War & the Human Condition
War and the Human Condition
An examination of “Mklng Sckls” and “The Truth” Mklng Sckls, a novella by Justin Sirois, and The Truth, a short story by J Thompson, are two fictional pieces, which can be compared and contrasted through multiple elements and underlying themes. Sirois’ Sckls is a first person narrative presented as a collection of computerized journal entries composed by the character of Salim Abid. The wordplay of the entries, or chapters, is direct. Deliberate and often hasty, the crafting of Abid’s compositions captures the authenticity of a character in imminent danger with limited time. Providing little-to-no backstory, Sirois effectively holds magnetism to the reader by combining what could be described as a stream-of-consciousness style of writing; short, bold sentences iterating quick internal emotions and thoughts; with razor-sharp imagery and prevalent symbolism ridden with metaphors and personification. Thompson’s Truth, in contrast, is structured as a quick-reading third person narrative. The language, again, is direct, but inhabits a colder and more methodical nature in comparison to that of Sckls. An omniscient narrator provides just enough information all the while withholding overbearing description, and aptly provides a course and hazy picture of a forgotten town the reader must polish with details of his or her own. A constant bombardment of negative and bleak adjectives, recurring variations of the word “no”, and constant referral in the past tense instill a morbid sense of inevitable doom and despair. It is important to consider the literary style and structure of both Sckls and The Truth in order to contrast them further. The tone of each piece is unique and is ultimately what sets one apart from the other. Putting aside the distinctive methods of composition, both stories offer different perspectives about a common element within their subject matter, war. The perspective, tone, and message of each story differs
An examination of “Mklng Sckls” and “The Truth” Mklng Sckls, a novella by Justin Sirois, and The Truth, a short story by J Thompson, are two fictional pieces, which can be compared and contrasted through multiple elements and underlying themes. Sirois’ Sckls is a first person narrative presented as a collection of computerized journal entries composed by the character of Salim Abid. The wordplay of the entries, or chapters, is direct. Deliberate and often hasty, the crafting of Abid’s compositions captures the authenticity of a character in imminent danger with limited time. Providing little-to-no backstory, Sirois effectively holds magnetism to the reader by combining what could be described as a stream-of-consciousness style of writing; short, bold sentences iterating quick internal emotions and thoughts; with razor-sharp imagery and prevalent symbolism ridden with metaphors and personification. Thompson’s Truth, in contrast, is structured as a quick-reading third person narrative. The language, again, is direct, but inhabits a colder and more methodical nature in comparison to that of Sckls. An omniscient narrator provides just enough information all the while withholding overbearing description, and aptly provides a course and hazy picture of a forgotten town the reader must polish with details of his or her own. A constant bombardment of negative and bleak adjectives, recurring variations of the word “no”, and constant referral in the past tense instill a morbid sense of inevitable doom and despair. It is important to consider the literary style and structure of both Sckls and The Truth in order to contrast them further. The tone of each piece is unique and is ultimately what sets one apart from the other. Putting aside the distinctive methods of composition, both stories offer different perspectives about a common element within their subject matter, war. The perspective, tone, and message of each story differs