Week 3, Original Prompt

In Lee Martin's essay "Sorry," the narrator describes various broken relationships he had during his childhood: with his mother, father, with Katrina. He says that he was timid like his mother, but never close. His father whipped him often, and he hoped that Katrina, his female neighbor of close age, would not hear the happenings within his home. He gives some history on the possible reasons why his father was always so angry, but he didn't "make peace" with him until later in life "through the grace of my mother's faith in goodness." In the end, he has a chance to change the outcome of his relationship with Katrina but doesn't. Despite the high emotions surrounding these various relationships, Martin utilizes cool prose and reasoning when guiding his reflection. He also incorporates an element of carelessness within his essay- his father lost his hands when he had been “careless” with the corn picker, he was “reckless” when he wrestled with Katrina’s brother, the characters were all careless with their relationships with one another.

Prompt: Attempt to describe a relationship lost or a regret you have while maintaining cool prose about material with such high emotions. 

Original Prompt, Week 1

In Michael W. Cox’s essay "Visitor," the narrator tells us about a young boy that his father kept in the outdoor basement, and the story focuses on the young boy, Jody, and the room in which he stays and the narrator’s speculations on what transpires in the basement. The room in which the boy stayed was where the narrator and his brother would play, and the narrator describes the room as being “like an indoor tree house” with dirt and wooden planks on the floor and an old couch, where the narrator imagined Jody would sleep. When the narrator first encounters him, Jody asks him to retrieve him a couple of sandwiches and asks him questions in regards to the events within the house: “You eat good inside there?” In addition, the narrator speculates throughout the essay what Jody goes through/does: “Maybe he’d read books and would remember them, or see, in his mind, TV shows he’d already seen[…]” Their relationship seems to be built upon wondering what happens to each other in rooms they cannot look in.

Prompt: Write an essay fixated on or around a specific room without you actually being in the room. What do you see enter and/or leave the room? Use creative reasoning to reflect and juggle possible events that may or may not have transpired based upon what you have seen. 

Response to Melissa Sullivan's Memory 2, Week 2 - Week 1

I really enjoyed your incorporation of the knightly mannerisms shared between Chip and Brian. I think it sets up this unique connection between these two characters and allows your readers an interesting insight to how you see these two people. If you continue this avenue, I would be careful when juggling not to become too emotional since your husband is involved and Brian seems to be hurt and in the hospital, I believe. (Not sure. Only detail we are given is the fact that a cell phone is not allowed on the premises.) By possibly offering a historical "ball" to be juggled, the high emotions could be counterbalanced smoothly. I am particularly curious to know as to why “Kona” or Brian hids his face from “Lord Chip.” Is he ashamed of his “battle wounds” or weakness? Is it out of pride or embarrassment? Depending upon the reason, I think you could definitely highlight historically how proud the knights were to keep the emotions cool. I also find it interesting how your husband refers to him as Kona rather than by his real name. You could even play with the idea of reality vs. imaginary. What is real between these two people and what is not? How else could you incorporate this theme? I think that would be an extremely interesting twist.  

Response to Diamond Forde's Reportage Final Week, Week 1

Diamond, I think you should further expand this piece. The idea of displacement within this piece plays well- new apartment, the smoke resembling the previous tenants. I think you could add another element to fulfill the "power of three" rule. What is another ball you could juggle along with this? The living in an apartment with someone who isn't your mom or dad? (Not sure if I am correct in this fact.) Definitely flesh this theme out more and expand! You’ve already got an interesting start of reflection in here. Now show us how you came to this displacement. Why are you moving? What does this mean to you in this particular moment in your life? Is this move significant? Why or why not? Do you choose to stay here? If so, why did you stay despite your allergies acting up? Is this all you could get at the time? I really would like to see you incorporate more and give us some background history.

I like your attention to detail and the ability to highlight uncanny portrayals-such as the hornet outside. It demonstrates your ability to focus in on images that otherwise become unnoticed and allow them a “reasoned” home within your piece. (You don’t just throw it in there for giggles nor is it out of place. It is well-incorporated into your piece.)

Reportage 1, Week 1

I walk into the Music Department’s computer lab, and there she sits. Third from the right at the computers against the back wall wearing a UWG RA t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. Her hair pulled up into a pony tail, more like a horse’s tail—long and course. There she sits with her back to the door and her hands flying across the keyboard as she Facebooks. There she sits flirting with my husband. I was surprising Tony with a birthday lunch that day, and I knew he would be in the computer lab after his Pedagogy and Literature class. After waiting long enough to ensure that he would be in the lab, I swiped his student ID card that I lifted from his wallet at three that morning and began to enter the room. She stopped me from approaching him. For her sake, I won’t release her name here for fear of her physical well-being, but Tony and I had held several discussions about her leading up to his birthday. She would habitually text him each day to wish him both a “good morning” and a “good night.” Also, she would want to constantly go to lunch with him and refused to let Tony introduce me to her. Sounds a little bit like a relationship, doesn’t it? I guess that’s what she wanted. I don’t blame her though. 

Oddity 1, Week 1

I hold my breath as I prepare my brother's salad. It's not much of a secret. It's essentially a salad without the lettuce. I go to the fridge and retrieve American sliced cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and Catalina dressing. From the pantry, I get the croutons and crackers. As I mix the ingredients together in a plastic soup bowl, my six-year-old brother wearing a Spiderman Halloween costume as pajamas watches in anticipation. His lips smacking as the uncontrollable saliva builds in his mouth all for a grueling combination of ketchup, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce with processed cheese. Why do our kids choose to succumb themselves to a "fake," unappetizing dinner when pork chops with sausage stuffing sits on the table? Why do we feel the need to eat food that tastes as bad as it is for us? I understand that a burger and fries from the local fast food restaurant ensures a hot meal in less than five minutes that can be easily consumed on the go, but why do we often opt for it in place of cooking a simple meal? Think about it for one minute with me. Let’s assume that you are ready to walk out the door. You walk out, lock the front door, walk to your car, climb in, start the engine, drive about ten minutes to the local McDonalds or Wendys, sit about fifteen minutes in line ordering and getting your food, drive about another ten minutes back to the house, park, walk up the stairs, unlock the front door, head into the kitchen, dish any portions out to your family, and finally sit down and eat. All in all, this is about a 40 minute process that could have been spent cooking breakfast for dinner or merely baking a chicken in the oven without having to leave the comfort of one’s home. Doesn’t make sense to me.