Reading Response exam on Brownstein
“Hunger makes me a modern girl” by Carrie Brownstein
Short essay, minimum of 700 words total.
We’ve discussed the concept of “show, don’t tell” as a method to invoke the reader’s emotions, to invite them into an empathetic space. However, Brownstein is a musical artist rather than an artist of writing. Reflect on how she executes “show don’t tell” using three different examples from the book (use pg. numbers where needed). Provide a mixture of her successes and failures in “show don’t tell.” Evaluate each instance you provide as a failure or success. In your reasoning, use as many literary and craft devices as you can for your explanations.
Explain why, other than her background differing from a writer’s, she might have made these authorial choices. In other words, if there are areas wherein she tells rather than shows, explain what reasons might necessitate her to do so. Lastly, explain what you take away from this book in terms of your own creative writing and your understanding of creative nonfiction.