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.