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.