Andrea Elliott’s “Invisible Child” is a captivating piece that allows readers to get a sense of who Dasani is. She is a girl molded by her surroundings, something Elliott truthfully displays. I disagree with critics who feel that the story was too long because Elliott managed to stay focused in describing her subject. After studying Dasani for 2 years, Elliott accumulated tons of information that is only possible within a longer piece. She carefully selects her words to tell a story and provides an image for her readers.

I don’t think it was necessary for the New York Times to explicitly disclose the amount of time that went into the piece because it was obvious a story of this length was well researched as she also showed a progression of time through events in Dasani’s life.

By leaving out Dasani’s last name, Elliott allows a sense of privacy to her and her family. It is not essential to the whole of the story because readers are still able to understand the struggles she faces. Her first name is so important to the foundation of the story because she was named after a water bottle company that her parents couldn’t afford. Just by her name, readers can understand the scope of her situation. However, by including pictures her identity and face is revealed to the world.

Elliott constructs her story in a way that touches upon larger issues found in America. She focuses on homelessness, poverty, and the education system. She could have included some statistics on the number of homeless people or how many people live in shelters. Overall, I feel Elliott was covering a touchy subject and managed not to cross any lines with Dasani or her family.