ASSIGNMENT - RAISING THE DEAD

1. What captivates you about the story? How does he paint a picture for the reader? Cite the passages that are most compelling for you.

What captivated me the most in this article is that it is a mystery story. As the story continues to flow, curiosity builds in the mind of the reader making him/her want to read more. He paints a picture for the reader by stating lots of details such as the people, the scene, the venue, and the things that are happening.

The passage that was most compelling to me was this:
“As Riddle kicked through the leaves and brush, his foot caught on something solid. It was a green burlap sack, the kind carnies use for carrying big-top tents, tied with a tan cord. Inside was a woman’s body. She was naked except for a shred of cloth diaper draped over her shoulder. Her eyes had rotted away. She had three broken fingernails – part of a futile attempt, apparently, to claw out of her shroud.”

This was most compelling because through this accident marked the beginning of the investigation.

2. Who is the target audience for this publication? How does the story relate to them? Does the story appeal to other demographic groups as well, and if so, why?

The target is those who are interested in mystery solving. The story fits well in the likes and interest of the target audience since it involves mystery and investigations. This is also a good article for detectives and investigators so that they would get an idea on how to better their investigations.

3. What "rules" did the writer break?

The author wasn’t able to connect the beginning to the end.

4. How does the writer end the story? Why is it effective?

The author ended his work by leaving something that would make Matthews be remembered as someone who has solved the case of the “Tent Girl”. It was also effective because the author also left a good impression on Matthews by saying that he (Matthews) wasn’t able to do something for his dead family members, but at least to the “Tent Girl, he was able to do something. That would make the reader remember Matthews.