Writing Techniques

I really enjoyed both Emergency and The Things They Carried, particularly because the writing styles used in each were so different. Emergency used a lot of dialogue which made it feel like you were present in the scene. The language used also gave you an idea of what the main character was like. Phrases like "bent over in the posture of a child soiling its diaper" (275) and its "tasted the way urine smelled" (277) are oddly descriptive sayings that a normal person would not think of. They are definitely the way a nurse thinks. It is clear that she is unphased by normal things, as she so calmly states that "around 3:30 AM a guy with a knife in his eye came in" (275). I have an aunt that is a nurse and this is exactly how she reacts to things - almost nothing can surprise her anymore.

In The Things They Carried, the language was extremely detailed. Sentences were long and descriptive, and there was almost no dialogue. At points it felt like I was reading someone's diary. I really liked how the word "carried" had so many different meanings. It could refer to emotions, drugs, a body, a "grandmother's distrust for the white man" (367), condoms, a diary, and rock, comic books, etc. The list goes on and on. The language was very dense and heavy, like how I imagine constantly being surrounded by death and violence would feel. One particular line that stuck out to me was "And they dreamed of freedom birds" (382). These men dream of being free, living life without the fear of dying, and being with those who they love. It was written in its own single line, which I believe added to its dramatic effect.