RCL #3: Angling The Narrative…

Addario’s It’s What I Do captured my attention in a manner that no other novel has, and I would like to address the importance of one of her most crucial writing strategies: angling the narrative. Throughout the second part of Addario’s novel, I remember feeling as if I had been given the option to empathize with both sides of the war seeing as Addario was giving a firsthand look into the lives of those in the middle east and the lives of the western journalists and photojournalists inhabiting the area. Although some of the locals that Addario had conversed with along the way vocalized their opposition to the American establishment, many had sided with the troops from across the seas after they had been freed from authority figures such as former president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. Specifically, the images painted on page ninety-eight of the book create a scene that I find particularly vivid and compelling. Addario states that it is better to visit zones of war that have just been captured or fallen because the individuals living in those areas are more willing to talk, so Addario sets out with her colleagues to speak with the locals. I was compelled by the large number of Iraqis who had immediately began using the palace of Saddam Hussein for personal pleasure after it was discovered that he was no longer there. Individuals were stealing air-conditioning units, touring the atriums of the palace, and even having picnics in the grass out front. Addario could have just left the book mentioning only the instances where America was insulted, but she made sure to include every instance that shone a different light on the individuals of the middle east.

Since my passion addresses many of my favorite musicians, I would benefit from angling the narrative in a manner that shed all lights on the artists versus just the positive ones I have been accustomed to. It would be interesting to address any controversy that has surrounded the musicians I will be writing about in my passion blog since they have acted as role models for me over the years. I believe that angling the narrative brought more power to Addario’s work and drew in more of an audience since both sides were accurately portrayed from the standpoint of a western photojournalist.  This is a crucial writing strategy for writers because it allows the writer to gain trust and respect from the audience. The work put forth by these authors will be positively received therefore gaining the author reputation. I plan to adopt this strategy in my upcoming passion blog posts.

One thought on “RCL #3: Angling The Narrative…

  1. I really liked your insight to how Addario angled the narrative. This is not a strategy I would have picked up on. Rereading that passage I can clearly see what you’re talking about and it really does enhance the story. I am interested to see how you incorporate this into your blog as I never thought about how various controversies surrounding musicians could be looked at from a different light. If I were you, however, I would be careful to ensure that I didn’t go too far trying to understand their behavior and wind up sympathizing with reprehensible behavior. This is a really good idea for your blog and I can’t wait to see it in action.

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