TTS reading 9/29

Unfortunately being an English major with a writing concentration means that the materials in these readings tend to be everything but new to me. Nearing the end of my college career these have been the important notes embedded in my head since I entered BSU three years ago.

However, this read did help elaborate on the idea that a character in a portrait can never be a full picture. It is important for a writer to understand that every aspect of the character's life does not need to be handled.

I also liked the passage on voice. Here the author tells about how important it is to stick to your own voice. In this type of writing, a writer may think its inevitable to stray away from their own voices in order to better fit the genre. Instead, in order to not sound fake and artificial , a writer should stay true to themself.

"Zepp's Last Stand"

"Zepp's Last Stand" by Madeleine Blais focuses more on the aspect of characterization than "Ms. Kelly's Monster." Throughout this piece, Blais uses several phrases from an interview to construct the story of Zepp taking a stand toward his honor. The piece places importance on the goodness of the main character, Zepp, and his reasons he felt justified not to fight. This piece takes a more emotional route than the other piece we read for this class period, where the surgeon is fighting a "monster", Zepp is fighting himself.

What I really like about this piece is it has broader audience than those interested in veterans or war. It has a universal theme of wanting to do good and listening to your conscious, no matter what others tell you to do.

Another thing the author does well is bringing dialog into the story to help the reader understand how the subject felt in the time that this was all happening. Then, further explaining by offering her own stand point and creative tones to allow the reader to enjoy this snapshot of Zepp's life.

"Mrs Kelley's Monster"

"Mrs Kelley's Monster" by John Franklin was an interesting read that surely helped me understand what a profiling essay is supposed to be about. Throughout this article, Franklin tells not one but two perspectives of the surgery. He tells about the patient's and the doctor's standpoints and how each of them prepared and dealt with the reality and severity of the surgery. For example he tells that Dr. Thomas Barbee Ducker eats "waffles but no coffee. Coffee makes his hands shake," as well as emphasizing that Ms. Kelly tells that she is "not afraid to die" (3). In both of these quotes, the reader sees the emotions that go into this surgery. Ms. Kelly kisses her husband goodbye knowing it may be the last time they see each other, and the doctor uses his normal preparation techniques because for him, even though this particular surgery is out of the ordinary, it is still in routine for him to need steady hands.
The use of time that Franklin uses throughout the essay is a terrific reminder to the reader just how much time passes. It acts as a metronome, keeping the reader in sync with the surgery in process. This is a great reminder that within just seven hours a life can change forever. This also works with the "pop, pop, pop" of the patient's heartbeat, showing the severity of the situation as it progresses. Both are a reminder that the story can take on a much more lyrical or creative aspect than one may have thought.

Assignment #1 -- Profiling

While trying to determine who would be a good subject for a profiling exercise, I came up with my three best options that seemed to be somewhat interesting. While I know we are not "supposed" to chose a family member, my mother has had a tough road in her life, something I am quite seperated from. She was born with the birth effect, spinal bifida, where her spinal column was not fully developed. At the time her mother was told that she would never live. When she did live, her mother was then told that she would never walk. When she did walk, and run like a normal child, she was then told that she would never have children. But 25 years later, she is now the mother of two healthy children. However, the past ten years of her life have been nothing but surgery after surgery. This is something I am still not quite sure about.
Next, there is Bob Eastman, a Vietnam Veteran from Kingston, New Hampshire. Bob is a painter who has used his time serving our country to benefit him. He uses paint to express his as well as other peoples experiences across seas in ways that can be seen as healing. One of his best paintings hangs in the Kingston VFW where it depicts the major wars the united states has been involved with in one landscape drawing.
Then, there is Richard Pedato, a 22 year old who was born deaf and was the first to receive a surgery to enhance his hearing. While Richard can now hear, he also has endured over a hundred head and brain surgeries and still struggles with the devices today. But thanks to the doctors who took a risk in doing this surgery, Richard can now hear the voices of his two little boys, Anthony and Ayden.