Analysis Of Beyond Katrin A Meditation On The Mississippi...

Surafel Argaw Ms. Mac English 1102 November 11, 2014 Finding Hope in Natasha Trethewey’s Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Stories are powerful. In the past, long before books, people used stories to pass down history and legends to create a deeper understanding of their heritage. It was also a way to pass down morals and values from generation to generation. More than just a way of preserving the past, storytelling is a great way to bridge the gap between a reader’s heart and that of the writer. Everyone has a story to tell no matter what kind it may be. Although there is an art to storytelling, at its very foundation, the practice is merely a means of communicating one’s experiences. Perhaps out of a lack of†¦show more content†¦Generally, people may not feel comfortable in sharing their deepest secrets and greatest failures out of shame, embarrassment or anxiety that their message may not be accepted as intended. Sharing one’s biggest mistakes, however, and sharing what one has learned is a basic requirement for educating and helping others, ultimately working to transf orm the lives of listeners and/or readers. As a whole, Trethewey’s story of loss, struggle and development shows the immense power that storytelling can possess to transform a life, teach history, and enlighten the reader. Her story helped her community recover from their grief while at the same time creating much needed awareness for the rest of the world. Through her unique personal experience, Trethewey chronicles the mass devastation which existed in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. She skillfully draws on numerous family experiences to bring the reader to that deadliest of days in August 2008. One of the most memorable and difficult examples she uses is the heart-wrenching story of her brother Joe who ultimately ends up in prison for selling drugs as a result of financial pressures he faced in the wake of the devastating storm. Joe is only one of many others who suffered the same fate in the economic vacuum which essentially took hold of almost