Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Response to: Brief History of my Thumb
I was pretty amazed just by the experience that this author had. It's so different from anything that I was taught to do that it was captivating. The use of language, also, just pulled me in, because it just showed the reader how casual it was to them, how little they thought of it, and how routine it was. She writes with incredulity of how it changed, and seems to miss the fact that people used to do this. It ended on a strangely touching note; her trust of a stranger, and how that trust meant something to him. It's at the same time a personal story and a common one. She mentions that a lot of other women have similar stories, but it's unique because it's her story.
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Good start Bailey.
ReplyDeleteWhen you're writing these, try to think of a slightly wider audience. Teach us a little something about the essay by providing some context and by being specific about your analyses. So, instead of just mentioning them use of language, quote a little bit and try to explain what that bit does in/for the essay.
Liking your idea about personal vs. common. So, as much as this is a singular/personal tale that only Perillo could tell, it's still somehow something we readers can feel as almost universal.
Often we'll use the word 'relatable', which is my favorite and least favorite word to use in describing personal writing. We need essays to be relatable, but why are they? Essays about very common experiences will always be relatable, but this is an essay about an uncommon experience and is still relatable. How, specifically, does she pull it off?
DW