Blog Post 3.3 – Avi
My original idea, which I pitched to two of my classmates and some friends, was to analyze the Beatles. Despite my enthusiasm for it, I had a thoughtful discussion with a dear friend who convinced me otherwise. She urged me to unravel a personal story I’ve never addressed before.
The story centers around my 10 year old self being thrown out of the house on New Year’s Eve by my mother. When I first thought of this story, my immediate reactions were a) this is going to be painful and tedious to bring up b) there isn’t much of interest for people to read. What’s the takeaway going to be? Don’t abuse your kids? I think that lesson is pretty obvious.
After giving it more analysis, I want this essay to be about the consequence of one person’s actions applied throughout my life. I’ve always been interested in the power of words and this will certainly be an interesting personal investigation. The device I’d like to use is having myself take the 3-mile walk again and then reflect on it at each intersection/red light. I don’t know what the final message will be.
The hybrid/lyrical essay component will be interweaving the two tales – the original as a 10-year-old and now as a recent 18-year-old, following in my footsteps. I want to add the sound to the experience, the traffic in the background, my shoes stepping in the snow. I’m trying to borrow a hi-res camera to photograph each intersection.
I don’t know how the essay will progress. I believe it will be chunks of self-reflection which hopefully leads to some sort of conclusion. I haven’t thought of a working title, because it’s silly to give titles to your own experiences. Let’s call it the New Year’s Eve March for the purposes of this blog post.
4 responses so far
This is potentially very interesting; I quite like the idea of reliving the walk you took when you were ten (!) and kicked out of your house on New Years Eve. IT’s also great to interweave this current journey with your memories of the one you took 8 years ago, on a much colder, darker night, presumably, and when you were younger and emotionally less capable to handle it. How might you account for these differences in the journeys? Will you acknowledge them at all? Something to think about.
The potential for sensory detail, nostalgia and other work on mood, and character work even (you, possibly your mother) is strong here.
The idea to include photos is good. But you might also think about making this an audio essay, where you record your thoughts and reflections at various steps along the journey. You’d also be able to integrate actual sounds (Freesound.org) of traffic and footsteps, as you mention. Could be interesting. See the sample audio essays I’ve posted on the Hybrid/Lyric Essay Examples page, especially the one by Matt, which documents a walk he took in the city in search of something, and includes some sound effects. Just a thought…
AVI! You have a great idea boiling in that brain of yours. As soon as you mentioned 10 and being kicked out, I wanted MORE! Maybe incorporate some Beatles song lyrics in there. I automatically thought of “Yesterday.” Good luck.
I love this idea! I think if you find a way to integrate the two perspectives, so it flows well it will be great. The message that someone will take away will be much more personalized. There is no broad generalization that everybody will necessarily take away rather they will be able to relate it to an incident in his or her life or something that happened to someone else and that is how you will grab your readers.
The consequence of one person’s (I”m taking a jump here, it is your mother) actions throughout my lifetime- that may be more difficult in such a short assignment. Unless you can interweave other things that happened at the stoplights at other times in your life in between 10 and 18 or prior to and including 10. I would stick to one of those two time spans to focus on rather than the broad idea of your entire life span.
I’m glad you don’t know how this essay will progress. It sounds like a journey to me. I look forward to reading it!
Avi,
It sounds like it will be an interesting hybrid/lyric essay.
It will be interesting to read your reflections perhaps leading to beliefs or philosophies about life.
Also, I think the sound effects of walking in the snow and music will be terrific!
Thanks —
Michelle