AGENDA:
Please work on completing your portfolio for the marking period: Sedaris and Nature Essay, Metafiction Story
Reminder: Friday, Rene Denfeld Master Class, periods 3/4
If you are going to be absent for the AP US trip, please listen to this interview and post a comment:
http://wxxinews.org/post/connections-rochester-reads-2017-enchanted-rene-denfeld
READINGS: You should be caught up in The Things They Carried--pg. 136
For Wednesday, read "Speaking of Courage"
The interview was really, truly, an enlightening experience in a way that gives a lot of insight and reason as to why Denfeld fervently believes that her novel is not of the magical realism category. In the interview itself, she laughs at the way the interviewer praises her work for its poetry—you can get the feeling that she believed she was simply writing about people, the truth, even if she herself did not know personally.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to how she sees the characters—this affection she has for them—and how it’s these feelings that give insight to why she writes these characters without this sense of black and white in some cases. There is also the reasons why she humanizes the prisoners in a way that speaks about the prison system and its flaws.
There was also the point made by the white haired boy, and when he killed the corrupt officer, that I didn’t realize would be criticized. It was when he killed the officer, “he felt like a man” and they discussed the negative meaning that came from that. Initially, I completely skimmed over the phrase, instead proud of the boy to getting rid of the root of his problem—relief that he would not go through further tribulations. It really does speak towards the younger audience, us teens, about how we’ve been stigmatized by death.
Overall, the interview just piled up on my disappointment in not being able to participate in the Masterclass. Thanks, Ms. Gamzon. :(
The interview with Rene Denfeld gave a great insight to her as an author, more specifically her characters. As the interviewer praises Denfeld for her poetic, magical realism writing, she stresses that she simply writes about people and their truths. With this podcast, it became clear to me that Denfeld prioritizes characters and their authenticity, which is very rare throughout present day literature. It is refreshing to see an author who emphasizes reality despite not remaining entire realistic. After listening to this, I am a little disappointed that I missed the opportunity to meet an exceptional and unique author.
ReplyDeleteAlthough having read the novel and understood Rene Denfeld's inside view of the material, given the fact that she works as a death penalty investigator, the interview and the way she articulated her points was enlightening to that regard. Throughout the interview, she is constantly praised for her literary achievement, but the conversation becomes much more once the audience realizes the true connection she has to this novel. One point that I found particularly intriguing was her discussion of how prisoners could sometimes smell or sense the outside world on her as she spoke with them, further ingraining the secluded nature of death row. This is not always readily considered by the average human, but the raw connections she has had with inmates as they show her their least favorable traits are completely eye opening. Her poise in answering the question about her choice to leave the outside characters unnamed while humanizing the death row inmates displayed the true passion she had for the story and its ability to portray this situation in a creative and comprehensible manner. Overall, it is clear that Denfeld writes with extreme care, using perfectly fitting figurative language, and enrapturing readers with every syllable.
ReplyDeleteThe interview with Rene Denfeld was extremely interesting and enlightening, as we were able to see and understand how she as the author views her characters and story. She is amused by the interviewer's praise of her poetic language, but clarifies that what is most important to her is the authenticity of her characters. Her characters throughout the novel, which is described as magical realism, she claims are entirely based on truth. This reliance on truth in her writing emphasizes realistic situations that still have magical elements present in them, creating an emotional and creative piece. With well-developed and flawed characters, the plot of the story was intricate and riveting, allowing the audience to enjoy the read while still learning about these very real situations. I am very disappointed that I did not get to see Rene Denfeld in person but I am glad that she took the time to come to our school and many did get to see her.
ReplyDeleteThe interview with Rene Denfeld shined a light on her character development and helped the reader understand her views on the story. Denfeld disregards that her story is magical realism and claims it all to be true. The way Denfeld describes the harsh conditions on death row connects to the magical realism in the story. Defeld writes and speaks with passion about her work, she has stayed humble but proud of her work.
ReplyDelete