Part Four
Essays I read for this week:
1. "Revision" by, Terry Tempest Williams
2. "Essay, Dresses, and Fish" by, Sandra Swinburne
Analysis of "Essay, Dresses, and Fish"
In "Essay, Dresses, and Fish," Swinburne seamlessly blends a story of dress shopping, knowledge of the American shad, and the purpose of an essay. In particular it is this story of her knowledge of American shad and her use of the story within a story that demonstrates the purpose of an essay - to relay the ordinary experiences of an ordinary person. As she explains, the fish return home to Holyoke every year to spawn and give their offspring the "optimal chance for survival." It seems so basic, but this experience excites Swinburne to wonder what compels this action of the fish - "courage," "parental love?" She conveys all of this knowledge through her experience of meeting a stranger while dress shopping, which further demonstrates an essay about the ordinary. It is through these stories that she hits the definition of an essay: "good writing of ordinary people on ordinary subjects" and thereby reveals that the ordinary is actually compelling and amazing. In reality, it shows another detail about "what the living do to ensure life."
Wow this essay sounds really interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how she took widely contrasting subjects and blended them together to make the essay.
How does meeting the stranger lead to her discuss the fish? Was it something the stranger said or did?
I definitely agree that ordinary subjects stemming from everyday life can be just as compelling as an essay about something extraordinary. Life isn't always crazy, amazing, awesome experiences but we still live it everyday so I think it should be just as interesting as those things that aren't so common.
I'm glad the idea of blending and "the ordinary" come up here. Group B has been talking a lot about this, Matt L in particular. Do we like this definition of the essay? Do we want all essays to be on small things and to explode into larger commentary? Or is that limiting?
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, E, can you write an essay that blends two entirely different topics that you know somehow relate? In the essaying, you might discover the connection, but one of the topics will also be the way you see connections.
Check this out:
http://superstitionreview.asu.edu/blog/2013/01/12/guest-blog-post-patrick-madden-finding-my-way/
DW