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- Reading responses must be AT LEAST 250 words.
- Include your full name at the end of your comments. Unnamed comments will be deleted.
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- Reading responses are due by 10pm on the day PRIOR to our discussion of the required reading.
Karr suggests that every memoir should be filled with physical experiences that once occur. If I had to put this into simpler words I would say that in order to have a more interesting memoir, we should not just tell our story, but instead we should put it into a scene. Be able to paint the perfect picture in the reader’s mind to where they can imagine your situation and live it along with you as they as reading your piece. I once wrote a poem about going dove hunting with my father and I did not just tell the story but instead I descried the metallic smell of the dove’s blood in my fingers. It was honestly a challenge for me to stop narrating my story and instead actually make my reader feel as if they were living it with me, by my use of imagery and carnality. I enjoy imagery but I also think that too much can harm your memoir. For example, Ferguson in the beginning I enjoyed her use of imagery but after a while, in my opinion she began to exaggerate. It was too much for me. I am not sure I agree with Karr when she says that specific details help reveal that its true. “In case of specific memory-even if wrong- is permissible. Because readers understand the flaws of memory and allow for them”, in my opinion if I am not sure of a memory I just do not include it in my writing. It does not bother me that she can’t remember what gum the boy she was going to kiss was chewing, and it honestly does make it sound more honest if she says Juicy Fruit, but how can a writer know where the line is on adding details.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Millan
Word count 298
Okay Juan totally predicted Ventura’s death in chapter 11 of Fergusons memoir, I wasn’t expecting that. I thought “Ventura’s Home” was a great chapter because it really showed the importance of revising and editing and how to accept constructive criticism. (If I would have spent years working on a project only for it to get shot down by my closest friends I would have handled the situation a lot worse) However, chapters 12 and 13 were a little too wordy for me, too much unnecessary detail and no real content that was important. That’s another thing I’m starting to get used to with Kathryn Ferguson, some chapters are strong and filled with imagery and others are just fillers, in my opinion. I wish Ferguson would take some advice from Mary Karr and be a little more specific with her details, for the reader’s sake. If Ferguson would have added carnality to her description of Valintin, chapter 13 would have been a lot easier to read. I couldn’t really put him together in my head it seemed unbelievable. Her descriptions were shallow to me, she even said it herself “cliché”. His eyes and height? That’s what Mary Karr would call “driver’s license” superficial. Not unless Ferguson’s intentions are to drop this character quick. If I had to make a character like Valintin come alive through carnality I would talk about the scarified tribal tattoo on his left arm that has faded into a dark green. Even though a tribal tattoo isn’t an object it still provides physical detail we all can relate too. Or maybe that just works for me since I usually rely on touch and vision to envision something.
ReplyDeleteM. Sarah Sanchez
Karr in “Sacred Carnality” she explains how writing should be able to evoke the five senses giving examples between different memoirist who were able to put you in their skin and others who only laid out the order without full detail. Reading Ferguson’s chapters I could see where some places had this. To be specific, perhaps I was just being emotional, but I was in tears as she described those who are now gone and how we hold on to voicemails or cards without getting rid of them because they’d be gone forever. The other was how she went into description of Valentin, his accent in the dialogue and his dark eyes were a clear image in my head because of a story in my past. Ferguson, for me as a reader, was able to evoke the my sense of sight, taste, touch, hearing and smell. For those moments, I was in her skin and I felt the fear and I felt the stress of worrying about someone getting deported. I was able to understand how someone not from here, because the absence of papers tell them they are not, is afraid to full enjoy a drink outside of his home or doesn’t go out much but knows how to cook so who really needs restaurants. Valentin did enjoy his time with her though. I guess because we are familiar with deportation and how bad Arizona can get with it, Ferguson’s stories are believable and if every detail isn’t right we can forgive it because we understand the limits if human memory as Karr mentions. Karr talks about this on page 75 as she says maybe the gum wasn’t Juicy Fruit but Dubble Bubble or Bazooka Joe because a memory “even if wrong-is permissible.”
ReplyDeleteLisa Marie Serna
In chapter 6 of Karr’s book we are introduced to the use of carnality within a memoir. I googled the definition of this word because she said she was talking about the senses and I knew that was not the proper definition of the word. However, I think she is making a connection between the sexual senses which are elevated more and the possibilities of elevating our memoir with the use of the senses. I do agree that sometimes a memory can be awakened by a smell or touch that was long forgotten. These snippets of memory usually lead me to other larger memories I had completely forgotten about over time.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 11 of Ferguson’s story Ventura has moved to Chihuahua in order to have a procedure to remove his leg because his diabetes is getting worse. She describes how he ends up dying a few months later and she cannot stop thinking about him and the time they spent together. In chapter 12, Ferguson is showing her film to the native people and she describes the trouble she went through to announce it and set up the event but it seems to eventually go off without any major glitches. Finally in chapter 13 Valentine is announced as the newest character in her life. She has found a boyfriend and together they complement each other and help each other. Of course there is always the threat of deportation for her guy but they manage to get around it together.
Sheryl Cavazos
Karr talks about the fives sense and how we should fuse them into our writing. She explains how important carnality is to our writing and through this we are able to convey much better imagery into the reader’s mind. She talks about how we each little detail is important and that the use of the senses allows us to place the reader in our shoes so they can have a first hand experience and better relate to the story and I agree. You can’t just write a memoir and say things, you have to be able to naturally let everything flow out. The writing needs to become in a sense nature itself, it has to surround the reader and make them stop and think about it for a second, much like you do when you step outside and just look around after taking in a deep breath of fresh air, smelling, the incense of the flowers and recently cut grass to hearing the rustling of the trees and the crackling of the aged and withered leaves of autumn. It is not difficult once you are able to become one with it and just pay attention to detail alone. She mentions how even though it is hard to explain it truthfully the limitations of memories shouldn’t stop you from canalizing your writing, work around it, as sometimes it may be better to rework the way you originally said it in order to be more reader friendly. One thing I did notice in the reading though is that in all of chapter 11 from Ferguson’s book, I did not really feel a sense of what Karr spoke of. To me it felt more like we were being told everything with no a lot of heart, the only parts that did feel emotional where when she speaks of Ventura’s death. Only towards the end of that chapter did I sense carnality when she explains about the last time she saw him becoming one with sand. I was able to picture myself following him and watching him disappear and it was really surreal, that’s what carnality should be like in my opinion and I wish Ferguson had more of it, maybe she does, who knows.
ReplyDeleteAmaury Cabrera
word count 369
I could not really grasp what it is that Karr wanted to say in this chapter on carnality. I couldn’t really grasp what it was that she was trying to say when she wrote that readers should be able to slip in to our skin. However, after comparing it to Ferguson’s chapters, I believe that I have a better understanding of what it was that she was trying to say. For once, I will not be critiquing Ferguson on her memoir, rather I will be using her as my example for what it is that Karr meant by “carnality”. Chapters 12 and 13 appear to be shrouded in carnality. That is, they are they chapters that were able to illicit the most emotion form me due to the loss and anxiety she faces in these chapters. The fact that I was able to so deeply connect with these two specific emotions on what I consider to be a deep level, probably tells you all a lot about me. In chapter 12, when she writes about Ventura, I can see how losing him affects her the way it does. Anyone who has lost someone that they loved knows what Ferguson is feeling, they know the pain, sorrow, regret and anger that comes with loss and can fully accept that she thinks she saw Ventura after he died. Everyone has some hope that maybe they can see or talk to a person that they have cared about and lost one last time. We all want that sort of closer that no one really ever gets. It is through this that we are able to connect to Ferguson on a deeper level.
ReplyDeleteKarina Gonzalez
Word count: 279
I knew it. I didn’t guess the whole thing correctly, but at least I figured out Ventura was going to die. I usually give these author’s a chance so I don’t criticize them as hard as other people, but in this case, I’m going to make an exception. Ferguson is a good writer but I feel like I’m not connecting with her. I understand that it is a memoir and she is just writing down her experience about her documentaries, but I feel like there is a lot of filler and not enough story. I guess what I’m saying is what is the whole point of the memoir? You are constantly talking about every detail of the documentary, but the details that do matter are only little paragraphs between the filler. It’s driving me a little insane because I hear her talking, but I find her annoying. It’s my own opinion and I apologize if I sound like a pretentious prick. I just can’t connect with her writing. In chapter eleven Ventura dies. In chapter twelve she shows the documentary to the people. In chapter thirteen she starts coming with ideas as to what her new documentary would be. That’s another thing that bugs me. We are now barely getting to the point of her memoir and it took twelve other chapters to get us here. Karr was about carnality. We have to find a way to show out five sense through writing. It’s something that we can all do if we just practice.
ReplyDeleteWord Count: 254
Juan Garcia Jr
Because the memoir is about the writer, it is important to be personal. In Chapter Six, Karr tells her readers that not only must the memoir be about one's own life, but also it must include what she calls carnal writing. This means "selecting sensual data— items, odors, sounds— to recount details based on their psychological effects on a reader. A great detail feels particular in a way that argues for its truth." (Karr, pp. 72.) Not only must the audience read about a writer's life, they must also physicaly experience it as well. This, Karr believes, gives honesty and believability to the memoir. Without it, the memoir is less. If the writer is writing about their personal life or experience, then these details, the carnal writing, is necessary for the audience to undergo and believe this experience.
ReplyDeleteReading this chapter from Karr has made me understand why I enjoy Ferguson's book. Reading how she experiences her journey as sights, sounds, smells, and tastes has a "psychological effect" (Karr, pp. 72.) on me. Before, I did not have the words for the enjoyment and the enthusiasm I had for detailed and sensory rich writing.
-Doris Tolar
In chapter six I like how Karr explains that we should use the senses to put the reader into our skin so to speak. Not simply describing things but putting the reader in the scene is something I have to constantly remind myself of, and even still through the reminders I don’t think I get it quite right. It is just easier for me to write a strictly academic paper than to write from my own experiences. I can hardly remember things anyway. It will be something for me to work on when writing the final versions of both papers for this class. I think because I am not descriptive in my normal conversations I have trouble in describing things well when writing from memory. I honestly just let whomever I am talking to fill the voids in my descriptions, and if I am not with close friends, my mom, or anyone who can do that I just don’t describe things in detail. With revision I think it’ll get better. As we are reading more chapters I think I am understanding Ferguson’s style of writing better. I’m not sure if I mentioned it before but when we first started reading chapters I honestly did not like her style of writing. It makes more sense now and these past two readings I was able to really enjoy. I like the way Ferguson has presented events in the last two readings. For me there were a lot of times where Ferguson’s writing really stood out to me. For example, in chapter twelve her description of the dead electric wires that swayed “over painted advertisements for politicians who promised a better life” was a powerful image for me. Overall I am liking Ferguson’s style of writing more.
ReplyDelete-Jesus Alexis Prado
Karr’s reading on “carnality” goes beyond the five sense, as she uses the Robocop analogy to best describe her message (Karr 78). In the Robocop analogy, it is not so much about descriptions being narrated, but it is how the writer uses those descriptions to create a pseudo live action for the reader. In other words, in terms of the Robocop analogy, it is not about describing Robocop to the readers, but making the reader feel as though he is Robocop. This makes the difference between what Karr described as a memory told v. a memory lived. As writers, our writing can be more attractive if our writing is a memory lived. This process was seen in Ferguson’s chapter “Ventura’s home.” The rush is felt when Ventura is described as without a leg, but he is yet to be introduced to Catalina since they last met. I, as the reader, was expecting the worst, and felt as though Catalina, who was rushing to Ventura’s home to find open the door and confirm what she couldn’t believe (Ferguson 99). This form of narration is considered semantic, as compared to episodic (Karr 76). In episodic narration, the flow is choppy due to the details that in some cases overwhelm the reader. Instead, if the reader uses a semantic narration, he/she will ease the details into the larger story being told. The difference is seen in Ferguson’s earlier chapters that were episodic in that the story developed detail from detail without any inclination to a larger developing issue to be solved.
ReplyDeleteAlejandro Sánchez
Karr’s chapter was about including the five senses into your writing to give the reader a better understand through imagery. When writing it’s very important to keep the five senses in mind because it will give a more rounded and detailed image. Karr talked about “selecting” certain sounds, objects, smells, that trigger a psychological experience. For example the way apple cinnamon candles might remind me of my childhood home. Getting into detail about the way the smell gives me goose bumps and tingling hairs on my neck. This is something the reader can connect to because our senses trigger us all. Karr also reiterates herself about being an honest writer because the whole point of the memoir is to be personal and real. Real life experiences are what we relate too. Making your story dull and lifeless will make it hard to believe. Unfortunately I don’t see Karr’s strategy too much in the Ferguson piece. I feel like much of what she experienced is simply being told to us instead of broken down by the senses. At this point in the story she is experiencing the loss of Ventura and we can clearly see how painful that was for her. Though after reading Karr I think there are ways to express this kind of pain using the five senses. The loss of someone takes an emotional and physical toll on a person and describing that is a great way to connect with the reader who has more than likely lost a loved one too.
ReplyDeleteOlivia Hinojosa
I liked Karr’s idea of “carnality,” it made me think of the “show, don’t tell” technique that is almost always expected from a writer. Being able to paint a picture with only words and allowing the reader to fully imagining the scene the writer is trying to explain is something that I feel is needed in writing but I do not agree that it should be done the entire way through a story. For me, I like being vague in my stories because I want the reader to imagine whatever it is they want but also not vague enough to where they have no idea what is actually going on. I feel like Karr meant that we should fully explain every single detail in a memoir even if it might be a little hazy, but I feel like that might be too much. If every single moment is described to its fullest I feel like the reader will get overwhelmed. Yes, detail is great and allowing the writing to capture a writer’s emotions is also great, but sometimes simply telling is just fine. Throughout these chapters for Ferguson, I feel like she did not really apply carnality to all of them. These chapters were actually quite easy to follow compared to the previous ones. When Ferguson encounters Ventura one last time after his death is where I found the most carnality. Ferguson describes the event with just enough detail to have reader follow along and actually imagine the whole scene play out exactly as she describes it.
ReplyDelete-Jennifer Gutierrez
As usual I had to push through Ferguson’s chapters, I thought at the beginning of this course that I would really enjoy this book because it’s title talked about the Mexican Border. And I dig that stuff. But so far, I find reading it to be a chore. Also, I guess Juan is psychic because he guessed Ventura’s death and I completely agree with everything he said about Ferguson. There is so much detail of what she’s doing, but none of herself. I can’t find the substance. What's the purpose? We are twelve chapters in and it still isn’t making much sense to me, I’m still not connecting with it. At this point I doubt I ever will and even if I ever do I’m not sure diving 12 + chapters deep would be worth it. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAgain, totally digging Karr’s chapter. If I haven’t mentioned before I really enjoy the fact that she starts each chapter with a quote. I know that Moore would do something similar and I like it because it prepares me or gives me a peek at what to expect. She describes how “carnality” is the act of basically showing and not telling in your work. This is something that as a writer I always try my best to work at. Trying to work with different literary devices to activate one or all five senses with my writing. I’m also a sucker for Maya Angelou so the fact that this is the second time she has brought her up makes me really happy because Angelou is one of my favorite memoirist.
Amanda Victoria Ramirez~
I really enjoyed reading Karr’s stuff this week about using the five senses in writing. Imagery is by far my favorite literary device to use when I'm writing because it really involves the reader's imagination and ability to connect to the setting you, as a writer, are trying to paint in front of them. She even goes as far to repeat her mantra of honesty, which everyone should enjoy really.
ReplyDeleteI find it a little disheartening to read that the imagery and connection wasn't there. It's all step by step instructions on how not to excite the reader. Ventura dies, that's it. She doesn't show as much emotion or five sense imagery to tell the story and it don't understand why. If a loved one or a friend passes away and I decide to write about it, it'd be pages and pages of imagery and details on what I feel, what I see and how this tragedy changes that vision. If I'm happy and I see a puddle on the street, i'll probably go on and on about the reflection of the sun against the water. If I were sad, it'd be a description of how hollow, dull, it might be. I don't know, it's all very irritating to read.
-muriah huerta
Karr’s chapter on Carnality was great. It was a refreshing reminder of the importance of details and the importance of word choice. Her allusion to Angelou was revealing of such attention to detail when she analyzed an excerpt. Personally I don’t think it is greatly important to name every last detail of a scene but I do think that attention to certain details can manipulate the context of a setting and portray a specific message. Whereas if one were to share all those details it would be a neutral setting void of any impact without direct influence by the writer. This chapter to me was probably one of the more important ones because it has nothing to do with form or content or memory but with how to construct sentences that have power and weight beyond the confines of the medium it is presented upon. And I think that a writer should always have this idea present in mind when they are working. After all it is all sentences and the difference between a good writer and a great one is how well they can deliver an idea through such a medium.
ReplyDeleteFerguson’s chapters were not terribly interesting. It is a content thing not a knock against the writer. I just cannot feign the drive to delve into the work as a literary model
Andres Trevino
The way Karr describes carnality is really interesting. When given examples of sentences written with and without carnality you can see a major difference in the dynamic of the author’s piece. I think carnality makes writing more fun and also makes reading much more enjoyable. Great detail is something I always look for when reading any genre of writing and it’s something I like to practice in my own writing as well. I think carnality is a key aspect in making your piece interesting, and really bringing it to life. It gives your audience a chance to connect with you, the author, and takes them on your journey without having the need to be present. It also gives your piece a sense of individuality and sparks this uniqueness that you may never thought you had.
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed to read the lack of carnality in Ferguson’s chapter, but in all honestly, it wasn’t very surprising. Ferguson isn’t a terrible author of the memoir, but I do think she lacks this skill of carnality. Or perhaps, she doesn’t think it’s necessary to include in her work and that’s perfectly fine. Me as the reader however, can spot this and it does provide a lack of interest as I skim through her chapters.
Karina Saldivar
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the chapter on carnality. It symbolizes the importance of using detail to take the reader with you. Instead of saying "It was a boring meeting" you can use imagery to make the reader feel like they are sitting in that boring meeting with you. The main key in carnality is using the five senses. Although all of Karr's chapters are very informative, this particular chapter helped me further understand how to be descriptive in my writing to make the reader visualize what they are reading.
ReplyDeleteMayela Montenegro