Weblog Entry 7

In Tobias Wolff's story introduction, he vividly analyzes the transition between the styles of writing in the past, and the implications it has for writers and readers. For instance, he frequently speaks of a "renaissance" that occurred which helped literature transition into a different form. He conveys the idea that this "renaissance" has caused stories to evolved from being "witty" to simple yet convincing, even to the point where the story inspires a sense of "kinship" in readers. He feels that the new form of writing can be fictional, but realistic and relatable enough to endure in our deepest memories, or evoke our deepest emotions "We need to feel ourselves acted upon by a story, outraged, exposed, in danger of heartbreak or change". He also dwells deep enough to reveal the the reason why people read is because we have the ability to relate our emotions or everyday experiences with the text we read, and that when we can emotionally link with the text we are granted an "exhilaration" that compels us to continue. Not only that, but he feels that readers themselves have grown mature throughout the centuries and are able to accept controversial yet realistic stories about human nature"We're grown-ups now, we get to stay in the kitchen when the other grown-ups talk. Finally, in Introduction Tobias assess the reason for writing stories, and the force that compels writers into doing so. For instance, Tobias states that writers, although different in genres and writing styles, each share a passion to "clarify a sense of reality" in their stories, which to me means that they try to instill a sense of reliability from the text to the writer. He also states in his story that "Romance is what keeps us going, the old romantic Frankenstein dream of working a miracle" which shows that writers also want to write brilliant stories, so good to the point that their work "lives on" in a way.