The two stories we're reading this week are like mirror opposites of ea. other structurally (though I bet you can find thematic links ). "A Local's Guide to Dating in Slocomb County" is one of the longest stories we've read and "Cross Your Fingers God Bless" is the shortest. What does the length of a story have to do w/ its affect on you as a reader? Both of these stories deal w/ someone living with a catastrophic injury. How do they deal w/ that situation? Why is "Cross Your Fingers" labeled a story anyway? Why isn't it a poem?
"Cross Your Fingers" is actually what we call a flash fiction, a short story that is under 1000 words. Flash fictions often blur the lines between fiction and poem. Do you notice other ways, in addition to its brevity, that make this story like a poem? The shortest paragraph is the penultimate (second to last) and the longest is the last par. What kind of effect does that create? In the last paragraph, Currie writes that all of Annie's friends abandoned her after the bear attack. Why? He writes of these friends: "The only invisible thing they believed in was the air in their lungs, and so what cleaved them from Annie was, in fact, her new credulousness, her good cheer, her refusal to be saddened by the illusion of this new, teeth-grinding circumstance." What is he talking about? And what do you make of the last line of the story?
If a story is short like "Cross Your Fingers" as a reader I feel like there isn't much to discuss about and the fact that I have to read it yet again, to make sure I understood everything. When a poem is long such as "A Local's Guide to Dating in Slocomb County" as a reader I don't have to read it again because there's a continuous flow of dialogue that goes back and forth. "Cross Your Fingers" uses short stanzas just like a poem would, to separate each other. Annie's friends abandoned her because of the way she looked after the bear attack and how she didn't believe in superstitions.
ReplyDeleteboth stories was good but the " cross your finger " didn't give much details . but the "A Local's Guide to Dating in Slocomb County" was really good.
DeleteMaybe you have to reread "Cross Your Fingers" b/c it's more complex than "A Local's Guide"?
DeleteBoth stories with incredible details have similarities. In both "A Local Guide to Dating in Slocomb County" and "Cross Your Fingers God Bless", both authors focus on flashbacks. The narrative expressed them in a conventional way. The author separates story to flashback with space breaks. In the poem, the flashbacks are shown in a cause and effect way.
ReplyDeleteThe length of the story affects the readers perception of what they are reading. Within the poem, the author shows fewer words that are enriched in detail, while still telling a story. While the narrative uses a more simple language but a more of. In essence it is Quantity vs Quality.
I agree with your statement. In "Cross Your Fingers God Bless" the author chose more of a Quality writing than a quantity writing. Did not see it like that.
DeleteThe fictions and flash fiction which we read today is give the feeling of behavior, attitude and decisions. The impact of the behavior of women in context to humanity with pets and other wild animals are imaginable. Their emotions put down the value of their gender according to the different circumstances. It is difficult to analyse the concept of fictions and their message to readers but both have lessons to encounter your believes and ethics.
ReplyDeleteThe story "A local's Guide to Dating in Slocomb country" Naomi felt horrible for what she done, she try to redeem herself by decided to have sex with Fisher. this is a behavior that was cause by guilt not interest nor lust.
Delete"Cross Your Fingers God Bless" had a very poetic feel to it, yet had an incredible build up to an almost obvious climax. The looming "warnings" as they're revealed one by one, to the moment I realized Annie was already hospitalized. I felt almost helpless as I read through "Cross Your Fingers", and was left with a lingering sadness for Annie as all her friends left her.
ReplyDeleteThe length of the story as a reader gives me more interest t keep on reading. for example "A Local's Guide to Dating in Slocomb County" is the longest short story we read but for me it was the most interesting because they give the history of the two of the main characters and introduce the climax . " cross your fingers God Bless" was so short i had to read it again to really understand what happen.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting for me because the ending scene really give me a punch in the heart feeling, I can feel the deepness and guilty feeling Naomi had toward Barbie. Even though she knows Barbie won't be back anymore she still put food and water in the bowl
Deletei also had to constantly read "cross your fingers God Bless" as well while "A local Guid to dating in slocomb county" was longer, and easier to understand because of the amount of details it had especially with the history of the characters.
DeleteThe story "A local's Guide to Dating in Slocomb country" I do understand how Naomi felt and why she had sex with him, everyone that have guilt towards their friend often act nicer than other friends, because they think they had to make up to them. That is now Naomi felt, and also he is the only man in the town that she could get married with even though he is handicapped. But the guiltiness feeling will be the barrier between Naomi and him because the death of the dog is a really deep feeling people won't stay too long with each other if they are not happy
ReplyDeletei agree with your statement that people that have guilt towards their friends often act nicer to make it up to them, but also i think to make themselves feel less guilty
DeleteIn "A Local's Guide to Dating in Slocomb County" I feel the charter was more accepting of his injures. Only because she described him as a triple amputee is that we know of his injuries. Other than that it’s no mention of it limiting him. In “cross your fingers god bless” her injury is what changed her life. The whole story is centered around her injury. To the point she changed her whole belief
ReplyDeleteNice analysis, Tyesha.
DeleteBoth the stories were good. Everything was going smooth I was enjoying the story and a terrible incident happen when Barbie was killed I felt really bad that how can someone do that as I am a dog lover and I felt little hard understanding the "cross your fingers"
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