Week 1: Chapter 8: 3-2-1 Response to the reading

3. In chapter 8 we learn the different point of views that can be written from. First we learn "Who Speaks" and we are introduced to the third, second, and fist person that could be narrating. Next we look into "To Whom" where we learn who the narrator will be speaking to meaning the narrator is speaking to the reader, another character, themselves, using interior monologue or by stream of consciousness. The next thing is "In What Form" where we learn the degree of self-consciousness the reader is speaking in. After the form is discussed we learn about "At What Distance" and we learn about the authors intent to have us identify with the character and how well they want us to understand them, to pull us toward sympathy or even disgust depending on the authors intention. We learn that the only place there can be no distance is between the author and the reader. And the final subject in Chapter 8 is a warning on "Consistency" and we learn that one of the most important things in writing is to not forget the perspective (or point of view) that we began telling the story from.

2. Going back to the section "Who Speaks", the book mentions second person and that this is a more experimental form of writing usually not seen. I read the example given from Lorrie Moore's story, but I would like to see more examples of how an entire book could be written this way. The only thing I can think of is when the "Choose your own adventure" books were popular in the 1990's.

When talking about the form (In What Form) the chapter speaks of the level of consciousness that the narrator has of the story. The chapter rushes over this part of point of view but it should be explained in greater detail. I think it would be interesting to be able to slip form one point of view to the other to enhance the details a reader takes in, but I would like to hear more explanation.

1. A question  to ask any readers would be "how do you like to write for each kind of paper"? Is it first, second or third person and what kind of writing? When writing case studies or research papers, third person writing is an easier way to sound unbiased when trying to get a point across. Writing in a blog or social networking area tends to work better on first person because the audience is (hopefully) aware of who you are.