Patty's Response to Margot Ely

This chapter of Ely’s book focuses on some of the different forms that narrative research can take to better encapsulate the point of the author. She begins by discussing the importance of selecting a good title, one that draws the reader in. But the title is just the beginning. Once in, the reader must be presented with true stories that “glow with life” (p. 569). How the writer chooses to do so is very important. While the writer may be telling someone else’s story, they still have a creative license and their voice may be heard. That still may be done though while using the first person, as the first person “I” can usually present a story much more personally and heart felt. Because, lets face it, narrative research is no longer simply gathering and presenting of facts. Ethnography, for example, combines science and literary writing to present a narrative story. Poetry is a great method of narrative research that allows for so much more emotion in between each line. Poetry’s ability to communicate so much more meaning with so fewer words is amazing. Layered stories allowed the reader to see one event through a variety of perspectives, which enhance the readers understanding. An anecdote looks at all the possibilities of an important event, but one that is often over looked while a vignette is a short writing of something very important that has been learned. (p. 585) A pastiche is basically a poem, combined with an artistic element, which could be visual, musical, or theatrical. Its layers create deep meanings. Dramas can look back at the past, take place in the present, or look at what might happen in the future. They are often layered, complex, and thought provoking. Finally, Ely states that it is important to create, or have, a persona when creating a narrative. She states that a persona is the writer’s “personal stamp on one’s work. That work must also clearly stand for something. It must contribute.” (p. 596)

This was one of the last readings that I read, but I wish that it had been one of the first. I really enjoyed learning about all of the different forms that narrative research writings can take. Before I took this class, I thought writing had to stick to an “A, B, C… and so on” framework. I guess it was all that strict IB schooling. My eyes were opened in our short week. I never saw writing as art. I love the line, “Our stories must glow with life” (p.569) because that is something I always thought about when it came to my art. Of course that could also translate to writing! Also, when I would hear the word ‘research’, I would think library, books, journals, and countless hours of boredom. Research doesn’t have to mean that, but could mean going to a museum or interviewing people like we did in class. This article just reinforced what I learned in our week of class. Narrative research writing has so many possibilities and so many opportunities for creativity and learning. My eyes are open to a whole new art form. A pastiche is so close to a visual poem. I love these! I really could incorporate a pastiche project into my elementary art room. I love the idea of layered stories, and will share this idea with some of my language art teacher friends. I also thought the simple example with Mei Ling’s story was eye opening. What a difference with a simple change in point of view. This article gave so many concrete examples; it was really very informative and helpful.