The creative nonfiction genre of writing carefully balances the tightrope of storytelling elements and truthful reflections that educate readers through a personal perspective lens. To put it differently, the primary focal point of nonfiction writing is to attempt to confront reality while allowing the audience to grasp the author’s impulse to document. Storytelling in reference to the “documentary impulse” has the organized intention of engaging an audience with a resonating central point that often surrounds the perspective of the author. With this in mind, defining the “documentary impulse” has to coincide with John Grierson’s definition of documentary which is, “the creative treatment of actuality”. Creative nonfiction writers are literally putting a documentary together on paper. Ultimately, the act of recording reality with either a personal or public aim in order to preserve a perspective lens is the goal of creative nonfiction because it becomes intertwined with reflective insights.
A perfect example of reflective insight is demonstrated by John T. Price in the essay titled, “The Burnt Plane”. Immediately, the author lets the reader know the story setting, a brief timeframe, and a tone of reflection in the first two lines. “As Jason Murphy’s mom drove us to the farm, I wondered how it would look now that his dad was dead. It had almost been a year” (Price 241). As a quick side note it is worth mentioning that, reading the opening two sentences repeatedly before continuing on with the story in order to practice and improve one’s “close reading” ability is helpful in the analysis of written works.
Moving forward, the use of imagination was introduced as the author’s character was wondering what the “overgrowth”, and “the farm itself would look like after one year had passed” (Price 241). The author brilliantly brings the reader back to reality by transitioning with the opposite of what was “imagined” in the story. There was “freshly mown grass”, and “Jason’s uncle was waving” as our character arrived to the farm (Price 241-42). The author then continues the transition from imagination to reality by engaging the reader’s sense of smell. The scents of oil, wood, and hay are touched upon placing the audience directly into the scene of the old barn which was used to repair automobiles. “It smelled of oil and wood, and hay, like always” (Price 242). With attention to the phrase “like always”, this reader noticed the author’s intention here was to point out to the audience that a sense of reflection and remembrance was the focal point of the story (Price 242). Actually, it reinforces the opening of the story where Jason Murphy’s dad had passed away.
In closing, this writer noticed the author generated a repetitious pattern similar to what we see in works of poetry as the story progressed. There is a constant sense of reflection that transitions smoothly with the characterization and setting from the opening line. The “dust covered machine parts” and “handprints” allude again to the passing of time while invoking a sense of looking back (Price 242). The very memories of Mr. Murphy teaching the characters about engines when they were young sets the tone for the brief dialogue in the story addressing death which was foreshadowed in the opening line. Everything comes together stylistically when the characters themselves reflect on the death of Mr. Murphy. “I wondered if this was the same sky Mr. Murphy saw all those times, and the last time” (Price 243). Brilliantly, the author ends the story by reminding the audience and the characters themselves that life goes on. “We had work to do” (Price 243). This takes both the character and the audience out of the sense of reflection and remembrance.
Works Cited
Price, John T. “The Burnt Plane .” Starkely, David. Creative Writing Four Genres In Brief . Bsoton,MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s , 2017. 241-243.
