A Clear, Logical Organization: Narrating a Day in the Life

Printed Page 79
 Analyze 
Use the basic features.

Coyne uses narrative as a kind of exoskeleton, a shell within which to hold the information and ideas she wants to present to her readers. The occasion is specific: visiting hours at the Federal Prison on Mother’s Day. The opening paragraphs situate the profile in time and space, and the concluding paragraphs—signaled with the time marker “It’s now 3:00. Visiting ends at 3:30” (par. 19)—recount what happened at the end of the visit. Within this narrative framework, however, Coyne does not follow a strict chronological order. Some events occur at the same time as other events. For example, paragraphs 1 to 3 present actions that occur at the same time: while mothers are getting reacquainted with their children (pars. 1 and 2), the family members are using the vending machines and chatting with one another (par. 3).

ANALYZE & WRITE

Write a couple of paragraphs analyzing Coyne’s use of narrative organization in “The Long Good-Bye: Mother’s Day in Federal Prison”:

  1. Reread the essay, noting in the margin when the events are happening in relation to the events in earlier paragraphs and highlighting any time markers, such as prepositional phrases locating actions in time, clock time, or verb tenses (past, present, future, and so on).
  2. Coyne could have organized her essay topically, by presenting a series of insights and impressions from the many visits she has made instead of focusing on one Mother’s Day. How does her choice help you understand the situation of the women and their families?

    Question