From Wendy to Lance

From the opening quotation “Kill the Indian, save the man,” Writing Exercise #1 presents both the author’s view and a historical perspective through careful selection of language. The rigidity of the officer, his personal mannerisms and thoughts are ‘off putting’ to modern readers but are a reflection of history. Imagery presented as dry fact brings to mind a daguerreotype image that has been described in exquisite detail and I am there, but in the past. I see the shaving implements, they are shrouded in the setting of time and place with sepia tones. Even the detail of the rain soaked blue shirt and skunk cabbage colored hair made me think of water-colored black and white photos once seen in my grandmother’s home. The jumps to character thoughts and physical descriptions develop an imagery that corresponds quite well with the setting. I believe there is more to this story and would be interested in reading it. In Writing Exercise #2 we shift to friendship, violence and the problems of adolescent people. The first character’s simple acceptance of his friend’s rage, somewhat bizarre methods for thinking and fears of violence ring true, and keep the reader engaged. The use of a native name for the school does place us close to your home and pulls in the readers who will now wonder how it is going to be handled ‘here’. The juxtaposition of the rainy basement window television discussion and the run for the primal woods invites the reader to ponder the culture these two characters inhabit, and how it might influence their handling of the situations. Our second character shows up with a much expanded dimension in this third piece, and here we get to know more about the wood chips, more about the violence he is experiencing and how he is thinking. The jumps between television plot and real life comparisons helps us understand and empathize with this character’s dilemma. The use of rain to wash away the blood, the tears and possibly all of his problems is skillfully applied. . The naïve belief that events can be gathered together again is poignant and I appreciate the imagery involved.