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Winged with Death Reviews
Let's say you're writing the story from Della's point of view. You can say, "Della looked up into Rodney's adoring face," but you can't say, "Della raised her incredibly beautiful violet eyes to Rodney's adoring face." Why not? Because although Della may be aware she's incredibly beautiful and has violet eyes, that's not what Della sees when she looks up. That's what Rodney sees. And Della is the person whose mind you're in. Only Della's perceptions are perceptible. Rodney's aren't. And if Della really is thinking about the color of her own eyes, instead of how adorably adoring Rodney looks, you have to explain why: "She raised her eyes, knowing the effect their violet beauty would have on him." If this still seems mysterious, consider that the limited third person is very like the first person in some ways; and you know that when you write as "I" you can tell only what "I" see and know. - "I raised my incredibly beautiful violet eyes to Rodney's adoring face." I'm sure you see that you wouldn't write that. Ursula K. Le Guin

john baker, June 11th, 2006. No comments. Filed under art, literature, reviews, writing.

We saw the Sheffield Theatres production of Shadowmouth by Meredith Oakes.

It’s a lyrical play which combines drama, dance, music and video and is directed with flair by Dominic Leclerc.

The company of five handle their parts with sensitivity and passion and the subject matter is always stimulating.

We are shown the process by which individuals afflicted by loneliness and the effects of marginalization, attempt to live vicariously, assigning properties and projections to others, undermining a personal reality which is experienced as unacceptable.

The play continues in Sheffield until the 17th June. It’s worth a long trip.

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