One morning in mid-December, Syrian soldiers knocked on the door of a house in eastern Aleppo. A man who hadn’t stepped outside in four and a half years opened the door. That’s how Aleppo After the Fall begins. From that initial moment, the whole story unfolds in a way that centers the lived experiences of those on the ground. Robert Worth, the journalist who wrote this piece, doesn’t use many official sources or expert interviews. Instead, he builds a vivid description of Aleppo and the ongoing conflict in Syria through individual voices and scenes that help create a narrative. The structure of the piece almost mirrors how a conversation would unfold: in pieces, one at a time.
Additionally, by framing the piece in the way that he does, the reader is able to see that the story is not just about the Assad regime or the rebels fighting to stop it. It is a story framed by the lived experiences of ordinary citizens who must rebuild their lives every time conflict erupts. By the end of the piece, readers are able to see that the narratives surrounding the war were much murkier than any one person or perspective is able to explain.
Furthermore, the author started with the aftermath immediately and deviated from a structure that dramatically takes the reader from the before to the after. In my opinion, this was crucial in helping frame the overall piece. The non-linear structure of the article in general and its almost fragmented nature also helps guide the story along. Minimal intervention by the author also lends the story more legitimacy. The context that is provided to the reader only includes the necessary information they would need to assess the credibility of the people the writer interviewed. This gives space for ambiguity that resists framing either side as being in the right, something that left me feeling disoriented at times.
In contrast, the Time article on AI Warfare, captures the story from afar. The human figures behind the warfare being described are almost invisible. The story thus doesn’t necessarily have a main character. Instead, the story relies on experts to frame the discussion and provide analysis on new developments. This choice helps provide the piece with the credibility needed to discuss a groundbreaking technological system. In many ways, by framing the piece in the manner that she does, Yasmeen Serhan is able to show just how far removed modern warfare has become from human decision-making. Her piece seems to purposely be detached rather than personal. Unlike the other stories, I wasn’t immersed in an emotional narrative. Rather, I was compelled to confront the practical realities of what AI means for warfare.
Finally, in The Case of Jane Doe Ponytail, the frame shifts to a single shapeless human being at the start of the story. It tells the tragic story of Song Yang in reverse, starting first with her tragic fall off a balcony. A number of things stood out to me in this piece. First, the setting of the story, similar to Worth’s piece, helps ground the reader in a specific place and reality. Second, the writers end the piece in a way that underscores the humanity and daily struggles faced by countless vulnerable women like Song Yang. By writing the piece in the manner they did, Barry and Singer, wrote a piece that is truly remarkable in what it is able to make the reader feel.
