolves around where he is currently positioned, as though his whole existence depends on the disappearance of this inconvenient turd. "It wasn't fair," it was not "his job", however he somehow felt a huge obligation to remove it from existence. All of these effects combined resulted in a very successful recreation of that particular moment. 

 

The other memoir, Ass Burger takes place in a longer space of time. Burroughs uses many descriptive side-notes in his story which overall creates an atmosphere that makes one feel as though they experienced the same events. He uses the comparison of him and his brother to demonstrate how they operate completely differently. The following is an excerpt that I think captures this efficiently: "Well, that's just unacceptable. I mean, you're reading at a third-grade level. Don't you find that alarming?" Considering I was in the third grade, no, I didn't." His brother's obscurities are shown through his lack of social cues, as he blatantly asks his mother's friend, "Didn't you have an abortion last year?" However, his missed social cues are contrasted with his genius abilities, as he ends up building the "rocket-shooting, fire-spitting, exploding guitars for the band Kiss". The author contrasts this accomplishment with that of average 17 year olds as he states, "This same year, his high-school classmates merely graduated." Throughout the remainder of the memoir, we see similar themes brought out as well as the discovery that this whole time, his brother had Asperger's syndrome. Burroughs finishes the story through confirming the personality of the brother as John delivers a gas-operated pump to his house. When asked, "But why?" he simply responds, "Because there may come a day when you need a gas-operated pump and now you'll have one". The constant descriptions and stories of John, the older brother confirm his role in the story. The ending of the story is really effective, because it leaves you right in the heart of the situation, thinking about the rest of the story up until that point.