In the first chapter of Patchett’s Truth and Beauty, I already admire her use of descriptions for scenery, her friends and herself. When she writes “cut up houses and makeshift rooms used to store graduate students through hard winters.” Or “Her little body, the body of an under fed eleven-year old was visibly shaking inside her giant sweaters.” It’s clear she has a knack for creating a picture for her readers. While reading I also enjoyed her dry and honest delivery. Patchett’s recount of her car accident and the effects of cancer treatment on Lucy are purposeful and vivid for character building. Is it safe to assume that Patchett is the narrative voice and main character of the novel? She doesn’t mention another name.  Â
About
Professor: Jessica Penner
Email: creative.writing.citytech2@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 too appreciated Patchett’s dry and honest delivery, especially when speaking about Lucy’s personal circumstances in her adult life, as it provided an objective view of her actions that I totally did not anticipate, as people tend to not extend such a straightforward and blunt perspective out to loved ones.