“Signs and Wonders” is a unique story that
revolves around Rebecca McClanahan’s life in a busy city: New York. What stood out in her writing, was how McClanahan contrasted her feelings about New York. She starts calm with her "New York highs"--complete thoughts with lots of conjunctions--but later creates a hurried rhythm by omitting conjunctions in her writing, thus creating a frustrated tone.
Live
another two years in this jackhammering, siren-screaming, piss puddling city?
In someone else’s apartment?-because who can afford
their own? Someone else’s bed, plates, forks, spoons? (36)
Most of the imagery is based on sight, therefore the author
creatively puts two or more observations in short sentences to mimic how an eye
would glances at places with lots of activities. This also sets an energetic
tone to the scenes she describes.
The leaves on the ginkgos are falling as I speak, gold coins upon
gold coins. And there in the pond are my geese, my ducks, how I admire them.
Look one is passing up bread crumbs to catch a blossom (36)
I particularly enjoy how McClanahan
creates several scenes through her observations from a single setting—the park.
Although the author talks about the gazebo, signs and people, she also includes
personal reflections to what she observes and turns the familiar everyday
scenes into a message to readers at the end.
Curb your dog, curb your dogma, love your neighbor, your
neighbor’s dog. We’re at the peak of our lives. O sole wio. Catch and release.
(40)
I like how you pointed out the author's way of writing as if she's looking at the scene herself. It painted the picture of her story nicely. Why do you think she chose to write that way?
ReplyDeleteSo you think the jack-hammer list does a sound thing? The commas help McClanahan accumulate? All of it feels incessant?
ReplyDeleteYou set up the quote, and then you quote, but you don't include the analysis really. What sounds like a jackhammer in that sentence.
You put the nail in the wall. Hammer it in!
DW
What stood out in her writing, was how McClanahan contrasted her feelings about New York. She starts calm with her "New York highs"-- writing complete thoughts with lots of conjunctions--but later creates a hurried rhythm by omitting conjunctions in her writing, thus creating a frustrated tone.
DeleteLive another two years in this jackhammering, siren-screaming, piss puddling city? In someone else’s apartment?-because who can afford their own? Someone else’s bed, plates, forks, spoons? (36)
Does this work?
DeleteCool.
ReplyDelete