Thread

This week's assignment really caught my attention, especially because it came right after the taxi cab assignment. I noticed while reflecting on the reading that I tend to use outright character description in my writing, and while this can be useful there is much to be said by creating a character indirectly, and letting the reader interpret from their own unique point of view. I knew this before, but after reading "Thread" following reading the passage on character it really clicked for me... the passage would be significantly less impactful if it was written in a different style. By simply describing the boy without commentary, the author causes the reader to draw conclusions and form opinions from their own expierience and interpretation, and this creates a connection that would not exist otherwise. For example, whe I read it, I was dissaproving of the character's attitude throughout the majority of the text because of my own personal beliefs, a judgement that at the end of the passage made me relize the character's conclusion was in fact similair to my own, and this created an intamacy with the character that would not exist if I had just been told what I discovered by myself.

In simpler terms, the passage gave me an awareness of character creation that in turn made me aware of a flaw in my writing style, something that will be well noted in the future.

The reading on setting was very interesting to me too, but nearly as much as the the one on character; not much of it was new to me, although I did see some things I'm going to try in future writing products, namely the way the "At the Dam" melded setting and metaphor into one device.

Overall, the readings have been really good so far in the book, engaging and great examples that help demonstrate Burroway's instruction... I look forward to reading more.