Close Reading Blog 9/15

Getting A Head: Touring the World as a Giant Dancing Bear

Out of the Head

Article: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/out-of-the-head

     Daniel Falk writes an online column called Getting A Head: Touring the World as a Giant Dancing Bear, and as the column title would leave you to believe, in his articles he talks about his experiences as a dancing bear mascot on tour. In the article Out of the Head, Falk talks about his life before, during, and after his dancing bear stint. Using imagery, diction, and syntax, Falk is able to show and tell his readers what his touring life was like.

     Most English teachers, professors, or writers will almost always say, "Show, don't tell" in regards to narrative pieces. While Falk does tell a lot while detailing his experiences (in a way that actually works well within the piece), he also uses imagery strategically throughout the piece. Just in the first paragraph Falk goes on for a few sentences describing what it was like to work hours at Starbucks, dealing with ornery customers, and then go and have to deal with a whiny cast. Though a bit long for one image, Falk is able to let the reader feel his sense of desperation for change, and the stuck, powerless feeling that was building inside him. A little later in the article Falk says, "I found myself at a crossroads. I had all of my worldly possessions with me in two suitcases." Though speaking figuratively, Falk clearly paints the picture of a man standing in front of a fork in the road, with everything he owns sitting at his feet, trying to decide what to do. This picture painted  lets readers see the dilemma Falk faced and then makes the choices that he ended up making seem even more real to the reader. When describing the places he visited, touring as a dancing bear, he describes the "spectacular lighting display" and "endless skies of the prairie" which give a clear picture and feel of natural beauty to the piece, which contrasts sharply with his description of the "garish lights and incessant noise" of Vegas. Simple descriptions, yet they bring strong imagery to the piece, just like when Falk described looking through the "small, mesh covered hole" in the mascot head and that what matters is "directly in front of you", giving the audience a sense of tunnel vision. Though imagery is a bit overshadowed by more of a telling feel, Falk uses imagery sparingly throughout the piece so that it packs a bigger punch.

     Diction in Out of the Head revolves mainly around two points: specifics and tone. With almost the complete use of solely colloquial diction, Falk's piece is enhanced by the use of specifics all throughout the article. With 10+ specifically named locations (including  Toronto, Dawson City, Calgary, Winnipeg, and San Francisco), 4 named productions (Funny Business, Dirty Dancing, We Will Rock You, and The Drowsy Chaperone), 1 coffee (cappuccino), and assorted dates, concrete feelings (indecisive, anxious), times, and wages, specifics drive this article. Falk even takes the time to go into what specifically has stuck with him from his travels, such as "the Stump Complex" and "hours and hours of Trivial Pursuit", and what he has learned like "[living] in the moment from Bird, empathy from Rabbit, [and] perseverance from Fox". Falk's diction also lends itself to the constantly shifting tone of the piece. In the beginning, the tone seemed dead-end and downtrodden with words like "exhausted" and "broken" enhancing this impression. Soon phrases like "utterly defeated" and "didn't feel compelled" turned the tone apathetic. The word "Meh" especially helped create an apathetic tone in this part of the article. After changing to a slightly hopeful tone about two-thirds of the way through the article, the tone shifts for the last time to an optimistic tone; the word "excited" was used multiple times to illustrate the point. Though nothing particularly special jumped out in the fairly colloquial piece, specifics and tone added a whole new level to Falk's writing.

     Falk's use of syntax was interesting in that it seemed to really support the diction and imagery that he decided to use. When describing the whiny cast, Falk used short sentences to show their conflicting complaints. "The theatre was too cold. Or too hot. Or because the pianist played the tempos too slow. Or too fast" has a choppy feel to it, but the short sentences convey the idea of the picky cast well and allow conflicting nature of the complaints to show through better than other structures might. Another example in Falk's piece that shows short sentences making an impact is when Falk was describing his thoughts on where to go next. "Move to Vancouver? Meh. Calgary Edmonton Winnipeg? [*Note: also an example of asyndeton] Meh. Move South to the States? Meh." The repetition of "meh" after every sentence, as well as the short sentences themselves, lends to Falk creating an indecisive and unsure sound. Finally, the line "All you have to do is show up" forcefully conveys the idea of control responsibility being in the hands of someone else as well as wrapping up the ideas expressed in the sentences before it. In other syntax related discussion, the passage itself remains, for the most part, in the active voice, leading to the piece seeming more personalized and that Falk is owning up to everything in it. Also, Falk uses long sentences in the beginning and as one reads on, they begin to shorten up and vary in length. This observation, though seemingly unimportant, could stand to show how before Falk toured as a dancing bear, time seemed to stretch and drag on  but then passed more quickly, almost flying, while he was a dancing tour bear. Though syntax was a more subtly used area of rhetoric in Out of the Head, it did play a part in helping convey ideas more clearly and supporting the imagery and diction used.

     Out of the Head is a very interesting piece that when read for the first time, seems just to be a recollection of life before, after, and during Falk's time as a dancing bear. Upon reading closer, the "showing" aspect many look for in a narrative is brought to life through imagery, diction, and syntax. Though subtly used, these three areas of rhetoric more clearly convey ideas, add new levels to Falk's writing, and pack a bigger punches, all while entertaining the reader.