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| Which do I prefer and why. My thoughts and opinions. |
Part One
Comparing the two books that we are currently reading, the non-fictional writing of One And Done (Clarett and Eckhart, 2019) does not hold up to the fictional writing of The House on Mango Street (Cisneros, 1984).
Cisneros's writing is engaging and transportive, walking the reader through a specific time and place. In contrast, Clarett's writing bounces between flat and inflated, leaving the reader stuck, bored, and often questioning the authors' authenticity.
As an author, Clarett made an implicit promise in the prologue that he would not sensualize his story and an implied promise that he would tell a dynamic story. Both promises I feel he has broken.
As a reader, I feel lied to and would be okay with backing out of my two implied promises, to read through the last page and "give in to the willing suspension of disbelief," both of which he is making difficult for me to uphold.
While Cisneros made no implicit promise about The House on Mango Street, she did make an implied one: to be entertaining. A promise she continues to fulfill with each new chapter, all while further building trust through brilliant authoring found in her creative and efficient choice of words. Ultimately, Cisneros is respectful of her story and the reader, giving both her and her story an unexpected authenticity.
In summary, while Cisneros's story is considered fiction, her story is more authentic than Claretts non-fictional telling of his early life. There is no reason to question The House on Mango Street, while One And Done feels like a repeated pattern of self-inflation and need for attention.
Part Two
Maurice was not given the opportunity as a child to develop into his fullest potential or even later as a young adult. In the 80s and 90s, he grew up in the inner city, a volatile environment glorified and exploited by major record labels and film production companies. During that time, Gansta Rap and Hood films were mainstream. Sex. Drugs. Murder. Violence. You could say, living the thug life was the street way of life. It was part of his real life. And with no real father figure or positive guidance, the media he consumed became what shaped his mind and persuaded his decision making, they became his playbook on how to live, but no matter how much he trained and practiced, Maurice would never be strong enough or quick enough to shake his fate.
References
Clarett, M. and Eckhart B., (2019). One And Done. USA: Second Vintage Contemporaries Edition.
Cisneros, S., (2009). The House On Mango Street. New York, NY: Second Vintage Contemporaries Edition.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your thoughts and I see we are on the same page when it comes to our readings. I am pleasantly surprised with how much I am enjoying the house never seen myself as that type of reader.
On another note with One and done, it seems as if they are jumping around quite about and dragging the athletic part out more than expected
Hey Daniel -
ReplyDeleteThe last chapter of One And Done Is was difficult for me to get through. I don't like the writing approach that was taken to describe his four years of High School football. Not good.
Glad to hear you like The House on Mango Street.
-Chris
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your feelings towards reading the Cisnero's book. She illustrates in the beginning just how important her readers are and how much she wants to entertain them. She does a great job at capturing the details and making you understand everything down to the smell of the character.
While I can see your point on Clauretts life story as sounding a little bit over exaggerated and glorified gang life, I do believe this is real inner city life for a lot of young kids. Although he was lucky and talented enough to catch a break in the foot-ball world his past still came back to haunt him and he wasn't able to escape, which is why I enjoy reading his book.
-Alia
Hi Alia -
DeleteI also believe that many kids, especially in the 80s and 90s, grew up imitating the street/gang/thug life – white, brown, and black, rich or poor. I grew up during that period, I understand that culture, and I understand his story. There's a lot I don't doubt about what he writes, but Maurice seems to make himself either the hero or the victim. He's never wrong or does wrong in his mind.
He didn't develop the proper coping or defense mechanisms as a young person because either he didn't have the opportunity or didn't give himself or others a chance to help.
-Chris