George Saunder’s “Escape from Spiderhead” from his collection of short stories entitled Tenth of December tells the story of Jeff and several other high-risk criminals who have volunteered to serve out their sentence being experimented on. The criminals give up control over their bodies and minds, allowing researchers to release different chemicals into their brains from their “MobiPak.” These chemicals affect everything from the criminal’s speech, emotions, decision making, and physical sensations. After making love to two women consecutively, (on a drug that makes him actually fall in love with them) Jeff is forced to watch the women suffer through the effects of a torturous chemical, Darkenfloxx, in order for the researchers to see if Jeff
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I’m not sure. This is something that I am still working on. However, I do think that it is an important key to writing a good short story. Specifically, when Jeff gives himself the Darkenfloxx, the fact that we are not invited into Jeff’s mind for an extensive explanation as to why he did it only adds to the story. The action was meant to be impulsive and it reads that way. In real life, when a person makes an impulsive decision, they usually do not stop to ponder on the pro’s and con’s of that decision. So, I guess if I had to formulate a theory as to how one chooses which moments to elaborate on and which not to, I’d say that the moment should mirror real life. If the action occurring would make a real-life person stop and think, then the character should follow suit. But, if the action is quick and impulsive, or rote and routine (something that would not normally be mulled over) then the story should move in such a way.
Saunder’s “Escape from Spiderhead” was my favorite story this semester. Saunder’s stories are all so different and intricate. His writing is much different than Tobias Wolff’s writing, which tends to be subtler and driven by internal conflict. I am excited to read more of Saunder’s work and use his stories as models for how I would like my writing to
I’m not sure. This is something that I am still working on. However, I do think that it is an important key to writing a good short story. Specifically, when Jeff gives himself the Darkenfloxx, the fact that we are not invited into Jeff’s mind for an extensive explanation as to why he did it only adds to the story. The action was meant to be impulsive and it reads that way. In real life, when a person makes an impulsive decision, they usually do not stop to ponder on the pro’s and con’s of that decision. So, I guess if I had to formulate a theory as to how one chooses which moments to elaborate on and which not to, I’d say that the moment should mirror real life. If the action occurring would make a real-life person stop and think, then the character should follow suit. But, if the action is quick and impulsive, or rote and routine (something that would not normally be mulled over) then the story should move in such a way.
Saunder’s “Escape from Spiderhead” was my favorite story this semester. Saunder’s stories are all so different and intricate. His writing is much different than Tobias Wolff’s writing, which tends to be subtler and driven by internal conflict. I am excited to read more of Saunder’s work and use his stories as models for how I would like my writing to