ENG1141
Creative Writing
Formal Critique
Reviewer’s Name: Angelica Salazar
Title of Piece: “Whatever Happened to ___” Author’s Name: Anonymous
Plot: I like how the author mentioned the outcome of toxic masculinity and how it affects women.I believe that it is still a current issue that many women still face till this day, they are told to do certain things or act a certain way around men, or that the majority of the males in the families are the “bread-winners”. I especially liked how the author not only mentioned herself but she spoke in terms of “us” including all those who have suffered through toxic masculinity.
My question to anonymous would be what was your daughter like in between all of this? How did the divorce process affect her?
Characters: after reading “Whatever Happened to __” I would describe anonymous as a resilient person as she struggles with having a husband that was threatening her life. She raised her daughter and worked as a teacher for a steady income, she still made time even if it was late at night to write for her books or stories.
My question to anonymous would be where were your parents throughout this whole process? Did they know about this issue? Were they supportive?
Voice & Style
I like how the author would switch back and forth between the two stories of the car ride back from the writer’s retreat and how she struggled with her daughter because of her jealous abusive husband. I was able to visualize and empathize with what the author was trying to portray.
Dialogue: I enjoyed how the author structured this essay, she wrote about her experience as a writer. The author wrote as if she was talking to us directly, telling us how she struggled to continue to write. I like how she started off the essay with a conversation with someone from the writers retreat and transitioned to her life experience and how it had to do with how women sacrifice a lot for their families or other happiness.
Hi Angelica, good job on the critique! I liked how you mentioned how the author spoke with the term “us” to include all the women who have also suffered from toxic masculinity. It’s great that she was raising a type of awareness for the victims of domestic violence.
Angelica, I enjoy reading you’re critique. When you say that the character of anonymous is a resilient person, I agree because living in a toxic marriage , being a full time mom and a college professor did not stop her to take time to do what passionate her and also be able to leave her home to take her child out.
I agree how the beginning throws for the reader talking about the car pool. I didn’t expect the story to start talking about her personal life with her husband and daughter. I definitely give her credit of being a strong woman to cover come all the issues she had going on.