Thoughts on the Talk of the Town

In an essay from the New Yorkers "Talk of the Town" section, two writers, John Updike and Susan Sontag, reflected on their thoughts and experiences of the catastrophic event that was 9/11. Both have their own individual style and portray their beliefs and experiences in different ways. Although they may have been different writers, they both caught my attention straight away.

Choosing between the two writers, I personally enjoyed Updike's article much more than Sontag's. His way of using words to paint a picture in our heads of just what it was like to be in New York on 9/11 is superb. Viewing it first hand from an apartment in Brooklyn Heights, John Updike felt first-hand the terror of watching hundreds of people lose their lives. As he writes it is as if his emotions are metamorphing along the way, "It seemed, at first glance, more curious than horrendous." Then as the article goes on he describes how it didn't seem real, or he couldn't believe it was happening. His choice of words does a great job at really showing us what it was like, "As we watched the second tower burst into ballooning flame..." Updike focuses mainly on the emotions of that terrible day and he does a great job revealing them. Although this article as a whole was more enjoyable to read, the ending didn't really appeal to me. I was expecting more of a dramatic ending. He instead lightens the mood with a peaceful, happy conclusion.

Susan Sontag on the other hand seems to be a very opinionated writer. She focuses on the government and she makes it clear that she does not support it. "Our leaders are bent on convincing us that everything is O.K.---But everything is not O.K." Personally I would much rather worry about helping the people recover from this tragedy instead of bashing our leaders. As I was reading this article, her scornful emotion towards American government is shown clearly through her tough accusations, "The unanimity of the sanctimonious, reality-concealing rhetoric spouted by American officials..." It just wasn't as appealing an article as John's was. There were no settings or change of emotion. I felt as if I were in a court trial while Sontag prosecuted every American Official. I will say that her ending was a much stonger than I expected it to be. Her conclusion truly did leave the reader in deep thought.

9/11 will live on in American history as a truly horrific event. Updike shares his experience through the emotions he felt during the catastrophe, while Sontag shares her disdain towards the government. Both writers use different styles, but I would much rather read John Updike's work than Susan Sontag.