10 responses to “Week 6—Fiction Reading Response (Weds)”
“On his last human day, he put his head in his hands and sighed and I stood up and kissed the entire back of his neck, covered that flesh, made wishes there because I knew no woman had ever been so thorough, had ever kissed every inch of his skin. I coated him. What did I wish for? I wished for good.”
The Rememberer, by Aimee Bender, was a heartbreaking and innovative story. Annie’s grief is very unique, as her lover wasn’t dead, just inhuman. She had to deal with losing him while he was still alive. It tackles the complicated problem of whether you can love someone even when they’ve changed so vastly that you can hardly recognize them. I think it answers that question beautifully, because Annie’s love for him was much more tangible than her grief. The quote above exemplifies the unadulterated affection she had for him even though as a human he was quite melancholic in demeanor. His sadness wasn’t something that she loved him in spite of, rather something she loved him because of. That’s why I think she was so calm when dealing with such a horrifying and unusual situation: because she understood how much her lover wished to stop thinking about everything, and so, in a way, the de-evolution was what he wanted. Annie loved him enough to let him have what he wanted.
“And then I see the door swing open, see Prince lift his head expectantly. I see my dad lift the gun and aim. I’m trying to get over there; I can’t get there fast enough–the air is too thick. They’re framed in the doorway, my dad and my brothers, and beyond them I see Prince pause, showing the whites of his eyes, wind ruffling the fur on his head. Then he’s running, galloping on all fours across the yard, his tongue hanging out like a pink streamer. A shot rings out, echoing in the silence, but it misses him. He keeps running, and then he’s up, up on his hind legs, lurching away two-footedly, front legs pawing the air, and then another shot rings out, shaking the world, and he’s down, down, splayed out on our front lawn, nose in the dirt, tail in the air, wind whipping his fur around, his legs quivering, then still.”
“Dog Days” seems like such an odd story. Everything is mysterious and twisted and it leaves one thinking. Questions like: What happened to the country? Where did all the animals go? What happened to all the people? I also really enjoy that there is a twist like when the father changes his mind about Prince and decides to consider him a dog even though before he always insisted that he was a man. Shows that one can bend the reality/personal beliefs to whatever seems convenient. This story kind of reminded me of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
Reading the Paper by Ron Carlson
“He eats two Hostess doughnuts and before he’s even down the street and I’ve picked up the paper, I can hear him screaming down there. Somebody’s dragging him into a late model Datsun, light brown, the kind of truck Duke, bless his soul, always thought was silly. So, I’ve got the paper in my hands and there’s someone at the door. So few people come to the back door that I know it’s going to be something odd, and I’m right. It’s that guy in the paper who escaped from the prison yesterday.”
I chose this passage from “Reading the Paper” by Ron Carlson because, at this point in the story, I began to understand that what the narrator was reading was coming into their real-life. The author does a fantastic job of crafting this fantastical imagery while also pointing out the flawed ways in which we consume media. By making the articles into real-life events, we, as the reader, can see just how strange it is to skim through such horrendous stories like a kidnapping, murder, or prison escape. I found this piece to be full of irony and dark humor, and for those reasons I really enjoyed it. This passage in particular is fast moving, much like the rest of the piece, and I can imagine the narrator flipping through the paper while these events happen around them. This passage is also a good example of the narrator playing both active and passive roles. In the first two sentences, the action is not happening to the narrator themselves, but by the end, the stories in the paper have leaked into their own world, their own “back door,” forcing the narrator to now become an active, yet unwilling, participant.
The instructions are to respond to one line or one piece, but I was quite moved by three of this week’s readings, “Sticks,” “The Falling Girl,” and “Flying Leap.” It occurred to me that I haven’t read fiction in far too long. This is my 6th year as a part-time college student and working mother, and I think during this time that I read one memoir and a couple of graphic novels outside of my required reading for school and work. My response is about “Flying Leap” and how reading the work of others can inspire you to write.
First, I have to comment on “Sticks” and “Falling Girl.” “Sticks” is just so beautiful how the man had “one concession to glee,” which served as his creative outlet, and how it ultimately turned into a creative, and even artistic, outlet for his grief. “The Falling Girl” is almost too wordy to keep my ADHD brain’s attention, but I was fascinated, especially the way she interacted with people on each floor.
“Flying Leap” was good. In the end, they became the dogs, but what I want to say is that this piece inspired me. I forgot that I am interested in apocalyptic fiction. I forgot that once, more than a decade ago when Zombie fiction was gaining steam, I started writing a Zombie novel. I was only a few chapters in when my computer fried, and this was before the cloud, so my book was lost. I can still remember most of it, but there was an “a-ha” element that I can’t quite remember, or else maybe I’d try writing it again. On the other hand, Zombie fiction must be getting old by now. That old computer is in my garage; I wonder if the book could be recovered. I remember a beautiful scene in which the main characters, a young man and his uncle, use their maternal relatives’ linens for comfort amidst discomfort. Before an evacuation, they set a table with their grandmother’s/mother’s lace tablecloth and cloth napkins, and then shared the last jar of her homemade jam. Maybe I could start this story again someday to see if that ah-ha moment comes back to me.
Something that stood out to me in Bread was that there were no transition words. It seemed like there were simple words that were cut from the piece such as “the” and “and”. It felt straight to the point and different then everything we have read so far in class. I love the idea of something so simple, like bread, creating such an impactful moment in someone’s life and work.
Something that stood out to me in Reading the Paper was the imperfection and sudden abrupt transitions between sentences. It almost feels like the character narrating the moment is in shock and is going through the motions and not necessarily showing a lot of emotion in this piece. I suspect that the informality and the descriptive sentences of just the actions have a purpose to the essay to communicate to us how the narrator was feeling in the moment. There’s also a purpose to the choppiness between sentences and the imperfection as well as communicating the same idea of how the narrator is going through grief.
The text “Billy’s Girl” by Gordon Jackson is a poignant exploration of loss, desperation, and the harsh realities of life. One of the most striking aspects of the narrative is the vivid imagery used to depict the setting, such as “Sun shone on the blue water” and “pines in the distance.” These descriptions create a sense of atmosphere and immerse the reader in the scene, which is something I look forward to learning more about in class now while we study fiction.
Moreover, I feel the character dynamics are intriguing, particularly the relationship between Carmine and Billy’s girlfriend. Carmine’s concern for Billy is palpable, as seen in his frantic search for him: “If I catch that kid.” On the other hand, Billy’s girlfriend exudes a mix of confidence and worry, showcasing her complex emotions in the face of uncertainty: “He’s only kidding, the way he always does.”
The climax of the story, where Billy is found but in a dire state, is particularly impactful. The imagery of him being “hooked right through the eye” is chilling and evokes a sense of horror. This moment serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the harshness of fate.
Additionally, the use of sensory details, such as the “sour odor” of the wet towels and the sound of the motor on the lake, adds depth to the narrative and enhances the reader’s immersion in the story. I personally love it when i am able to picturize the elements of a text because of its prudent use of imagery!
Overall, “Billy’s Girl” is a powerful tale that leaves a lasting impression. It explores themes of fear, desperation, and the search for meaning in the face of tragedy. Through vivid imagery and compelling character dynamics, the story draws the reader into a world of uncertainty and turmoil, ultimately leaving them with a sense of contemplation and reflection.
I really enjoyed reading ‘Sticks’. The story shows an overbearing and cruel father whose thought processes become illogical after his children grow up and leave home. The way that the author showed the Dad’s declining state through the way that he decorated the pole in the yard and his increasing obsession with it was very interesting. I thought it was very impressive how much this story gets across in so little words. My favorite detail is how in the end the author comments that the story is inspired by someone’s house and the man he’d imagined living there who was a better man than him but that he then reimagined the man with characteristics opposite to the original ones he’d given him. This seems to imply that the man in the story is similar to the author, which is really interesting. It also seems to imply the author has frustration towards people that he sees as better or happier than himself.
10 responses to “Week 6—Fiction Reading Response (Weds)”
“On his last human day, he put his head in his hands and sighed and I stood up and kissed the entire back of his neck, covered that flesh, made wishes there because I knew no woman had ever been so thorough, had ever kissed every inch of his skin. I coated him. What did I wish for? I wished for good.”
The Rememberer, by Aimee Bender, was a heartbreaking and innovative story. Annie’s grief is very unique, as her lover wasn’t dead, just inhuman. She had to deal with losing him while he was still alive. It tackles the complicated problem of whether you can love someone even when they’ve changed so vastly that you can hardly recognize them. I think it answers that question beautifully, because Annie’s love for him was much more tangible than her grief. The quote above exemplifies the unadulterated affection she had for him even though as a human he was quite melancholic in demeanor. His sadness wasn’t something that she loved him in spite of, rather something she loved him because of. That’s why I think she was so calm when dealing with such a horrifying and unusual situation: because she understood how much her lover wished to stop thinking about everything, and so, in a way, the de-evolution was what he wanted. Annie loved him enough to let him have what he wanted.
I can enjoy the style of a piece without liking the story of it.
“And then I see the door swing open, see Prince lift his head expectantly. I see my dad lift the gun and aim. I’m trying to get over there; I can’t get there fast enough–the air is too thick. They’re framed in the doorway, my dad and my brothers, and beyond them I see Prince pause, showing the whites of his eyes, wind ruffling the fur on his head. Then he’s running, galloping on all fours across the yard, his tongue hanging out like a pink streamer. A shot rings out, echoing in the silence, but it misses him. He keeps running, and then he’s up, up on his hind legs, lurching away two-footedly, front legs pawing the air, and then another shot rings out, shaking the world, and he’s down, down, splayed out on our front lawn, nose in the dirt, tail in the air, wind whipping his fur around, his legs quivering, then still.”
“Dog Days” seems like such an odd story. Everything is mysterious and twisted and it leaves one thinking. Questions like: What happened to the country? Where did all the animals go? What happened to all the people? I also really enjoy that there is a twist like when the father changes his mind about Prince and decides to consider him a dog even though before he always insisted that he was a man. Shows that one can bend the reality/personal beliefs to whatever seems convenient. This story kind of reminded me of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
Reading the Paper by Ron Carlson
“He eats two Hostess doughnuts and before he’s even down the street and I’ve picked up the paper, I can hear him screaming down there. Somebody’s dragging him into a late model Datsun, light brown, the kind of truck Duke, bless his soul, always thought was silly. So, I’ve got the paper in my hands and there’s someone at the door. So few people come to the back door that I know it’s going to be something odd, and I’m right. It’s that guy in the paper who escaped from the prison yesterday.”
I chose this passage from “Reading the Paper” by Ron Carlson because, at this point in the story, I began to understand that what the narrator was reading was coming into their real-life. The author does a fantastic job of crafting this fantastical imagery while also pointing out the flawed ways in which we consume media. By making the articles into real-life events, we, as the reader, can see just how strange it is to skim through such horrendous stories like a kidnapping, murder, or prison escape. I found this piece to be full of irony and dark humor, and for those reasons I really enjoyed it. This passage in particular is fast moving, much like the rest of the piece, and I can imagine the narrator flipping through the paper while these events happen around them. This passage is also a good example of the narrator playing both active and passive roles. In the first two sentences, the action is not happening to the narrator themselves, but by the end, the stories in the paper have leaked into their own world, their own “back door,” forcing the narrator to now become an active, yet unwilling, participant.
The instructions are to respond to one line or one piece, but I was quite moved by three of this week’s readings, “Sticks,” “The Falling Girl,” and “Flying Leap.” It occurred to me that I haven’t read fiction in far too long. This is my 6th year as a part-time college student and working mother, and I think during this time that I read one memoir and a couple of graphic novels outside of my required reading for school and work. My response is about “Flying Leap” and how reading the work of others can inspire you to write.
First, I have to comment on “Sticks” and “Falling Girl.” “Sticks” is just so beautiful how the man had “one concession to glee,” which served as his creative outlet, and how it ultimately turned into a creative, and even artistic, outlet for his grief. “The Falling Girl” is almost too wordy to keep my ADHD brain’s attention, but I was fascinated, especially the way she interacted with people on each floor.
“Flying Leap” was good. In the end, they became the dogs, but what I want to say is that this piece inspired me. I forgot that I am interested in apocalyptic fiction. I forgot that once, more than a decade ago when Zombie fiction was gaining steam, I started writing a Zombie novel. I was only a few chapters in when my computer fried, and this was before the cloud, so my book was lost. I can still remember most of it, but there was an “a-ha” element that I can’t quite remember, or else maybe I’d try writing it again. On the other hand, Zombie fiction must be getting old by now. That old computer is in my garage; I wonder if the book could be recovered. I remember a beautiful scene in which the main characters, a young man and his uncle, use their maternal relatives’ linens for comfort amidst discomfort. Before an evacuation, they set a table with their grandmother’s/mother’s lace tablecloth and cloth napkins, and then shared the last jar of her homemade jam. Maybe I could start this story again someday to see if that ah-ha moment comes back to me.
Actually, I think the piece I’m talking about is called “Dog Days,” not “Flying Leap.” It’s the piece by Judy Budnitz.
Something that stood out to me in Bread was that there were no transition words. It seemed like there were simple words that were cut from the piece such as “the” and “and”. It felt straight to the point and different then everything we have read so far in class. I love the idea of something so simple, like bread, creating such an impactful moment in someone’s life and work.
Something that stood out to me in Reading the Paper was the imperfection and sudden abrupt transitions between sentences. It almost feels like the character narrating the moment is in shock and is going through the motions and not necessarily showing a lot of emotion in this piece. I suspect that the informality and the descriptive sentences of just the actions have a purpose to the essay to communicate to us how the narrator was feeling in the moment. There’s also a purpose to the choppiness between sentences and the imperfection as well as communicating the same idea of how the narrator is going through grief.
The text “Billy’s Girl” by Gordon Jackson is a poignant exploration of loss, desperation, and the harsh realities of life. One of the most striking aspects of the narrative is the vivid imagery used to depict the setting, such as “Sun shone on the blue water” and “pines in the distance.” These descriptions create a sense of atmosphere and immerse the reader in the scene, which is something I look forward to learning more about in class now while we study fiction.
Moreover, I feel the character dynamics are intriguing, particularly the relationship between Carmine and Billy’s girlfriend. Carmine’s concern for Billy is palpable, as seen in his frantic search for him: “If I catch that kid.” On the other hand, Billy’s girlfriend exudes a mix of confidence and worry, showcasing her complex emotions in the face of uncertainty: “He’s only kidding, the way he always does.”
The climax of the story, where Billy is found but in a dire state, is particularly impactful. The imagery of him being “hooked right through the eye” is chilling and evokes a sense of horror. This moment serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the harshness of fate.
Additionally, the use of sensory details, such as the “sour odor” of the wet towels and the sound of the motor on the lake, adds depth to the narrative and enhances the reader’s immersion in the story. I personally love it when i am able to picturize the elements of a text because of its prudent use of imagery!
Overall, “Billy’s Girl” is a powerful tale that leaves a lasting impression. It explores themes of fear, desperation, and the search for meaning in the face of tragedy. Through vivid imagery and compelling character dynamics, the story draws the reader into a world of uncertainty and turmoil, ultimately leaving them with a sense of contemplation and reflection.
I really enjoyed reading ‘Sticks’. The story shows an overbearing and cruel father whose thought processes become illogical after his children grow up and leave home. The way that the author showed the Dad’s declining state through the way that he decorated the pole in the yard and his increasing obsession with it was very interesting. I thought it was very impressive how much this story gets across in so little words. My favorite detail is how in the end the author comments that the story is inspired by someone’s house and the man he’d imagined living there who was a better man than him but that he then reimagined the man with characteristics opposite to the original ones he’d given him. This seems to imply that the man in the story is similar to the author, which is really interesting. It also seems to imply the author has frustration towards people that he sees as better or happier than himself.