I believe in mismatched socks. Honestly, what’s the harm in it? It doesn’t physically affect anyone else, and as long as they are generally the same in material and size, wearing two different socks won’t physically affect you either. Sometimes it even serves as an interesting ice-breaker or conversation-maker. I started un-matching my socks fresh out of the dryer about 6 years ago, primarily as a ruse that would produce an eye-roll from my mom when I pounded down the stairs in one blue sock and one green. For a while it really was just about the game; I even bought two different types of long black socks for marching band so I could continue it while in uniform.
But as the years went on, the meaning of the game changed. It became less about how I could get that time-old reaction from my mom and more about how much fun it was for me to not match my socks. I would bring flowers and stripes to play practice, polka-dots and stars to gym class. However, now that it is time to grow up, get an education, and go off into the adult world, I don’t have as much time to mismatch my socks. It’s no longer about the game. I spoke to my mom about our old game recently and she pointed out that my reason for not matching my socks was probably never about her reaction, but rather the giddy, childlike joy it brought to me when she would point it out. No matter my mood of the day, if she or my grandmother pointed at my mismatched socks and said “you’re still doing that”, I would break out into an enormous grin.
I have always been a “mature” child, I have honestly wanted to be a grown-up since I was in 4th grade. I can remember wanting to wear sweaters like my mom, jewelry that my grandmother had passed down to me, and staying inside for recess so I could read instead of playing tag. As I grew up, I continued to separate myself from my classmates because I felt that I was “too mature” for some of them. I began to live in the fantasy of my future, spending more time creating the perfect landscape for my adult life than on the playground. Looking back, I wished that I had embraced that playful part of my childhood where my afternoons could be spent with my dog instead of my computer.
Today, I am still focused on my education, my career, my future, except for now is when I am supposed to be focused on those things. I spent years wishing to be exactly where I am right now, forgetting to pay attention to the amazing things I had at the time. But I will always have my socks.
My mismatched socks no longer serve as a “game” or a way to get a rise out of my family members or friends, but rather that I need to embrace the childish excitement I have when I see a puppy, or to not take myself so seriously in every waking moment of the day. They remind me that I don’t always need to be my most perfect, “grownup” self, That I am allowed to relax and have fun, and do something wrong. Make a podcast about socks! In a world where everyone is desperate to grow up, remember to still be a kid, maybe even wear two different socks. I believe in mismatched socks.
1.Identify the central conflict and structure (cause and effect, transformation, categorical) of this piece. Provide ideas for enhancing the central conflict structure/arrangement.
The central conflict is about embracing one’s childhood and not missing out on the moments that make it memorable by trying to grow up too fast. This seems to be a transformation kind of piece, as the perspective on why you mismatched your socks changed as you got older. I like the way the story progresses, and the idea of it being a “game”. The only suggestion in terms of arrangement that I may have would be to look at the transition from second to third paragraph as it kind of goes from what you used to do, to being grown up, then back to being a kid, then transitioning to being a mature child.
2. Could the piece be more sensory or engaging if told another way? Comment on how the style could be strengthened. Provide an example from the draft.
I really like phrases like “fresh out of the dryer” and “pounding down the stairs” and overall I liked the style of the piece. “Perfect landscape for my adult life rather than on the playground” stood out to me as well, The only place I can think to add sensory details would be when discussing being an adult / writing a descriptive sensory thing about something outside your childhood.
3. Name some possibilities for deeper characterization. How could the “I” be developed further? Is there more you would like to know about the relationships between “characters”? Were some details “author oriented” instead of “audience oriented”?
4. Did the belief match up with the story? Offer some advice if you felt the piece moved toward a different conclusion.Comment on places to strengthen narrative coherence and narrative fidelity.
I thought the belief and the story matched up very well, as mismatched socks are often reminiscent with childhood and you’ve utilized that as a tool to embrace childlike excitement as a mature person.
5. Make a suggestion or two for something the author could move, change, add, or delete.
My only suggestion would be to maybe look at the transition mentioned earlier and maybe add some more aspects of things that you look to embrace in adulthood to still feel like a kid. Overall I loved it!!
1. Identify the central conflict and structure (cause and effect, transformation, categorical) of this piece. Provide ideas for enhancing the central conflict structure/arrangement.
The central conflict is about having a childish side in a moment in our lives where we are focused on our future life in the adult world. It seems to be a transformation structure because talking to her mother made her change her attitude towards her mismatched socks. As Martina said, I think everything’s great just the transition between the second and third paragraph. I would suggest keeping the chronology of events.
2. Could the piece be more sensory or engaging if told another way? Comment on how the style could be strengthened. Provide an example from the draft.
I think the story is engaging just as it is, and I don’t have anything to comment on.
3. Name some possibilities for deeper characterization. How could the “I” be developed further? Is there more you would like to know about the relationships between “characters”? Were some details “author oriented” instead of “audience oriented”?
The “I” is well developed and the characters of the story are necessary to it.
4. Did the belief match up with the story? Offer some advice if you felt the piece moved toward a different conclusion. Comment on places to strengthen narrative coherence and narrative fidelity.
The belief does match with the story, and I don’t have anything else to comment on.
5. Make a suggestion or two for something the author could move, change, add, or delete.
My only suggestion would be the same I did in #1.