Susan Orlean’s The American Man At Age Ten and Adrian LeBlanc’s Trina and Trina helped me to really think critically about the interviewing process in the upcoming profile assignment. Both pieces involved an in depth interviewing process in which the journalists shadowed their sources and became completely emerged in their lives. However, before they could accumulate real material from their sources, they needed to first gain their trust, which isn’t always an easy or quick task.
Orlean talks about how Colin was completely disinterested in the article in the beginning; but after a few days, he finally invited her to check out his dog and bedroom. In kid world, that’s the nod of approval. From that point on she was able to immerse herself in his kid-friendly world -- although she was an adult, by participating in all of Colin’s activities it helped to gain his trust and perceive her in a different manner.
For LeBlanc, the process was slower and more difficult. The trauma of Trina’s life (sexual abuse, crack addiction, prostitution, abandonment issues) made her much less susceptible to be won over in comparison to Colin, a child whose loss Orlean describes being comprised of the deaths of family members, and friends who have moved away. LeBlanc therefore made the conscious decision to not “rummage through the details of her life” right off the bat; her hesitancy represented her respect for Trina.
In addition to winning over the subjects, I was surprised at the time commitment the journalists, specifically LeBlanc, dedicated to their articles. Reading the dates, LeBlanc followed Trina and her story for three years. Although it is unclear how long Orlean shadowed Colin, from all of the details in her story it surely took more than a few days to capture someone so perfectly in their natural environment. All of that takes time. This really strikes me in thinking about our profiles. Is it really possible to capture someone’s story in one interview? How do you find a way to naturally insert yourself in the subjects life in order to get a natural and honest viewpoint? How do help them trust you enough to get such a viewpoint? While these questions might not necessarily be pertinent for our profiles due in class, they are certainly critical to the craft of narrative journalism.
I read both articles one after the other and was struck by the differences between the two. Still working on my personal essay rough draft, I find myself searching for personal clues about the authors. While Orlean mentions that she is married to a lawyer and would like to have children someday (girls specifically), I have no sense of Orlean as a person. LeBlanc’s article on the other hand was much more personal. She talks about seeing her own attributes mirrored in Trina; preparing herself for Trina’s death; feeling guilty about talking to Trina when she is high because Trina will never remember the conversation, etc. Not only does LeBlanc do an excellent job in characterizing Trina and bringing her story to life, but I have a sense of LeBlanc as a person.
This difference is what struck me the most. What are the boundaries when it comes to a reporter and his/her subject? LeBlanc becomes incredibly involved: she buys Trina clothes; celebrates birthdays/holidays with her; let’s Trina stay at her home; chauffeurs her from prison, etc. Although LeBlanc surely gained writing material from each of these experiences, LeBlanc herself realizes that she crossed a boundary. But I feel that the crossed boundary is what made this story so interesting to me. It would be hard to follow this woman and her story so closely and not find yourself personally involved. From last week’s reading in Telling True Stories, Banaszynski (“Stories Matter”) writes: “I think that stories make us human. Only by telling them do we stay so” (5). To me, that’s what LeBlanc is doing in her piece -- restoring humanity. The fact that LeBlanc made the piece so personal made me like it even more. But I’m interested in what the class thinks about this. In a piece that’s profiling a subject, should there be a distinct boundary that the journalist cannot cross? Does crossing that boundary, like LeBlanc does, hinder the overall effect of the piece?
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up something that I have thought a lot about, as well. That is, the amount of time that it takes to truly get an understanding of another persons life and have the authority to write about it. In the past, when I have written feature articles, all of my reportage takes place in one interview. In both cases, Orlean and LeBlanc devote endless amounts of time to get to know the people about whom they are writing. It is a good observation that has important implications for our upcoming profiles and I will aim to dedicate the maximum time possible to get the best results.
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteI think that the boundaries you talk about should be considered malleable. I don't think that there are really any hard-and-rules for the way a journalist interacts with a subject. Ultimately, I think it depends on the individual journalist and what they are trying to say with the piece. I think Orlean's more detached narration suited her piece well, and LeBlanc's total immersion worked well for "Trina and Trina."
I realize this sounds kind of like a cop-out answer, but I really think that these rules and boundaries should be fluid enough to work on a case-by-case basis.
Trevor
Hey Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteYes, these pieces are not just about the interviewing process, but the relationship process. You're right: these authors have both earned their way into the lives of each of their subjects. It has caused me to think about our next story as not just a story but an experience. I want to find someone who I can get not only verbal accounts from, but first hand observations, dialogue and candid snapshots of their daily experience.
Charlotte
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteI was most struck by your question, "What are the boundaries when it comes to a reporter and his/her subject?"
I've been going back and forth in my head with this question several times in my head. In Orlean's piece, I thought about it specifically when Colin and Japeth were at the pizza place, waiting to play the video game, and one of the older boys said, "Fuck you, next game,". I feel like if I was in Orlean's place, I would step in and say something to the older boy. I feel like when you question the boundaries between a reporter and his/her subject, you're also questioning ethics. Was it ok that Le Blanc didn't always answer the phone when Trina called?
It's hard to answer these questions, and I think you have to look at it on a case-by-case basis.
Great questions! Thanks for the deeply thoughtful response, Suzanne. We'll definitely talk about these in class tonight.
ReplyDelete