Of these craft issues, which do you believe is the one that makes this story successful?
In these two stories, significant detail is the main craft that makes them successful. The narrators are very eloquent and make use of concrete detail which appears to appeal to the audience’s sense of hearing. In “Election Day: Savannah 1948”, by Juliet Holms, we get the details of her home. For instance, she points out that she and her mother had a tea ritual. She gives significant information on the qualifications that one needed to be able to vote. Also, Juliet helps the audience to look into her life with a lot of ease. Apparently, she uses her detailed words to narrate how she was able to vote together with her husband despite their challenges. Her vivid details as she narrates the story capture the attention of the audience and helps them remember what she says for a long time to come. In the second story, “From Princeton to Prison”, one can easily visualize the Iraqi environment where the narrator was born. He gives vivid details of his false accusation, automatically conveying the act of wrong judgment on the part of the American court. Mahmoud Reza Banki, the narrator gives details of his shattered dream and the fact that he is unable to prosper in this foreign land after his two-year imprisonment.
On which, element(s) does the story’s success most firmly rely?
The success of the two stories most firmly relies on the setting. The setting describes the location where the action takes place. In Juliet’s story, she describes the environment in which she grew up; Savannah. During her visit to the place, her mom makes her the ritual tea. As she freshens up, she finds out that her mom had been collecting election stickers and they were already twenty-six of them. Juliet makes the audience picture the scene. One can visualize a bathroom full of neatly arranged stickers on its mirror. She also goes on to describe how her parents had difficulty in voting having failed a test. Her story gets more interesting and catchy when she goes on to explain how she went to vote with her sick husband who had to be helped by two black strong young men. It takes no effort to feel the strain in the life of this couple during the voting session. In Mahmoud’s story, one can feel the pain that he goes through after being accused falsely. He explains in so much detail the life he faces in prison. At one moment, he desires to be part of the world of freedom again. Mahmoud explains to the audience the emotional story of how his dream of succeeding in the United States is shattered. He is no longer able to get a decent job and suffers rejection by many employers. His description of the setting he is in helps the audience feel connected to his frustration as an American citizen.
In a paragraph, record your “best moments” as a listener and say, specifically, why you think they are so compelling.
My best moment as a listener was when Juliet narrated how her husband was able to go to the ballot box and vote after so many struggles. This brought so much joy to my heart. I could easily connect with the couple considering the fact that her husband was very ill and could only walk with the aid of a cane or a wheelchair. This moment was so compelling since at first, I would almost feel the determination in the hearts of the couple. Seemingly, Juliet’s mother did an excellent job in insisting to her that she had to vote since it was her right and not a gift. The influence automatically flowed to Cleave and he dares to go out to vote despite his health complications. My second best moment was when Mahmoud was released from jail. My heart was broken by the fact that he was falsely accused and was serving a jail term that was never meant to be. In my view, this was so compelling since Mahmoud was innocent. He had big dreams of his life that were shattered by this jail term. His release was likely to be a new beginning for him.
Next, write a paragraph that explores/explains the use of 1 or 2 elements of craft in the story.
One of the main elements of craft used in these stories is exposition. Exposition refers to the insertion or description of a background of a story, which gives the audience details of the prior events or information about the setting of the story. For example, in the first story, “Election Day: Savanna 1948” the narrator, Juliette, gives the audience details of his background. Such details include where he was born, how she was brought up as well as her marriage. On the other hand, Mahmoud gives the listener details about his upbringing. He also gives detailed information about his family and how he innocently got into prison. a listener is able to realize that Mahmoud is innocent due to his ability to use exposition. In addition, it is easy to notice that his life is not as smooth as of other Americans due to the details he offers about his job search.