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In Mary Karr's chapters she goes into detail about choosing detail in one's memoir and how the use of your own voice to pace the memoir is of extreme importance. She uses an example of Russian novelist, Nabokov, due to his writing style in memoir. Often described as very expressionistic and artful there have been many people attempting to replicate it but fall short. Mary Karr states that in writing our memoir that we should use our own voice. It is OUR memoir and, as such, should be written in a way that would emulate our true selves speaking. This is shown repeatedly in Ferguson's memoir. One piece of dialogue that stood out was on pg 110 where she describes the cooking of a meal. "The kitchen smells like the border." This is interesting metaphor as readers who live on the border can instantly relate to the smells using this dialogue. To new readers this can set off a sense of curiosity which may compel some to go to the border and experience the smell of the border itself.
ReplyDeleteFerguson's narrative is interesting to read because of the unique metaphors she uses. Another one which I really enjoyed was her commentary on immigration reform on page 137 and how ineffective it is. She goes on to summarize her thoughts with the following: "You are embalmed with uselessness." This dialogue cleverly summarizes her thoughts prior to the metaphor. It is through this reading that I know that Ferguson is speaking with her own, unique voice and is using it to propel the narrative that she wishes to share with us.
-Eutimio Longoria-
In Karr’s Chapter 7 and 9 she explains to us how the details we choose to add in our memoir are important, not just to our story, but to making sure our voices can be heard. She gives us a specific example in chapter 9 about how she chose which story to include in her memoir about Mickey Heinz, a kid she used to pick on. I really liked this information because it was not just a funny story, but it gave us some insight to the psyche of Karr as a child and it also showed us her though process behind choosing this particular story to share.
ReplyDeleteI really liked chapter 13 “Al Otro Lado” of Fergusons memoir. She introduces us to Valentin in a way that allows his culture to shine and she juxtaposes this with the threat of deportation at the end of the chapter. I really liked on paged 113 when she is talking about the history of the border, she says “Not only have we always needed the labor of the people from the south, we actually liked them. Except when we didn’t.” I feel like this perfectly sums up the climate and attitude surrounding border security at the moment. Especially where we live there is such a love for the culture and the food but there are still people here who dislike Mexicans and want the border closed.
Dawn Bustamante
Within Karr’s chapter 5 and 7, we begin to see the process in which she can make sure her memoir is accurate as possible while staying true to her own memory. Chapter 5, “Don’t Try This at Home”, tells of the possibilities one might run into when recalling a specific memory. She used Nabokov as an example, and explains the processes he sets up when writing his own novel. She explains that he is able to get the reader to care for him and when he can do, and this the reader is invested emotionally in the character. This was able to come to fruition as he used a plethora of details and circumstances that are too specific to be fictitious. This ties in with Chapter 7, “How to Choose a Detail”. In this chapter, Karr is showing us her way of choosing which memory and thus details to use, and how to rationalize which ones are more credible then the others. As she picks the memory, she explains how the memory transpires with carnality, and thus how the single memory she has selected will add far more to her novel. She explains the moments of getting the rolling paper, and the feeling of a burned tongue. All of this connects with chapters 13-19 of Ferguson’s memoir. Throughout these chapters, Ferguson gives us images and memories that make us illicit a response. For example, “Spider Web”, chapter 15, shows us the moments she speaks with a commissioner while observing their handling of migrants. The commissioner’s refusal to give a woman her inhaler makes us view the man as pure evil, which is something she too acknowledges. These moments of picking a detail turn into moments in which we must pick not just one of our own memories, but also one that will stay with a reader for a long time.
ReplyDeleteDavid Leal
With Karr’s Chapter 5, “Don’t Try This at Home”, She uses Nabokov to talk about how we can care or even hate a certain people we write about because of the details we use. But, some details may be too much and seem fake or fictional. Chapter 7, “How to Choose a Detail”. Karr shows us how to choose a memory and making it sound truthful. Karr picks a memory, and explains how the memory can add more to our own writing as it did for her. Chapters 13-19 of Ferguson’s memoir she gives us memories that bring forth certain emotions within us. Such as fear when she speaks or Rita, sadness when talking of Susanna and amusement when writing about Vicente. These moments we pick to write about even for a few sentences has to bring the reader in and want to read more.
ReplyDelete-Christina Velasquez
I remember trying to read Lolita years ago, middle school probably, and being exhausted from trying to decipher Nabokov’s long flowery sentences. Now, I write the long flowery sentences, but have yet to finish Lolita or read any of his other books. Reading the way Karr talks about his writing, though, just ensures that I’ll have to pull one of the three books I have off the shelf and finally read them. I appreciated how short chapter 7 was. I think it really drives the message home. How much can you prattle on about choosing the right details without using too much detail?
ReplyDeleteFerguson’s chapters always feel like a lot of detail to me, but in a book, such as this, it’s all necessary. She knows how to thread everything together, like the spider webs she’s so fond of. I think my favorite thread is Ventura and Hiram’s. In the recent chapters, Ferguson has found love, a new project, and legal problems. Her involvement with the Samaritans, a group dedicated to helping border crossers, leads to her arrest and knowledge of how the law works. Might I add that I find the treatment of these immigrants appalling. My dad is a field Border Patrol agent and I know that he goes out of his way to help them when he can.
-Angie Acuña
Chapters 5 and 7 of Mary Karr’s book put focus on applying details to our memoirs to accurately recreate them to the best of our ability while still maintaining the notion that the event you are recalling did happen. The overall message of chapter 5, “Don’t Try This at Home: The Seductive Narcissistic Count”, can be broken down as finding your own voice and diction while writing instead of trying to emulate someone else’s style like her and her students’ attempts at evoking a famous Russian author. Chapter 7, “How to Choose a Detail”, is all about recalling a memory from your past so specific that it stands out not only to you, but to others as well and making sure that you recapture the visceral nature of the event to do it justice. This brings us to chapters 13-19 of Ferguson’s book, in which we see what we read in Karr’s chapters being put into practice. Similar to what we’ve read so far in her book, Ferguson is able to construct a vivid atmosphere for us to soak in and get a better idea of her surroundings and the people she encounters. This is best displayed in chapter 14 when the subject of immigrants dying in the desert comes up and she describes Death as a literal entity that slowly breaks down the desperate people attempting to traverse the hostile conditions to enter the US for a better life.
ReplyDeleteNarciso Garcia JR.
In Mary Karr’s chapters she goes onto talking about how details that we choose to add in our memoir is essential to stylizing or personalizing our own voice to give the memoir its own tempo. She uses the Russian writer, Nabokov as an example of how our style can affect our memoir. Because of his often described expressionistic and artful style. She also used him as a reference of how when we don’t control our emotions or style we can express it deeply through the details of which are included in our memoirs. We can make it sound fake or sound real just be the amount of detail that we use in our memoirs. Ferguson’s readings were very interesting in my opinion. In chapters 13-19 I really like how she went into so much detail that she creates this vivid setting that we can easily put ourselves in her shoes. This allows to get a better understanding of her environment and the people that she communicates with.
ReplyDelete-Marco Garza
In Mary Karr's Chapters, i learned a lot. Like, alot, alot. Karr, discusses in full lenght about Nabokov. Nabokov is a famous writer known for his poet and complicated prose. The whole point for the chapter we were assigned was to discuss personal style. Karr points out that Nabokov is in a level on his own. Many writers try to emulate him but have unsuccessfully done so. Find your niche. That's what i got from the assigned chapters. Understand your strengths and weakness. Know i can do as writer and push my abilities to farthest. As far as weaknesses, it's best to sharpen what you do not know. The other Karr chapter, was interesting. What i got from that reading was to examine your memory bank. Figure out the setting and situation as best you can. Whichever seems more plausible to me and easy to do should be done. That's what i got from this chapter
ReplyDeleteIn Ferguson book, I kinda see the connection to the chapters for this book and Karrs. Ferguson has her own style, that works only for her. My favorite chapter is when she meets Valentino. I like how they have this sexy back and forth. Even the chorizo scene was cool to read.
--mathew betancourt
In Karrs readings she talks about the importance of staying true to our memories, and being able to look back at them and recreate them in our writing. In the chapter “Don’t try this at home” Karr talks about the process that one might go through when trying to recall these memories. She also provides an example through Nabokov where she goes through steps that he went through when creating a book of his own. Karr also adds the importance of detail. She implies that it is important to make sure that our memories are in great detail so that the reader would be able to fully envision the memory that we are trying to bring forward in our writing. In Fergusons chapter he was ably to apply all that Karr explains in her chapters making it so much easier to understand and envision that of a great memoir writer. Through her chapter us as readers were able to experience her memoires with her because fo how distinct she was with the details of her memories.
ReplyDeleteLeslie Luna
I honestly felt like Karr heavily talking about Nabokov was unneeded in this book. I get that the point of this chapter is to show that one particular memoirist has a unique style that is much too difficult for the average writer to recapture and that we strive to find our own style. However, I don't think it was necessary to dedicate an entire chapter just talking about Nabokov's style. This could've been saved for one sentence or paragraph rather than an entire chapter. Considering the point of this book was to help potential memorists, focusing on just one particular person's writing style felt incredibly out of place. I can see how another reader would enjoy this chapter, as it was insightful. But I just didn't think it belonged in this particular box.
ReplyDeleteFerguson's writing style seems to be retelling her experiences in a detailed and serious manner and at the same time giving background information on things that the reader may not be familiar with. One example can be when Ferguson goes into detail about NAFTA in chapter 14. We all have our own particular style and we can all tell unique stories with them.
Michael McCormick