Patchett’s work is very descriptive and can be very captivating. However, this can sometimes have a positive or negative affect on readers. Since there is a lot of descriptive language to create imagery, some readers can become overwhelmed and no longer want to continue reading. At the same time, readers who really enjoy a lot of descriptive language, this text would be perfect and make the reader want to continue reading. A question I have for the author is, “Why was Lucy so important to Ann, other than being friends?”
About
Professor: Jessica Penner
Email: creative.writing.citytech@gmail.com
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. I’ll be available through Zoom and will send an invitation via email that you should keep all semester. Try to join my meeting at the start of the hour, not at the end—since I may be talking to other students or have another appointment after the hour is up. If those times don’t work with your schedule, we can schedule a different time. This means you’ll have to schedule an appointment in advance. I suggest you have multiple times in mind, since your schedule may not mesh with mine!
I was definitely on the side of “overwhelmed” and even agitated because of the amount of description in the writing. To me, it started to feel like padding when I knew there was an actual story to be told. Description is good, but I think writers should stick to the most important parts unless the description comes to affect the story at some point.