The readings for this week included examples of powerful first person narratives, combining the personal experience of the author interacting with other characters to tell a story about culture. Both Peter Hessler and Deborah Amos’s stories were discussions of activities occurring due to circumstances specific to their location.
Hessler’s article discussing the trash collection process in Cairo not only explained why the system operates within the informal economy, but showed a snapshot of cultural beliefs through the garbage collector Sayyid. This article I find particularly powerful because the reader is let into Hessler’s world, as we move chronologically through his experiences with Sayyid. An article discussing statistics about religious practices, divorce rates, or drug problems in Cairo would not be able to show the interaction of these three elements within the society, much less convey a convincing narrative about the realities of life. It is helpful to tell this story through Hessler’s perspective also because it allows us to have interiority with Sayyid. Excluding the first person element could have made the story less convincing if it claimed to know a great deal about Sayyid without telling the reader how a relationship between him and Hessler was built before that information was shared.
Similarly, Amos’s story describes a nightclub scene in the first person voice. As the reader, understanding how Amos was able to enter the club gave the story a greater legitimacy, as it is clear that the actions of other characters was not preformative. Readers are then able to gain access to areas like the women’s restroom, understanding the pretenses under which the information is being gained. When Amos is describing her uneasy feelings, the reader can also better picture the scene in the nightclub and its atmosphere. With an article like this where the author is posing to be someone they are not, I wonder about the ethical limits for the information they can include, even if it is from the first person perspective. When a source is giving quotes, we are able to use whatever they said since it is attributed, and I am curious if that rule also applies for an author writing in first person.
I found some of the tips mentioned in the article about interviewing particularly useful. Especially in long-form writing, I understand the importance of cultivating a relationship with an interviewee, and making sure they see you as more than a robot reporter. I liked the tip about asking to meet in the source’s house, since you are given an opportunity to see parts of their life in pictures on the walls and have a greater sense of their lived experiences. I would also agree with the point that, once a main character is found, the story practically writes itself.
