Chapter 12:

Summary

Zooming In: Clark discusses point of view in this chapter, specifically when writing a text to get a desired effect from the reader.

Point of View: Virgil and Homer were the original writers that thought of different points of view to tell a story from. Well before there were different camera shots in cinema their were the ancient poets describing different view points to different scenes, allowing for diverse effect.

Zooming In and Out: The next section specifically gives examples of Hitchcock and Roth in cinema, and how rapid point of view change can effect the feeling perceived by an audience.

Details of Character and Story: Through point of view change many things can be achieved. Clark points out that the main purpose of a writer is to make the reader see, smell, taste, and hear what is happening in text.

Writing Lessons

1. Use your notebook as a camera. Capture events in a way they can unfold- as movie directors do. Now, smaller than your notebook is your mobile phone. You can use it to capture still photos or video and audio. These can be used in multimedia story forms, but they can also be an efficient way to find images that can be transformed into written text.
2. Learn the language of photo composition and cinematography, from establishing shot to close-up. Visuals imitate texts-and vice versa. Consider point of view. What does your character see, and what do you want your readers to see? An aerial view from the top of a staircase? A beautiful woman in a red gown? The key she is holding in her hand?
3. In your reporting or research or drafting, avoid the mistake of seeing the world from a predictable middle distance. Step back to take in the whole setting and context. Move close so you can see the pores of your character's skin.

Critique

Clark in this section offers wonderful narrative writing advice, by focusing on larger structure, and not falling into predictable patterns of writing. This resonate with Graff and Birkenstein's article "Reading for the Conversation", in which they outline the effective "they say, I say" writing style in academic works. Clark aligns with Graff and Birkenstein specifically on the idea that writers should not limit their point of view to only their own, but should use other perspectives to be rhetorically effective.