The reason, I believe, has to do with the first person narrative, which, as we discussed in class, brings the reader much closer to Dana’s thoughts, emotions, and adventures. Furthermore, the uncontrollable aspect of time travel pulls the reader in even more because it causes both Dana and the reader to look for something to anchor to. Unlike most of the books we have read up until this point, the style of narrative causes the reader to become emotionally invested in what happens to Dana, and this causes her to become our anchor, just as Rufus and Kevin become her anchors. Additionally, because this is not an alternative history, but rather a visit into our very real history, that distance between the reader and the narrative is collapsed further, which causes the reader to become more invested in what happens. The realistic nature of this novel, despite the time travel, brings the reader perhaps closer than they are comfortable. I’m interested to see what happens to Dana as the novel goes onward, especially now that I’ve realized why I’m so attached to her.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Falling in Love with Kindred
From the very beginning of Kindred, I was engrossed. I was taken in
by the characters, by Dana’s situation, by the relationships between the past
and the present. It was only after class today that I realized a possible
reason for my immediate investment into this text was the removal of the
distance between the narrator and the reader. Although I loved the previous
texts we have read (with the possible exception of The Man in the High Castle, but that’s a different issue), this
text called to me in some way that the others didn’t. I read to page 106 before
I realized I’d passed the point necessary for class today. I’ve made a habit of
devouring books, and this one pulled me in the same way many books I read for
pleasure do.
The reason, I believe, has to do with the first person narrative, which, as we discussed in class, brings the reader much closer to Dana’s thoughts, emotions, and adventures. Furthermore, the uncontrollable aspect of time travel pulls the reader in even more because it causes both Dana and the reader to look for something to anchor to. Unlike most of the books we have read up until this point, the style of narrative causes the reader to become emotionally invested in what happens to Dana, and this causes her to become our anchor, just as Rufus and Kevin become her anchors. Additionally, because this is not an alternative history, but rather a visit into our very real history, that distance between the reader and the narrative is collapsed further, which causes the reader to become more invested in what happens. The realistic nature of this novel, despite the time travel, brings the reader perhaps closer than they are comfortable. I’m interested to see what happens to Dana as the novel goes onward, especially now that I’ve realized why I’m so attached to her.
The reason, I believe, has to do with the first person narrative, which, as we discussed in class, brings the reader much closer to Dana’s thoughts, emotions, and adventures. Furthermore, the uncontrollable aspect of time travel pulls the reader in even more because it causes both Dana and the reader to look for something to anchor to. Unlike most of the books we have read up until this point, the style of narrative causes the reader to become emotionally invested in what happens to Dana, and this causes her to become our anchor, just as Rufus and Kevin become her anchors. Additionally, because this is not an alternative history, but rather a visit into our very real history, that distance between the reader and the narrative is collapsed further, which causes the reader to become more invested in what happens. The realistic nature of this novel, despite the time travel, brings the reader perhaps closer than they are comfortable. I’m interested to see what happens to Dana as the novel goes onward, especially now that I’ve realized why I’m so attached to her.
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I agree, I am really enjoying this book! I like the fact that we are close to "Dana's thoughts, emotions, and adventures" because I think that is what a fictional novel is supposed to do. "The uncontrollable aspect of time travel" allows us to become connected to the past as well as Dana because, I agree, she is the only thing to "anchor" us to reality.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I think why I have liked Kindred more than the other texts we have read so far this year is because its first person and we, as readers, connect with Dana more than other characters we have encountered this far. Also, as you mentioned, because she travels back to a real era in history, I think it is easier for the reader to accept her time travel because we are carried with her as she travels between the two time periods.
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