Favorite Stories
The two stories that were particularly interesting to me were the ones about the Harry Brakeman University in Haiti and the one about how Robyn’s dad made everything in his car controlled by the dial on his steering wheel.
The Harry Brakeman story was interesting to me because of the main character of the story, Harry Brakeman. His actions and warmth were the appeal of the story for me; such as how the Haitians accept him as a Haitian and how the university was named after him. His hard work for the community really stands out to me and I can appreciate all he has done even though it was no direct effect on me. But after building all the appreciation for his dedication, it was a very sad ending to hear that part of the school was destroyed in the earthquake. The way the story is told, the listener roots of Harry Brakeman and wants his accomplishments to last, and hearing the devastation of the earthquake is depressing. But the lasting image of Brakeman’s work stays with the listener, making it a great heartwarming story.
A well told personal narrative for me is always interesting. This story is interesting because it is relatable. Robyn’s father customized his car and had everything controlled from a dial in his steering wheel. First of all, that is appealing because that is a cool idea that I never thought of before. Second of all, the theme is relatable. Now I don’t have a tricked out steering wheel, but I have had things in the past that I finished by myself that I love to talk about. Robyn’s dad was so proud of his car that he constantly tells the story to everyone, and although it may seem annoying, that feeling of pride can be shared by the listeners. Everyone has accomplishments that they cherish and that is the reason why everyone can relate to the feeling that Robyn’s dad had about his car. That feeling of pride and accomplishment is a relatable theme to everyone. It reminds the listener of a happy time in their life when they did something they were proud of, making it a great story.
2 responses so far
I also thought that these 2 were the most developed and had actual substance, way more than any of the other stories. But I’d just like to point out that Harry Brakeman isn’t the one who adopted 7 kids. That was Luc, the Haitian guy that Jane called.
I like how you said that a good story is also relatable. Obviously this is not a necessity for all stories but I thought it was a very interesting point. When a story becomes relatable it can allow for the imagination to wander. Which also pokes at an idea that a few other people wrote about: how visuals are important in a story. Visuals can keep a person entertained and roped into a story. Simply put, when a person can relate, it makes it much easier to create images.