Jessie van Eerden’s “Cattle Guard” is one example among our readings this semester of creative nonfiction: writing that presents an actual experience through the lens of artistic imagination. Van Eerden is a master of the genre, and this sample of her work gives us an opportunity to think more about the relationship between reality and the creative imagination. As you read the piece, think about the following three questions:
1) Although we might tend to equate protagonists of fiction with their authors (think Kafka and the narrator in “On the Tram” or the speaker of Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”), creative nonfiction forces us to do so. The “I” in this story is actually Jessie van Eerden. How does this affect your reading of the story?
2) On the other hand, this is more than simple reporting or journalism. Where do you see the creative part of this piece? What aspects of the storytelling make “Cattle Guard” particularly literary in your opinion?
3) Van Eerden is not alone in her narrative. How would you describe her portrayal of other people in this essay? How does the fact that we know these are real people and real events affect our interpretation of these “characters”?
In response to one or more of these questions, start a new thread that is at least 200-words long before the deadline. Be sure to quote the essay directly at least once. Take some time and read through your classmates’ threads as well. You will need to reply to at least two of them with posts of at least 30 words before the next class.
