Craft Studio: Hunger by Roxane Gay
What I Was Reading:
Roxane Gay opens Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by telling us exactly what it isn’t:
“The story of my body is not a story of triumph. This is not a weight-loss memoir. There will be no picture of a thin version of me, my slender body emblazoned across this book’s cover with me standing in one of my former, fatter self’s jeans. This is not a book that will offer motivation, I don’t have any powerful insights into what it takes to overcome an unruly body and unruly appetites. Mine is not a success story. Mine is, simply, a true story.”
What Moves I Notice the Writer Making:
* Roxanne Gay takes a unique approach to introducing her memoir. Instead of attempting to capture the reader’s attention by indicating what she will discuss in the pages to follow, she states very clearly what she will not. She clearly defines what this memoir isn’t.
* She acknowledges and addresses what readers might be expecting of a traditional weight-loss memoir: motivation, insight, success. Each is ruled out explicitly.
* The image she creates of herself standing in one leg of her jeans to display how much weight she has lost is easy for the reader to imagine because it has become a cliché. She seems to be letting us know up front that if we think it is that kind of typical weight-loss memoir, we are terribly mistaken.
Possibilities for Writers:
* Students can discuss the impact of beginning a piece of writing by addressing the reader directly and tell them what their writing isn’t going to be. They can brainstorm a list of possibilities.
* Invite students to borrow Gay’s technique in a draft. For example:
-This restaurant review is not going to tell you how excellent the food is. Instead, it will describe the stellar service.
-This essay is not going to persuade you to vote for a particular candidate. This is essay is about why you should vote.
-Most memoirs are about a lesson learned. I’m going to tell you about a lesson taught.