The title of her work is Beyond Tears. It is about the author as a little girl (a toddler) having her pigtails yanked by a boy when she stomps hard on his foot. He starts to cry very loudly, and the adults rush to the scene. Of course, she is blamed, and she is asked to apologize. She will not, she says, because it is also the boy's fault. The teacher asks what he did, but she is too furious to respond. She is sent to the timeout chair, and feels extremely humiliated. At the reflection, she says she learned two things: that boys have cooties, and never to do anything you'll regret.
How Jina Accomplishes the Role of Storytelling and Memoir
*She does not say "said" like so many authors do. She uses some variation in this area.
*She uses onomatopoeia, something many excellent authors use.
*She writes the memoir from a 3 year old's view (of course adding her later reflections), with the behavior of the characters visibly like their ages.
*She shows what happened in the story, as well as her character's internal feelings (like how humiliated she was after the ordeal).
*In the end, a reflection is included. She tells us the lessons she learned from the experience.
How does this memoir appeal to me?
*She uses above average diction (what words are selected) and syntax (the way the words are used).
*The author talks about something significant to her where she actually learned something useful. Nothing like: "I learned spinach and vanilla ice cream just don't mix."
*She shows, not tells. Not "I was angry" but actually describing the anger.
*Even at three, she had a hunger for justice. And she was pretty accurate, too.
*She uses other vocabulary in dialogue besides "said." My biggest peeve has been avoided!
