Though not a personal favorite, I enjoyed The Wife’s Story. It was kind of a twist. I didn’t know that they were not human until mid story. It is very interesting to see a “humanized” way of their story telling. It seemed like an ordinary household going through their own problems until the wife described the physical characteristics of her husband. Until then, they seemed to have human dialogue and such. Usually we would hear a story from a farmer, where the wolves were killing his/her livestock. Now, we have a different perspective, from the animal’s side, where they are hunting for their next meal. The story being told in first person creates an interesting perspective that we normally wouldn’t consider.
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!
The first person perspective was definitely crucial to the story. However, I wonder if it could be possible to tell in third person. With some skirting around, you could probably describe a wolf in a way that’d mirror the way you’d describe a human.
The “humanized” way of telling the story sells it as something else to the readers. I agree with your point of telling it from the wolves perspective hunting the meal instead of the farmers. Not a perspective a lot people take, but it’s nice to read when it’s done well.
I agree because many stories similar like this normally starts the same way but Le Guin made it in a way in which we were not, in a sense, prepared for the ending.
I agree on how the story is done well with a change of perspective. It can add a new depth on what is happening to certain characters.
I enjoyed the humanized story It Is something different and fresh with an unexpected twist.
The first person perspective definitely adds to the suspense of the story. Being able to hear everything happening to the wife firsthand, and being able to know her thoughts really adds to the story.