Monday, January 28, 2013

Story Corps Interview Analysis 7

http://storycorps.org/listen/daniel-ross/

Daniel Ross is a former crystal meth addict in prison for aggravated assault of an officer, but he serves as one of many inmate firefighters lightening the workload during wildfires in the western United States. His story shows a man who regrets his crimes and is stricken by the realization that people see him as a hero. It's a story of growth and personal redemption, and it has a strong emotional core when he tells of his reaction to the gratitude so many people had for his actions.

Possible questions:
What is it like to be in the middle of an inferno?
Did people see you in a different light when you were on the job?
How did it feel to be treated like a hero?
Was there any particular moment when someone thanked you for helping them?
What effect did these experiences have on you?

1. The listener immediately shares Daniel's feeling of danger and fear when he describes his surroundings in the middle of a forest fire.
2. He talks about how people treat him differently on the job, even if they know that he's a convict.
3. The perception of these men is further illustrated when the people of a town they were working at donated them a prime rib dinner.
4. When he finds out that the people serving them at the dinner were volunteering civilians, it shows just how deeply his actions have effected the world, and the gratitude and admiration that people feel for him.
5.  Daniel's need to step away and compose himself shows how greatly their admiration has resonated.
6. The pride he feels in his service as a firefighter shows his growth and change from the man he was when he was first convicted.

http://storycorps.org/listen/philip-susan-mcclinton/

Philip and Susan McClinton met in a topless bar where he was bouncing and she was trying to win some money at amateur night. From there, they began dating and eventually married, working together on gaining degrees in biology despite their mutual ninth grade education.

Possible questions:
How did you meet?
What was your first real interaction together?
What was the hardest experience you ever shared?
Who had the most difficulty getting the degree?
How would you summarize your relationship?

1. The abrupt nature of the story's beginning pulls the listener in and makes them curious to see how this situation could unfold.
2. The fact that Susan was competing in amateur night to win some money and support her children shows what kind of person she is, as well as how far she's willing to go for her family.
3. When Philip says that he looked at her and could tell that she was someone who didn't belong there, it shows more about her character, as well as his perceptive and caring nature.
4. When they talk about working together on biology degrees, despite their shared inability to pass 10th grade, it shows their dedication to one another and their willingness to better themselves together.
5. Philip's struggle with school and Susan's persistence in helping him through it shows the struggle they shared in this pursuit.
6. Susan refers to their love as a 'rescue romance' because they saved each other, giving an appropriately sentimental ending to a story that began on such a shocking note.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Story Corps Interview Analysis 6

http://storycorps.org/listen/edith-green-and-her-granddaughter-chaya/

Possible questions:
How did you meet the man that did this to you?
What was your relationship with him like in the time leading up to the incident?
What, if anything, do you think instigated his attack?
What happened that night?
Did you ever hear anything of him after he was sent to prison?

1. Edith talks about how they were perfectly happy platonic acquaintances, thereby establishing the norm, which is doomed to be broken.
2. She describes a night in which she went to a play with one of her other friends in New York and saw him there, following her. This begins to rouse suspicion and fear, with good reason.
3. On the fateful night, she tells of the gun being drawn with such immediacy that it surprises the listener.
4. When she says she didn't see the gun or hear the bullet, it gives the reader a deeper understanding of the suddenness and absolute shock of the situation.
5. She provides very visceral details of the damage the bullet did to her.
6. Chaya, Edith's granddaughter, talks about how she had only ever known her grandmother in crutches, but also talks about how it never slowed her down or kept her from living her life as she wanted.

http://storycorps.org/listen/julie-sanders-and-randy-blazak/

Possible questions:
What lead you to this group?
What was your typical routine?
Could you describe that night?
Did you know anything about the man who was killed, or make an effort to learn about him afterward?
Have you ever forgiven yourself for being involved in this murder?

1. Julie talks about the feelings of exclusion and neglect that eventually lead her into the fold of a white supremacist group, because all she had to do to be loved and accepted by them was be white.
2. When they couldn't find anybody to harass, the group would usually turn on her, depicting further isolation and abuse within the only group that would accept her.
3. Being nearly strangled to death by her boyfriend shows the cruelty of the people she associated herself with, and the depths of her desperation that she would be willing to stay with them.
4. She shows the guilt she felt when she describes the man she watched die, saying that he was born in Ethiopia, and had a son, but, "we only saw black."
5. She talks about her struggle to raise her sons to become better than herself, and the pride she feels at their kindness, for example, one of her sons, who protects a crossdresser at his school from ridicule.
6. She says that she will never forgive herself for being part of the incident, and shows that, while many emotional journeys can have neat, concise resolutions, guilt does not.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Story Corps Interview Analysis 4

http://storycorps.org/listen/mark-and-jessie-edens/

Police Officer Mark Edens tells his daughter about a night when he had to deliver the news to a woman that her husband was killed in a car accident, and tell a child  that his father wasn't coming home. The story interested me because I've had no shortage of moments in my life in which someone had delivered me terrible news, or had to comfort someone as they received bad news of their own. It's never easy to be the person who tells someone something like that, but those who can endure it, and do their best to help the loved ones process and accept it, are truly admirable people.

Possible questions:
How do you feel other people perceive you when you're on the job?
What was the most difficult or memorable moment in your career?
How did you break the news to his wife?
Why did  you decide to tell the boy yourself instead of letting the mother handle it?
How do you feel about this part of the job, and your experiences with it?

1. Mark's first words in the story, Most of my interaction with people was the worst moment of their life,” shows how aware he is of other people's perception of him, and what role he tends to play in their lives.
2. When he tells us about arriving on the scene of a car accident and identifying the body as someone he knew, the circumstances immediately becomes more personal, drawing the listener in.
3. He mentions how most people prefer to tell the loved ones about the accident and immediately leave, but he chooses to take her inside and comfort her, help her process the news. It seems as though he isn't simply doing this because he knows her, but because this is how he generally prefers to deliver bad news, even to strangers.
4. When Mark chooses to tell the child of the victim what had happened to his father, he accepts the responsibility of delivering something so heartbreaking to a child. He knows, in that moment, that they don't need to hear something so devastating from someone with tears in their eyes. They need to hear it from someone calm and strong, to lead by example, and since he was the person most detached from the situation, that someone was him.
5. He accepts the solemn duty of delivering a death message to someone because, despite it's unpleasant and often heart-wrenching nature, because it needs to come from somebody who can withstand the raw emotion of such an event, while still remaining a compassionate shoulder to cry on.

http://storycorps.org/listen/randy-and-judy-pilgrim/

Judy and Randy Pilgrim tell the story of their son, Lance, a Sergeant in the Army who returned home and was discharged for his abuse of prescribed medication to deal with his PTSD. He died of an accidental overdose shortly after returning home, and was denied a military funeral because of his dishonorable discharge.

As someone with members of the military in my family, and friends planning on entering the military, I always find myself dreading the possibility that a situation such as this could come to pass. However, my first thought is sympathy for the countless families who do go through this in the wake of every war, dealing with the physically and emotionally damaged survivors of the most confusing and scarring circumstances ever invented by man.

Possible questions:
What was the first sign, to you, that something was different about Lance?
How would you say he was different?
What lead to his discharge from the Army?
What were your feelings about the day leading up to his passing?
Did he receive a military funeral?

1. The line at the beginning of the story referring to when they tried to drive around a dead deer in the road and Lance broke down crying immediately pulls the listener in and puts a harsh depiction of PTSD up front.
2. When Lance told his father about how, in Iraq, they weren't allowed to let anything slow them down, so they ran over dead bodies in the street. This gives a first glimpse into the cause of his PTSD, and why the war effected him so greatly.
3. Randy describes his son after returning from war as, "almost helpless," compared to the strong, independent young man who had left, showing the transformation Lance underwent in the eyes of his parents.
4. Randy's reflection on the day before his son's death shows a crushing amount of regret and guilt, wishing that he could simply do it over again and offer his son more support in his time of need.
5. He says that they requested a military funeral, but, in light of his recent discharge, it was denied.
6. Judy tells of how the Army reviewed the facts and got his discharge reclassified as an honorable one, but it was two years after he had passed. Details such as these display the additional tragedy of the situation, that he had endured so much and done so much for his country, and because of the addiction he suffered from due to his psychological damage, he was denied the posthumous honor he deserved for his service and his sacrifice.

Friday, January 18, 2013

CPR- Book One- Blog One

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin is considered one of the most refreshing and captivating fantasy novels of all time, and the beginning of a series that completely redefined the genre. I was first introduced to the book through a friend's recommendation. He tried to sell me on it by describing which parts and which characters were most "badass", but upon looking a little deeper, I saw the book's widespread critical acclaim  for its character development and risk taking in defying the long-established norms of the fantasy genre.

My interest in the book was doubled by the popularity of the HBO series inspired by the novels. I've always had a habit to read the book before watching the movie, or, in this case, show. Perhaps it's just my petty urge to feel superior to everyone who doesn't, but I digress, everything I had seen of the show peeked my curiosity and made me want to learn more about this deep, richly developed world inhabited by intriguing and unique characters, or so I'd been told.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Story Corps Interview Analysis 3

http://storycorps.org/listen/teresa-diane-tells-his-name-and-bonnie-buchanan/

Diane Tells His Name talks with her daughter, Bonnie Buchanan, about first discovering that she was an adopted Native American, and the decision she and her husband made to adopt a child from the same tribe themselves. It's understandable and relatable to hear a story of not fitting in, feeling out of place, even in your own family, and to generally think that you don't belong. It's uplifting to hear about her discovering why she was different, and being able to turn that into an improvement in the life of a child, as well as in her own.

My mother was adopted, and later on, she gave our sister (whom I never knew about until I was six) up for adoption. But now, she has become a part of our family, and her children along with her. I can see the meaning of such stories, of families brought closer together by isolation, because in many ways, it's my story.

Possible questions:
When did you first begin to realize that you were different?
What sort of things made you feel out of place in your family?
When did you find out that you were adopted?
What motivated you to adopt a child from your tribe?
What lead you to choose Bonnie for adoption?

1. Diane describes differences, both physical and mental, between her sister and herself, which led her to realize that she didn't fit in. This also establishes feelings of isolation, separation, and inadequacy, which is to be expected in such a situation.
2. When she talks about, "going through family albums looking for my face in old photographs," Diane shows her curiosity at such a young age, and her desire to know the truth, but also to see if she ever fit in at all.
3. She also says that when she saw old pictures of herself, "I didn't see me." This depicts her lack of identity when she realizes that she's an odd, mismatched piece in the puzzle that is her family, but she doesn't know why.
4. When she was finally told that she was adopted, Diane recalls a sense of relief and elation that she "wasn't crazy," and that the questions that had troubled her throughout her childhood had finally been answered.
5. Deciding to adopt a child from her tribe brings a full-circle sense of completion to her story, and shows how willing she is to take in the life she was not aware of for so long.
6. The brief anecdote regarding which child they chose to adopt brings a sense of levity and humor, as well as painting a more detailed picture of the relationship between this mother and her adopted child.


http://storycorps.org/listen/marcela-gaviria-and-dempsey-springfield/

This is the story of Marcela Gaviria and Dempsey Springfield, a young girl who nearly lost her leg to bone cancer, and a doctor who went the extra mile, not only to heal her, but to give her hope. Their trust and familiarity continues to this day because of his kindness and dedication.

The story of this doctor and patient goes to show how far an act of kindness can go, and what a difference an encouraging soul can have on the life of a child. Whether they be a doctor or a teacher or a parent, a simple gesture of kindness and good faith can spark an unforgettable change in a life.

Possible questions:
What was it like having Dr. Springfield as a doctor?
What was it like having Marcela as a patient?
Why do you still go to Dr. Springfield?
Has your relationship gone beyond doctor-patient over the years?
How does it feel to look at Marcela now, after all this time, and after all she's been through?

1. Marcela describes in detail what Dempsey was like, how he looked and acted, when he came to visit her in the hospital. It shows what an impression he left on her and how he made her feel in his efforts to cheer her up.
2.When Dempsey says that he kept moving and she kept following, she responds saying that she never trusted other doctors as much as him.
3."Every scar in my leg has something to do with you," is a line from the story that, given the context isn't as negative as it might sound. It shows that despite her hardship, she can still look at the marks that others might  consider disfiguring and think of the kind man who helped her when she needed it most.
4. When Dempsey says that hers was the first wedding of one of his patients that he had ever attended, it shows the connection these two have.
5. He recalls getting up at the crack of dawn to get to the hospital early, showing his dedication to a patient, and his overall desire to help.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Story Corps Interview Analysis 2

http://storycorps.org/listen/reginald-mason/

Reginald Mason tells the story of his life growing up with no father, where his mother was left to raise him, feed him, and prepare him for a world that would not do him any favors, alone. Sometimes, that meant that luxuries like lights and heat and new clothes had to be sacrificed. He points out that she was very strict, and did not even say 'I love you' until he was 35 years old, but also recognizes that it was what she needed to do to prepare him for the real world.

Possible questions:
What was your home like growing up in your home?
What was your mother's approach to raising you alone?
Did other children at school ever say anything about your situation?
What was the hardest part of growing up?
How was your relationship with your mother different in later years?

1. The story begins with Mr. Mason establishing what it was like in his home growing up. He says, "I remember many months with no lights."
2. Detailing his fathers death, he explains that his mother took upon herself the responsibility of making him a man, as well as keeping a roof over his head.This explains why she was so strict as a parent, and did not even tell him she loved him until he was 35.
3. Reginald tells of other children picking on him and joking about his misfortune, showing that even in a low-income community, he and his mother were considered poor. If their situation didn't sink in when he said they had to go several months without lights, it certainly did here.
4. He talks about watching his mother struggle to make ends meet, doing jobs that were slowly destroying her body, and recalls his desire to lighten the load by making 'fast money' hustling, and how his mother would have been outraged if she'd seen him in that line of work. This shows that, despite her tough approach, she's still a dedicated mother who would never let her son take the wrong path in life.
5. Reginald tells a story of several years later, when he visited his mother in a nursing home and told her that he had gotten a promotion at work and she smiled and said, "It was all worth it." This shows that through all the tough times, all she had on her mind was giving him a better life. When she acted strict or harsh, it was only to give him a chance at a better life than she had, and that is all any parent ever wants for their child.

http://storycorps.org/listen/harvey-hilbert/

Harvey Hillbert recalls an experience he had during the Vietnam War, in which he was wounded and faced certain death. He describes in gruesome detail the sounds of a man dying slowly somewhere in the jungle as he struggles to stay awake with a bullet in his head.

Hillbert's story makes apparent the horrors of war, the ugly truth of what it's like to take a life, and to see lives taken around you, and what effect it leaves  on a veteran. It makes me realize how fortunate I am to live in a relatively peaceful part of the world. It makes me see what a tremendous debt I and every other man and woman owe to those who have endured the true hardships of war.

Possible questions:
Which memory of your time in the war has stuck with you the most?
Could you tell who was running towards you?
Were you fully conscious after being shot?
What was it like to try and remain calm with such an injury?
What was your most endearing memory of that day?

1. The use of military terminology makes the story seem more grounded, more deeply in his perspective.
2. Describing the man he saw go out into the jungle for the listing post and how familiar he was establishes the person more effectively than simply saying, "Another soldier went out into the jungle."
3. The long sigh just as he begins to delve into the attack builds a dramatic pause and allows the listener to build up an idea in their minds of the severity of what they are about to be told.
4. Hillbert claims that he couldn't tell which side was coming at him in that moment, all he knew was that there were men with rifles and machine gun fire coming his way. This gives the listener a glimpse into the confusion and shock that accompanies such an event, especially when it first begins.
5. When Hillbert fired at the oncoming troops, he said that a man fell to the ground, screaming in pain, and he recognized him as someone he had met. The slight quiver in his voice once again increases the intensity of the story.
6. He details the experience of lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the head, listening as the man he shot screams in agony. He says that despite all the years that have past, he can still recall the young man's face, the color of his skin, and his cries. The last line leaves an appropriate impact: "There's a legacy of war that lasts forever."


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Story Corps Interview Analysis

http://storycorps.org/listen/john-cruitt-and-cecile-doyle/

Possible questions:
Where were you when you heard that your mother had died?
Why did you feel compelled to attend the funeral?
When did you decide to contact Mrs. Doyle again?
How did you feel when you received John's letter?
Did you say anything to John to try and comfort him?

1. The story began by detailing the day John heard of his mother's death, and by hearing it in his words, and told in this way, we feel equally blindsided by it.
2. When Mrs. Doyle shared the story of dealing with her father's death, it gave clearer motivation to her actions and made it clear why she was so sympathetic toward a student.
3. The fact that John became a teacher when he grew up shows the impact of her actions and the influence a teacher can have.
4. The reading of the letter is a good detail that makes the listener feel more involved in the lives of the subjects and in the story.
5. Mrs. Doyle's statement about the importance of the letter is very powerful. It implies that he was there for her during a troubling time in her life, just as she was for him all those years ago. It creates a full circle resolution to the story and tightens the relationship between the two subjects in the eyes of the listener.
6. Ending on a bit of humor lightened the subject matter and reminded the listener of how close and familiar these two have become due to a single act of kindness.

This story caught my attention and effected me in a way I wasn't expecting. Growing up, I didn't have a lot of teachers who believed in me. In fact, I had quite a few who did the opposite. However, all it takes is one act of good faith and kindness to bond two people for life, and on the occasions when I have shared that connection with a teacher, it doesn't go away. It grows. This story is a prime example of that. Mrs. Doyle's kindness and compassion effected John very deeply at a time when he needed it most. It inspired him to become a teacher. And over fifty years later, it is still with him.

http://storycorps.org/listen/marilyn-gonzalez-and-jessica-pedraza/

How did you feel when you heard your daughter had enlisted?
What inspired you to enlist alongside your mother?
Was it hard to resist maternal instincts in lieu of military formality?
What was life like on deployment together?
How does it feel now that you share this bond?

1. The mother's expression of her anger when she first hears about her daughter enlisting shows her concern and her care, but also establishes a transformation toward the end of the story.
2. The same situation shown from the daughter's perspective provides insight into her motivation for joining alongside her mother.
3. Talking about the bizarre nature of their relationship during service shows what they had to go through and what it was like to serve side by side as mother and daughter.
4. Details about their interactions overseas remind the listener that despite the formal nature of a military relationship, a mother was still a mother, and those impulses were extremely difficult to suppress.
5. They discuss  their relationship after this experience and it marks the monumental change they both had, the new bond that they share, and the new way in which they see one another.