Homer's Scream (image source:BlogSpot)
But I must persevere.It's been really interesting to read stories and posts from other people in the class and get ideas for my own writing style. This week, I've been working on writing from the third-person storyteller perspective. I used this method in both my storytelling for this week and in my first story for my storybook. It's pretty different from how I usually write, but I feel that it can add another dimension to a story. It's different from the third-person omniscient perspective in that the reader receives some commentary about the events occurring in the story rather than just the events themselves. Sure this commentary could be biased, and the narrator is less reliable than an omniscient narrator, but I think that the commentary provided has the ability to provide analysis about important themes within the story or novel. One of the greatest examples I can think of where this proves true is in one of my all-time favorite novels, The Great Gatsby. Literary critics have called Nick an unreliable narrator, but I don't believe the readers would have been able to grasp the tragic beauty or the "greatness" of the character Gatsby if he were described by a more removed voice.
I can't in anyway say that I've achieved anything close to Fitzgerald level commentary with the use of the storyteller perspective - I should be so lucky as to even offer a fraction of a fraction of the skilled literary analysis he provides with Gatsby - but I hope with practice, I could use this style of writing to provide deeper insight into my own writing.
Jada, I just happened to notice your post (in part because of the adorable graphic, ha ha), and I wanted to say that I think it is GREAT that you are exploring the storytelling options like this. What you say here about storyteller style and Gatsby is a perfect demonstration of the many ways in which traditional storytelling (i.e. oral storytelling: a live storyteller and their audience) is one of the important ways in which literary style has evolved. We would not have amazing literary artists like Fitzgerald without all the millennia (literally!) of storytelling experiments that happened in folklore traditions leading up to our time. That intersection between literature and traditional storytelling is something that really fascinates me personally, so I was very glad that I happened to read your post here. Super!
ReplyDeleteHey, Jada. I stopped on this post because of the image as well, but I can also completely understand your feelings regarding the semester going by so fast. I feel the same way, except I think it feels rather slow when I'm in the middle of doing homework or something. Anyway, good luck with your writing. Coming from someone who doesn't care much for The Great Gatsby, I'm sure you will surpass Fitzgerald's work in no time!
ReplyDeleteOkay, so the image that you used for this post is so hysterically perfect for summing up this semester! Between homework, studying, actual class time, work, and social life, an extra day for the weekend would be very welcomed! If only that were a real possibility! I'm glad that I got the chance to read this post since I have already commented on your introduction and we are group buddies again!
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