Essay Packet 2

In Savich's, "Crumbling Expectations," I was sort of confused at the beginning. When he started into his creative essay, he just went right into it without much description as to what he was going to talk about. He started off at one point in his life, using memories from his childhood, that led into why he was writing the essay at that point in time. He had a way of converying what he was trying to say about his father and his family without using much detail to do it. I found it interesting how he used the memories to link something that's happening now. I also liked how he related the fact that books and certain kinds of them made him the writer he is.

In Prevallet, I liked how each individual story was short and to the point. He was able to use enough detail in one paragraph to give the initial imagery that was needed for the essay. My favorite one was "Grammar." I liked this one because it made me feel close to the writer because we were getting a person look into his mind, a look that made him seem just like us, even though he has published writings. In "Grammar," I liked how he put what made him worry about writing and it reminded me of exactly how I feel when I'm writing a new story or essay. I also liked "Dream," because the way he worded the language is exactly how I feel when I awaken from a dream or deepsleep. The way the darkness consumes you after you've just had a dream about being at an amusement park, where you wake up and realize, "It was just a dream..."

As I read D'Agata's portion inside Essay Packet 1, I found it interesting how the idea of real life was incorporated into the essays. Real factual events were brought up into the essay giving it the tone that was being portrayed to start out with. Broken sentences were used throughout the essay, and I thought it was interesting how even though they were fragmented, they still came together to make the essay make complete sense and still bring out what was meant to be said. For example in "Notes Toward the Making of A Human Being," this was how it was mentioned, "after which the student body then returned with its vote overwhelmingly in favor of A.'s request to keep a gun in his room...hard bodies...which in turn has resulted in an equally large gush of self-congratulatory writing..." just intrigued me on how the idea could be continued and there not have to be complete sentences to capture that image. I liked how at the end, there was a list of "Things To Do," and the fact that there was 93 things to do on that list.

In Dillard's essay's, I liked how she made it sound as though she was living in that moment in time that her essay's were being written, and how easy she makes it look to write such amazing stories. She used such vivid descriptions about her adventures, it was almost unbelievable. I liked how I was able to picture myself looking at the blue sky as she talked about it and I also liked how I was able to feel the grass beneath my feet without actually being there to experience it myself.Overall, I liked Essay Packet 1 because it gave me a broader sense of what these essay's actually need to contain to look and sound like an essay.

Maps To Anywhere

As I was reading "Maps to Anywhere," I found it interesting how Bernard Cooper had many different sebsections within his writing. The way he wrote the book, made it feel as though there was more than just words printed upon the page. He used many different ways to create imagery. He describes how his name was unusual compared to the everyday names that are found printed on keychains when you go to the markets. As I read the book, I could feel the exact same feelings that he was experiencing at that very moment. I was able to relate to him because it's always been and still is hard to find my name on many items when it comes to that sort of stuff. I loved the way he described his relationship with his father's office, and the way you could almost picture what he was converying exactly. It made me feel as though I was in the room with him and we were looking right at it. Another point in the book, was when he was describing his father at 81 years old, just after an operation. He shows that although his father is old and weak at the moment, he still has a sense of humor and also still has the ability to show his feelings.

Other things I liked about the book was how he jumped back and forth between the subsections. He made it clear that there didn't have to be a certain way on how to write your stories. I liked the chapter Atlantis because he had an impecable way of describing Nick the Barber. He was able to give an image so simple, that I would have had a hard time describing myself. He describes the balconies of a house or of buildings and how many were gorgeous, but one was not so much. He uses a vivid sense of imagery to help you imagine the minor details and how it seemed to be more than just a balcony.

In the Wind Did It, I liked how he jumped back and forth between the memories he's had with his father. I liked how he remembers when he didn't see him that often because of a marraige or when they spent everyday together. It made me realize that I sort of have that same sort of relationship with my father, but without the other marraige. I have a great relationship with my father but I don't see him often.

Overall, I like the way I can relate to many of his stories and memories as I'm reading through them. I feel as though I can connect with Bernard on a deeper level than I could with any other writer that I have read before, but then again, I haven't really read many of the stories that come from their past. I liked the first half of the book and so far I like the second half.

As I was reading the fiction packets, I found it very hard to completely pick one that was my favorite of them all. There are many that I have not talked about yet though.  There is one, "But What Was Her Name?" that I found intriguing. It was short and simple, and very descriptive. It gave quick images and short images. The way it was written, it almost shows how fast her life went by, and how short her life may have really been.

Another story was "Wallet." As I read the story the first time, I didn't realize that the old man was trying to play a trick on a scoundrel rather than just leave without realizing his wallet was really gone. He uses the idea of getting pickpocketers to understand that he knows they are trying to take his money right from under his nose, but plants a decoy wallet and acts as though he has just commited a crime and drives away from the scene as fast as he could. I also see this as a way for him and his son to have a little bit of bonding time as they make they're way to and from the area where the decoy wallet was planted. In a way, this story gives you a sense of what was going on inside the mind of the author and how many times this may have happened to him in the past.

In the story "My Own Posture," he wrote aout how he wanted someone to tell him what his posture meant and why. The most he got was that he was standing all wrong. As Kagen adjusted the way he was standing, he told him the only 'notebook' that he needed was his own posture, without good posture, you don't have good balance, or a sense of who you are.

As I was reading "Polaroids," I found it very interesting how this was compared from a developing picture, to how a story was formed. It was almost dead on. While a picture is developing, it really does show the facial features of the people within the picture first as the background of the picture begins to appear later on. I thought it was interesting how they were able to capture that idea within a story, to describe exactly how a story is put into place at first. You must create your characters (their personalites, problems, etc...) and then put them in place into a story that revolves around the characteristics they received in their description.

Week 4

Last week, we read and learned about fiction. You have to have certain elements in order for it to be considered a short story. For one, you must use detail, obviously, to get exactly what you are trying to convey and do it as best as you can. Without detail, you pretty much have a blah blah story, for example, "He stood and waited. Then they arrived." I'm pretty sure you could mention a lot more to that to create a more visual aspect into the scene of the story.

You must also have a plot, or a story line, a reason for writing the story. You must have a setting, dialogue, beginning, that includes characters, a climax, and a resolution. Without these very important aspects to a short story, there wouldn't be much to read. The characters could either have issues or a problem to solve, either way they must be included. Usually, there should be a voice behind the story, where you can hear the narrator actually speaking the story aloud. A rhythm should go along with the voice and the story to make it flow even more.

As I read through both fiction packets, I could recognize each individual characteristic that was added into the short stories. It was amazing how much you had to add into a story, in order to actually make it a story. It took less explanation to go into the story because they must have wanted it to be short than it would take a novel. There was more detail jammed packed into the stories, to give you more of an idea of what was going on and to actually get you to picture exactly what the narrator was picturing and what they wanted you to picture when they were writing the stories. Each were different in character and all had a different story line.

1) I close my eyes and open the package slowly…

 

Terrified it could explode at any moment.

It doesn’t.

I’m breathing heavy now as is everyone else.

In the other room there is rustling.

What’s that?

I don’t know.

 

I’m still focused on what this package is. 

It doesn’t clarify, so I give it to momma. 

We’re all safe. 

For now.

 

 

2) Taco Bell

The place found between Dash Rd and State Ave.

The one place that I love their food.

I would go everyday for lunchtime during work 

Sarah has also been doing the same thing

I’ll know that purple logo anywhere

I’ve almost scratched my car coming around their tight turns

There’s always an echo of the car’s engine going “Rump-Ump-Ump!” 

I haven’t been to Taco Bell much lately

Around December I stopped going

I haven’t had too much money

I’ve had to buy food for my turtle.

I hope to go back soon.

"Fluorescence" actually intrigued me. Throughout the opening of the book, I was really confused. I wasn't quite sure how to interpret what I was reading. As the book went on, the author seemed to jump between what happened and what was happening before and after the event that inspired her idea to write the book this way. It was as if she was just as scatter brained inside her head and she was in the book. I like the way Jennifer led into the the first section by attempting to explain what exactly it was she was going to give more details about the situation.

The way she interpreted the conversations that happened between the passengers and her thoughts inside her head. I especially liked the way she was trying to help us envision what she was seeing by describing it with just enough detail to help determine what it was. The way she laid out the poems made the feeling of the book stronger and more intense as she went. It was an interesting concept and layout for the book.