Memory Vignette

“Because I’m not heard, I feel I’m not seen. My words often seem to baffle others. They are inappropriate, or forced, or just plain incomprehensible. People look at me with puzzlement; they mumble something in response—something that doesn’t hit home” (Eva Hoffman, Lost 147).

I feel like it is very difficult to get a point across in class, at times. When reading the literature, I get particular ideas from it, just like everyone else does. During class discussions, I am generally able to get my point across just fine. The teacher often understands what I’m saying, and I haven’t really had too many problems. Monday, however, was a different story. I was sitting in American Prose, and the teacher asked a question about the book we were discussing, The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. He asked why Hawthorne uses such lengthy, wordy descriptions in his book. I responded with something I thought was a legitimate answer. I wanted to say that the descriptions allowed the reader to enmesh themselves in the characters’ lives, that they showed the depth and emotion of the situations to a reader that might not necessarily identify with them, or who might find the goings on rather trivial. The teacher thought I was asserting that the book was silly and irrelevant! He took that to mean that I didn’t care or have sympathy for the characters! I don’t know how that happened! He went into a long discussion, in parallel to the book, but using me as the main character, instead of Hepzibah! He asked me how I would feel if I was a big time CEO who lost all of her money and was forced to work at a 7 Eleven! I hope I don’t get docked too many points, but I plan on avoiding discussing as many books as possible in that class!