For the final project, I plan to write about my experience the past few months in juggling school and home life. Now, on the surface this seems like a relatively easy task but the truth of the matter is that it isn’t.
Last year right before the start of the school year, my father was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. He had many rounds of chemo and radiation that ended right before Thanksgiving when he was hopitizalized due to an infection. Even with all of radiation and chemotherapy, his doctors made it clear that he would need surgery to remove the tumor that was almost completely blocking his esophagus. His surgery was originally set for December 14. Then rescheduled for January 4th. That’s when this crazy life that I am living took hold. Over the last five months my father has been hospitalized because his first surgery was unsuccessful.
In this piece, I won’t be focusing on my father as much. Of course, he is the biggest piece of this crazy train but instead I will be focusing on my mother and the conversation that I have with her whilst all of this was going on. I want to shed light of the spouses that stand by and receive no recognition for all that they do. I also plan to showcase how hindsight really isn’t 20/20. To this day, I’m not sure how we have come to where we are now. I am hoping to answer my own questions about that with this work.
This was an idea that has been surfacing since the beginning of this whole ordeal. In this class, however, I would say that I plan to give enough but not everything away in the way of Frederick Douglass. He gave insight into his life but did not tell his audience about everything in his life or how he escaped. I will do something similar to that. Besides Douglass, I will be modeling Abani. My words will be true but powerful and artistic to an extent.
The keywords that I will be utilizing are counterargument, repetition, immersion, and perhaps some nonlinear narrative. Counterargument will come in with placing the focus on my mother instead of my father, though this comes about because of his sickness. I plan to argue that the spouse is the one that is more affected. Repetition is seen in each section of the piece as it starts the same. Immersion is what should happen to the reader if I am able to pull this off. As well, for nonlinear narrative this is counted as I start in the present and go to the past.
At the moment, I don’t know what I would do research on in regards to this concept. As for a sample paragraph, see below:
I want to write about your lies.
It’s dark. About nine o’clock in the evening and my phone is ringing again. It’s Mom.
“I’m here with your father…”she begins, her voice a unique mix of tired and chipper. “He’s a bit down; can you say some kind words to him?” He’s not listening to her again. His own selfish nature killing any kind and reassuring words as though they are trying to attack him.
“Hi, Dad. How are you?” He mumbles, not willing to give. “How was physical therapy?” When he answers, his voice is clear.
“Fine. It was good.” It wasn’t good. If he likes his physical therapist that meant the person isn’t doing his/her job properly. They aren’t pushing him.
“What’d you do?” His answer of “not much” was confirmation enough. “If they won’t push you, dad, you need to push yourself.” He was silent. “Dad.”
“I heard you!” He raises his voice.
“Jae,” Mom is back. “He pushed my hand away so I think he’s done talking tonight.” She sighs. “Thank you. I’ll let you go now, so you can get back to doing whatever you were doing.”
“Okay. Do you need anything?” I want to help her. I need to help her. He doesn’t.
“No, no I’ll be okay. I’m going to leave here in a bit and head home.” Her days are full of him, pleasing him, doing for him. She goes to work and as she gets off, she turns to come to him. Always him. Everything for him.
What I have right now is all of phone conversations with my mother. I’m not quite sure if that will continue or if this will expand to something more than it is right now. Will it stay as only phone conversations? That could be interesting. Or should I let the reader know more? I’m not completely sure. Does the reader need more information?
Timeless English 