Random Write

This is a piece I began in class.  Narrative but with action and no dialogue

Pulling into the supermarket parking lot, the smell of tar combined with midsummer heat smelt like the mood I was already in.  Stench amplified from the hot hot heat.  Regretting the fact I left the windows down for the ride, instead of using the little bit of gas I had left for air conditioner.  Upon pulling into a space near the entrance, I sat there in the heat hoping the smell would pass.  The black parallel powerlines were blinding from the brightness of the sun.  I stretch my fingers thru my ponytail noticing the resemblance of color.  This makes me happy for reasons unexplainable to myself. I use this sudden urge of happiness like a wrecking ball swaying left to right.  And shifting to the right, then suddenly to the left, I use my body weight to open the car door-which is heavy.  (heavy as if its from my existential plight) which I suddenly break thru placing first my left torn up sneaker then my right onto the pavement.  This is how I get through Tuesday.

Reading response Chapter 9 and Willie

Chapter 9

This was a very difficult chapter for me to grasp.  Not so much the motif, but the manner and order in which it was written confused me.  Overall, I do understand the concept of telling a story through narration and no use of dialogue.  I liked the example she gave at the beginning of the chapter, referring to "an action can be something as little as a letter not being sent, or a thought that goes unspoken."    Providing information in narrative format is a very challenging way to write.  Once I attempted to do this, I enjoyed it. 

Willie

Hindsight is 20/20, so I feel pretty dumb not realizing the beginning of the story was about masturbation.  I feel even more dumb not realizing the response Professor Ellison wanted us to give as to why we thought the story ended so abruptly.  This was a very difficult piece of prose to stay focused on due to the wordiness in the narration, especially at the beginning.  There was some beautiful passages here, but in order to understand what was going on, I had to re-read several spots several times. That is not an enjoyable reading experience. And still, I did not totally get what was going on since it never occurred to me I was reading about Willie playing with his willy.  Once the action began, (mom having sex with the tutor,)  I became intrigued.  The ending surprised me, (the mom actually getting beat up/written through the sounds Willie heard.)  However, once the setting was established, it did correlate with the time period and culture.  I would like to go back and read this again so I can actually appreciate the effort put into the narration.  I need to wait though, so it can saturate in my subconscious for awhile. 

JUNKYARDS

These are quotes I got from attending the poetry readings.  The reason why all five of them are here is because, upon hearing them, a feeling was invoked within me.  In turn, it inspires me, which is what Junkyard quotes are all about, right?

1) " Writing is like an incision, you can't erase with a razorblade."  Catherine Wing.  ----- This is the quote as I heard it and it may be wrong, because unfortunately, I sat in the ONE row where people were actually talking on the phone!

2)  "I would like to fish for words that rhyme with perch"  Christine ?  Again there was an obnoxious talker at the Bella Coffee poetry reading and I had a hard time hearing.

3)  "Hopeful lines intact, reaching for anyone who will hold it, sizing up the weight she'd never be rid of."  Tim from Body as Weight.

4) "Dipping thru the sounds of my mothers interjection."   Jen Rivers

5)  "Ripples that reflect the fallen."  Jen Rivers

Reading Response: The magic Barrel

Sometimes it is hard to distinguish if I don't like a story because I don't like the main character in the story.  When asked if I liked "The Magic Barrel,"  I was ambivalent.  I am not a fan of Leo Finkle because he is arrogant and selfish.  Yet, there are times when an unsavory character (like Leo) can still bring out sympathy from me, making me emotionally invested in the story.  The only character that brought out sympathy from me is Salzman the match maker.  In reference to the classroom discussion, "do we think Salzman planned the match of Leo for his daughter Stella,"  I am ambivalent about that as well.  I go back and forth thinking it was premeditated or not.  This makes me wonder, why so much ambivalence towards one story, Danita? I honestly can't say right now.  One thing I am certain about is agreeing with Sarah in regards to how this was a perfect story to read upon STC's chapter 7 POV.

Random writes: a little ditty and Part 2 of Cecile

Formula for an American icon:

Begin with an American original,
Add present day artist
Connect the dots of similarity
Put a flame to their praise
Mix together all who are in agreeance
Add salt to taste

Now you have a phenomenon.

Part 2 from the Jack the Ripper Story: Cecile

Cecile never minded walking in long dark alleys, so, she decided to take the shortcut to the docks. Through her gin induced haze, she had forgotten about the four murders that had occurred over the past six weeks. She forgot that the victims were always prostitutes and always butchered. And she forgot about the awful name the papers gave this criminal, “Jack The Ripper.” All Cecile thought about was how happy she was for earning so much in so little time. This would prove to Harland she would never really double cross him and that she is worthy of his companionship. Skipping down the street, the drunk prostitue was unaware of anyone hiding in the darkest corners of White Chapel's alleys.

Cecile stopped near the park to pull out the rest of her gin when a young man approached her.
The brow of his hat was pulled down below his eyes so she couldn't get a look at the face that was talking to her. She couldn't understand what he had said, but she knew what he meant from the knife that was poking her belly. She tried to scream but he had covered her mouth with his handkerchief. Feeling the first slice of her flesh, now all she could think about was Harland and his boots. Her dress felt cold and wet as blood oozed down her legs. The attacker pulled his handkerchief away from her mouth. She tried to scream again, but before she could hear her own voice he started sawing her neck. From that point on, Harland was no longer in her mind. In fact, Cecile had no thoughts at all. All she had was the feeling of pain and metal as they simultaneously attacked her body. Finally, her breathing slowed with a brief sense of euphoria that ended as she drew her last breath.

Her attacker dragged her about 20 feet in front of the door of an apartment building. He propped both her legs up, placed one hand over her heart, and had her other arm outstretched to her side. Taking a look, he decided he had one more thing to do. Turning her head to the right side, he sawed off her nose and took off running into the darkness.

Within minutes, a young man stumbled over Cecile's mutilated body. Keeping his head turned away from her face, his hands were moving feverishly trying to locate the pockets of her dress. When he found them, he pulled out a silver sixpence from her left pocket. But at the last minute he changed his mind and left the silver piece lying ontop of her torn dress leaving Cecile exposed but not robbed.

Reading Response Chapter 5 STC

The qualifers that Le Guin refers to in Chapter 5 are the most overused words in all my writings.  Suddenly, just, and very are words that I write without conscious.  I  agree with her that they should be avoided at all costs, but also find it funny how I revert back to them naturally.  Although this was a very short chapter,  this has been the one I feel most connected.  I also feel it will end up being one of the most useful critical pieces I have read all year.  If I am able to release myself from these "meaningless and overused literary adverbs and adjectives," my work will improve more than I thought possible.

Reading Response Fat Girl

    I enjoyed this piece by Dubus.  For me, the story was well crafted and poignant with such details that I cared about the main character, Louise.  Unfortunately, even though she does lose weight, it is quite obvious she is not happy.  This theme kept me interested because I desperately wanted her to feel real happiness, the kind she got from eating.   In relation to some of the critical readings we've been assigned, I feel that this is a good example of LeGuin's rule: every sentence should lead into the next.  Also, this story really did have a pleasant rhythm to it.  Each part of Louise's journey, as well as the introduction of  new characters give enough description to either understand  them, or how she is feeling, without being overstated and boring me.