Raymond Carver has a less is more approach when it comes to writing. His sentence structure is unique, often feeling like the sentences stop abruptly, leaving more to be desired. Which is a trait we would often find in poetry rather than prose. His stories delve into the complexities of human emotions. The simple language and descriptions give just enough for readers to feel the gravity of emotions without it explicitly being said. “My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed. Sometimes they were led by seeing-eye dogs. A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to.” (Carver) Thoughp, the author doesn’t write detailed descriptions of settings or imagery. We still get the main point of the paragraph, and understand the depth of the characters’s apprehension.
Anne Sexton is an American Poet. In class, we read her poem Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I would describe her writing style to be very intense revealing a lot about human nature. Her metaphors and imagery are often very pungent and well thought out. You can see this depicted in the poem we read by her. “And so she danced until she was dead, a subterranean figure, her tongue flicking in and out like a gas jet.” This leaves a very vivid image in the reader’s mind that is quite off-putting.
I feel like Raymond Carter could benefit from writing with in-depth description and imagery. It could help get a more emotional reaction from readers, whereas his deadpan writing style can not.
One thought on “Patricia Jackson Discussion Board 13”
Patricia, I’m glad you are aware of your own literary preferences. I like that you are able to have and voice a preference when it comes to the style of various writers. It’s not surprising that, as a poet, you like the use of imagery and description. (I do too).