The relationship between Mitchell and Gould is interesting, to say the least. In Mitchell’s first piece, Professor Sea Gull, he is clearly positioned as the comprehensive journalist. He gives a basic, while very in-depth, profile of Mr. Joe Gould. Mitchell portrays Gould as quite the character, which is probably close to how Mitchell saw him, as a character. Gould was just an interesting man living the bohemian life in the Village. Gould was fun to read about but no real connection was made. If someone told me that he was fictional I wouldn’t have any reason to doubt it.
His second piece, Joe Gould’s Secret, is an entirely different read when compared to his first feature. The premise of this story is a revealing of sorts of Joe Gould’s best-kept secret. Written after his death, Mitchell takes on a eulogizing tone. It is in this lengthier narrative that Mitchell fastens a real attachment to Gould. He humanizes Gould in his description of their relationship. Where wonder once existed, Mitchell replaces it with empathy, pity, loneliness and stubborn determination. There is real sympathy from Mitchell. Where the first piece was written by an acquaintance, a friend wrote the second piece.
Mitchell’s visual style of writing creates clear images without being overly descriptive. He’s able to select a few features that standout and sharpen his overall descriptions. He uses lists extremely well. His lists aren’t too long and add some nice pacing to his writing. They also never get repetitive.