In the essay, “Kalief Browder” by Jennifer Gonnerman, (Gonnerman), I noticed that the author took the third person point of view as she wrote the essay. On the other hand, Susan Klebold took the first person point of narration as she recalled the happening of that fateful day. In the narration by Gonnerman, it is clear that she felt empathy for Browder as she met him due to the choice of words that she uses as she describes the occurrences (Gonnerman). I believe that this is seen from the fact that she says that the stories that Browder was telling her were disturbing. Through this it is clear that she was pitiful for the happening that he had to endure; these include the fact that the videos of him being beaten at the hospital. In, addition to this, it is clear to me that from the author’s point of view, she was spiteful for the fact that an American Citizen could be tortured within his country. Due to this feeling, I opine that she was motivated to show the world what the inmates in the prisons go through. She could go out of her way to seek the surveillance footage to prove to the world of the happenings (Gonnerman).
I also deduced that the two readings each had varying effects on me as I read them. The fact that in the Susan Klebold piece(Klebold) was able to give me more information and further bring out all the steps that were taken by the character, which in this case, was she, was able to help me know how exactly she felt. I am in a position to imagine the thoughts that ran in her mind. Additionally, I am well placed to gather more information pertaining to her place of work, and the activities she used to engage in at her place of employment. Moreover, I can ascertain what exactly she was doing and the individuals who surrounded her at that particular moment (Klebold). I am also in a position to easily tell her exact feelings from the piece. For instance, when she shakes as she receives the call or even when she later tells us that she even contemplated suicide due to the stress and fact that she is unable to effectively understand what caused her son to act in that particular manner (Klebold).
However, in the Jennifer Gonnerman piece (Gonnerman), the happenings are written from the perspective of the author’s personal view. She tries to bring out her take on Browder’s feelings and an overview of the happenings. For example, she only tells us the character spent more than one thousand days on Rikers, which in my view is just but an estimate and further she says that during the time, the character endured the solitary confinement and further that she tried to commit suicide (Gonnerman). Although she goes ahead to try to explain to the readers the one time he tried to hang himself, in my view the issue does not bring out the feelings of the character better than the individual bringing out the issue himself. The author will be unable to effectively bring out the character’s feelings and give the explanations better than the character himself. For example, if the character personally narrated the experience, he would have given us his true feelings as he tried to commit suicide, the factors that made him decide on attempting suicide and further even give us a detailed recollection of the occurrences, for example, how he had planned to hang himself if he prayed or even if he peeped to see if the guard was coming and so forth.
After taking all these into consideration, I can come up with a realization that taking the 1st person point of view is better than taking the third person point of view when one is trying to pass a message to the general public.In the “I Will Never Know Why” by Susan Klebold, the essay is written in the first person perspective. This is since it is written from the perspective of the person individually. From the essay, it is clear that she can effectively bring out her true feelings and further effectively explain how she conducted herself with precision and described how she felt what she saw, the questions that she asked herself and other factors(Klebold).
I am strongly of the opinion that, the first person point of view is more effective in reaching out to a large variety of audiences because it can bring out the characters true feelings and further have the ability to clearly bring out the true happenings as seen from the eyes of the character. This view helps bring out the precise and detailed occurrences as seen from the eyes of the character personally. For example, when one compares the two stories, it is clear that the Sarah Klebold piece was more appealing and detailed as compared to the Jennifer Gonnerman piece. This is since the piece goes ahead to a more detailed recall of whatever happened on those days. For example, the piece clearly explains how she was able to know that she had a message and further all the steps she took to try to prove that her son was not among the perpetrators of the shooting(Klebold).
This detailed information in my view will be more appealing to the different readers. This is mainly because the detailed description will enable me to be able to have a mental picture of whatever happens. For example, looking at the house turned upside down as they looked for the jacket. From this point of view, it is clear that she was at a point of denial and hence trying to prove that she was worried about her son. In my view therefore is the fact that the 1st person point of view may be appealing to a greater audience for the fact that the readers normally seek different issues as they read the pieces, form the details to the emotions of the characters and all this is effectively brought out by the 1st person point of view.
In, addition to this, the fact that the first person point of view will always allow the reader to have extra information about the case to bring out a better understanding will be a better way of reaching a larger audience. For example, in Susan Klebold’s piece, as I read I was able to have a better understanding of the occurrences since she’s able to come and clearly give the precise dates and even explain the son’s behavior from when he was small. Unlike the 3rd person point of view which was written in a manner that I consider too general, then the 1st person will be a better avenue of reaching a larger audience(Klebold).
In conclusion, it is clear that the point of view taken by both the reader and the author of a piece is important to bring out what exactly an individual feels and further how the reader understands the story or narration.
Works Cited
Gonnerman, Jennifer. "Kalief Browder, 1993–2015." 7 June 2015. The New Yorker. 26 June 2016 <http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/kalief-browder-1993-2015>.
Klebold, Susan. ""I Will Never Know Why"." April 2007. The Oprah Magazine. 26 June 2016 <http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/susan-klebolds-o-magazine-essay-i-will- never-know-why>.
