Magic Lantern
Monday, January 11, 2016
Rebecca Wardle 1/11/16
I like Myles' "Aunt Anne" because it documents the environment and conversation of cocktail hour, weaving in descriptions, information, and her line of thoughts. I think this is also a story though. The listener learns about Myles' family and this specific encounter and the memories and significance surrounding it, and it's easy to follow throughout. For my story, I'm thinking about when my family got our cat George. It's not the most exciting or emotional story out there, so I'm not sure what my purpose in the story would be... what the audience get from it besides documentation. It would have a natural narrative of chronological events and other things going on, like my dad breaking his foot the same day we got George and the family's obsession with the cat now (including a Twitter account for George... yes, that's how significant this animal is to our family). I could probably draw a metaphor from some aspect of the situation. Like Myles, I could use memories or flashbacks to inform the main scene or day. Around 25 seconds to the 1 minute, Myles switches from current scene described to background, connecting the two and giving more context in an entertaining way. I also like how the end of "Aunt Anne" ends with imagery and quotes that tie together the scene and emotions of the excerpt. I also enjoy when writers linger on certain moments, showing significance and giving the reader/listener a chance to soak it in. Telling a story about the adoption of George would be less profound than Myles' work, but it's a starting point.
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I agree with you in that “Aunt Anne” is also a story. Yes, it has a lot of descriptive documentation but there’s always more than one way to tell a story. And it’s okay if a story isn’t packed with excitement and emotion… Although getting a new pet can definitely be an exciting time for a family. I remember when my family went to pick up our new dog I could hardly sit still. Maybe you could consider the impact that George has had on your family. Has he brought you all closer together? Does his presence help you through tough times? You don’t necessarily have to draw a profound conclusion but allow us as listeners to share in your feelings towards George.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am drawing my inspiration from “Aunt Anne”, but I think it’s really interesting how you interpreted it. I think having those two events is a really great starting point for your story. Being that you love your cat so much, I’m sure it will be very easy for you to be able to write about it and draw from your own emotions. I think choosing the moment you first adopted your cat is also very strong because assumedly, it’s the day you got to meet someone very important to you that now is part of your family which is really special. Also it’s very interesting that you are tying in pain from your dad’s broken foot with happiness from getting George.
ReplyDeleteI also think that "Aunt Anne" is the most comprehensive story of the ones we listened to. It was presented in a way that seemed as though she was trying to tell a story from memory, mentioning every detail as it was coming back to her.
ReplyDeleteI too am considering writing about my pets, as I consider them a part of my family. However, none of them have any social media accounts. I think it's funny how your dad's broke his foot when you got your cat, because on my way to visit the breeder where I got my dog, we got rear-ended into another car. I feel that pet owners can always find stories to tell about their pets.