Tragedy (redone)

Tragedy

9/11

It’s been fourteen years since the attack on 9/11. Fourteen years ago marks the year when 2015’s high school freshmen were born, with no recollection of the events that transpired. Fourteen years since eyes were frozen on TVs across the nation. Fourteen years since phone lines were ceaselessly connecting mourning friends and family just wanting to be in touch with each other. A contact that was tangible, or at least possible, to fill the now prodigious chasm that was created during the fall of the Twin Towers.

Tragedy strikes when you least expect it, and I believe that’s how you should write about it. Tragedy should be written in a way that hits a little too close to home. It isn’t something that could be devalued; the emphasis of whichever tragedy struck will always make someone stop in their tracks. Though, it shouldn’t be written in an acerbic or cold-blooded manner—it’s one of the writing styles that should elicit the most emotion from the audience. Tragedy desires agitation, it has an appetite that wants to consume the attention of the audience. As a writer, feed the audience with the truth. People undergoing tragedy yearn to be bandaged from the wounds it caused, and as a writer, it’s important to express the truth but also maintain awareness to what the audience endures. Reaffirm the audience that they can partake in a solution. It’s not necessarily imperative to empathize with your reader, though maintain a steady understanding with them. Write in a way that pulls their heartstrings, in a way that unifies the audience as a whole—no matter which side they’re coming from.

Though I personally don’t recall the tragedy of 9/11, it’s impact has remained. Anecdotes and pictures have been passed down, stimulating the solemn respect deserved for those whose lives were lost. As Shakespeare’s written tragedies have remained, so will the modern day tragedies echo throughout history. Write about tragedy to help your audience make amends with their adversity.

Tragedy seeks to expose the truth. Everybody is aching to hear some justification to the impact. When writing in a way that evokes emotion from the audience, it allows the reader to confront what they are feeling and take it on. It gives the reader the stamina to fight the pain. Though, when writing a tragedy, it’s important keep balance in placating the situation and writing for what people deserve to hear.

For example, the recent tragedy in Paris elicits an emotional response to people all over the world. In parallelism to the events that transpired during 9/11 we, Americans, stand with the French in their moment of turmoil. We stand to help our brethren through the attacks, as it goes for any other country inflicted with such horror. Tragedy doesn’t only affect everybody on a national scale, but it strikes the hearts of millions in the misfortunes that take place each day.

As stated in my previous post, I stated that one should “Write in a way that pulls their heartstrings, in a way that unifies the audience as a whole—no mater which side they’re coming from.” It’s important that there is a peaceful opposition between sides where each viewpoint has a somewhat understand of what the other side is thinking—as it is important in argumentation and understanding one other’s feelings.