I love this, George. I was just talking recently about Flannery O'Connor's framing device in "Good Country People." A student had asked about the opening and ending graphs that have to do with what seems to be an ancillary character (Mrs. Freeman) and what she's gazing at. The story begins and ends with her gaze, though the guts of the s…
I love this, George. I was just talking recently about Flannery O'Connor's framing device in "Good Country People." A student had asked about the opening and ending graphs that have to do with what seems to be an ancillary character (Mrs. Freeman) and what she's gazing at. The story begins and ends with her gaze, though the guts of the story have little to do with her directly. But I hadn't thought of putting this exercise in front of them -- that idea of taking the frame out, and noticing how that might alter the story. It helps readers understand more about the nuts and bolts of writing, how a story is put together and what choices writers make. Though I don't think this is always the "plan." I also think writers go with their guts, and aren't necessarily thinking consciously of following a kind of template. But that's the magic of writing. Just want you to know you are giving me great ideas for small group workshop exercises! I can't wait to see what you put in front of us next!
So framing can be thought of as other than now - past - now. I visited Andalusia on Saturday and walked the grounds and surrounding woods. Her story Displaced Person is not framing, physical framing or in time framing, but like Mrs. Freeman's gaze, Mrs. Shortley's stance in opening paragraphs is structural. I find physicality in O’Connor stories draws me in to a reality.
Yes, this is interesting, Anne. When I stop and consider why and how a framing device works, what it accomplishes for the story, O'Connor seems to be doing something differently from Hsun. She is drawing our gaze here to what Mrs. F. is looking at. As a matter of fact, throughout this story, she does in fact seem obsessed with what and where characters' gazes are directed....
I love this, George. I was just talking recently about Flannery O'Connor's framing device in "Good Country People." A student had asked about the opening and ending graphs that have to do with what seems to be an ancillary character (Mrs. Freeman) and what she's gazing at. The story begins and ends with her gaze, though the guts of the story have little to do with her directly. But I hadn't thought of putting this exercise in front of them -- that idea of taking the frame out, and noticing how that might alter the story. It helps readers understand more about the nuts and bolts of writing, how a story is put together and what choices writers make. Though I don't think this is always the "plan." I also think writers go with their guts, and aren't necessarily thinking consciously of following a kind of template. But that's the magic of writing. Just want you to know you are giving me great ideas for small group workshop exercises! I can't wait to see what you put in front of us next!
So framing can be thought of as other than now - past - now. I visited Andalusia on Saturday and walked the grounds and surrounding woods. Her story Displaced Person is not framing, physical framing or in time framing, but like Mrs. Freeman's gaze, Mrs. Shortley's stance in opening paragraphs is structural. I find physicality in O’Connor stories draws me in to a reality.
Yes, this is interesting, Anne. When I stop and consider why and how a framing device works, what it accomplishes for the story, O'Connor seems to be doing something differently from Hsun. She is drawing our gaze here to what Mrs. F. is looking at. As a matter of fact, throughout this story, she does in fact seem obsessed with what and where characters' gazes are directed....