Hooking the Reader's Interest in "Six Grey Arches" and "A Hesitant Man" Comparison Essay by Metro
Hooking the Reader's Interest in "Six Grey Arches" and "A Hesitant Man"
A comparison and contrast of the techniques used to hook the reader's interest in Emma Martin's "Six Grey Arches" and Lawrence Patchett's "A Hesitant Man".
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| 2014
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From the Paper:
"Martin's Six Grey Arches, and Patchett's A Hesitant Man, both rely on their respective narrative style choices as a means to grab their readers' attention at the outset of their stories. Martin opts for a second person narrative, and the reader is immediately transformed into the main protagonist, thus invoking a curiosity in them to read on and discover who they have become. The short story's opening setting is set simply, in a playground, with the protagonist sitting in a swing that is too small for them. This seemingly mundane opening hooks the reader's attention in a way that would not be possible in any other narrative style, as through the second person narrative it does not matter the setting. Because the second person narrative is relatively uncommon, combined with its effect of turning the reader into an almost 'surrogate' for the protagonist, the reader is hooked immediately from the outset out of a strange desire to discover this alternate self within Martin's short story."Patchett's choice of a first person narrative for his short story, A Hesitant Man, operates similarly to Martin, in that it grabs the reader's attention almost immediately from the beginning. Within the first few sentences the reader is told by the narrator about the situation he faces; a sinking ship. Due to the subject nature of the story, naturally a reader's attention would be hooked regardless with such an opening, however by choosing to employ a first person narrative, Patchett makes this much stronger. The narrative choice allows the reader to enter the psyche of the protagonist and get a firsthand account of his fears and experiences of the situation. When the reader is informed by the protagonist that "[i]n fear and obedience I'd followed orders" (Patchett 151), one cannot help but reach the conclusion that if a different narrative choice was made, such as a third person omniscient or even limited narrative style, that such would not have the same effect of grabbing the reader's immediate attention. The first person narrative creates immediate empathy with the narrator, as well as a psychological bond between him and the reader, and thus our interest in the character's wellbeing is ensured immediately, and as is our attention."
Cite this Comparison Essay:
APA Format
Hooking the Reader's Interest in "Six Grey Arches" and "A Hesitant Man" (2014, June 24)
Retrieved September 27, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/comparison-essay/hooking-the-reader-interest-in-six-grey-arches-and-a-hesitant-man-153935/
MLA Format
"Hooking the Reader's Interest in "Six Grey Arches" and "A Hesitant Man"" 24 June 2014.
Web. 27 September. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/comparison-essay/hooking-the-reader-interest-in-six-grey-arches-and-a-hesitant-man-153935/>