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.�And�that�was�one�of�the�stories�that�won�the�Pulitzer.�Something�inside�me�said�to�take�the�risk�and�write�that�story.�I�did�it.�If�you�have�the�instinctive�reaction if�something�moves�you then�do�it.�Follow�that�feeling.Her�story�of�the�man�and�his�family�demonstrates�a�sensitive�first�person�approach�to�writing�about�the�political�and�economic�oppression,�as�well�as�the�indomitable�spirit,�of�the�people�of�Haiti.�"It�is�my�favorite�of�all�of�them,"�Balmaseda�says.�This�is�her�story�of�one�family�in�Haiti:PORT�AU�PRINCE,�Haiti Those�are�the�neighbor's�children�dancing�in�the�rain,�thrusting�their�faces�skyward,�trying�to�catch�the�raindrops�in�their�mouths,�singing�a�song�that�gets�lost�in�the�deluge. Page�112Those�are�not�the�children�of�Morales�Leger.�His�children�are�inside,�dry,�pleased�nevertheless�to�witness�the�downpour�on�such�a�suffocating�day.From�his�house�across�the�alley,�he�and�I�watch�the�neighbor's�girls�in�their�euphoric�convulsions,�drenched,�entranced.Morales,�a�man�of�64,�has�put�out�large�tin�pots�to�catch�the�clean�rainwater,�a�blessing�on�this�humid�Feast�of�the�Ascension.He�pulls�his�young�son�close�to�him,�kissing�his�cheek,�explaining�that�"he�easily�gets�the�flu."The�sudden�storm�caught�me�as�we�talked�in�his�home.�Entirely�by�chance,�I�found�myself�dropped�in�the�middle�of�daily�life�in�a�squalid�shanty�strip�where�a�desperate�existence�churns�on�endlessly,�even�on�feast�days.The�rain�hammered�on�the�tin�roof,�veiling�doorways�and�windows�in�misty�curtains.�A�shower�of�relief.To�arrive�at�his�house,�I�crossed�the�ancient�slaughterhouse,�walked�along�the�muck�filled�canal�where�pigs�slept.�The�stench�of�human�and�animal�and�vegetable�waste�clung�to�my�face�like�a�mask.�I�took�quick,�shallow�breaths�through�my�mouth.A�young�woman�bathed�in�the�pig�water,�scrubbing�her�arms�with�a�pink�bar�of�soap,�as�if�the�rosy�suds�could�extinguish�the�film�of�God�knows�what�is�dumped�in�there.I�had�passed�more�than�a�dozen�wooden�doorways�framing�swollen,�naked�children.�Inside,�their�mothers�and�sisters�and�maybe�cousins�lounged�in�a�darker�dimension.�Because�this�was�a�holiday,�no�one�was�working.�Normally,�this�place�is�alive�from�4:30�a.m.�with�wailing�animals�and�haggling�merchants�who�later�sell�the�fresh,�warm�meat�at�the�market.Then,�I�slipped�into�the�home�of�Morales�Leger.Within�dim,�green�walls�there�are�two�beds�over�which�gauze�mosquito�nets�dangle.�There�is�a�pink,�child�size�potty�chair�where�his�youngest�girl,�Philocles,�2,�fidgets,�naked.We�talk�about�his�life.�He�has�not�worked�steadily�in�years.�He�was�a�sergeant�in�the�military�for�26�years,�though�he�says�he�is�not�a�political�man.�He�left�the�service�17�years�ago�and�has�worked�odd�jobs�since. Page�113He�married�a�woman�much�younger,�Margareth�Coustan,�29.�He�delivered�their�four�children�in�his�home,�on�their�matrimonial�bed.�He�writes�their�names�in�my�notebook�in�a�spidery�hand:�Gina,�8,�Philomene,�5,�Philippe,�3,�Philocles,�2.He�lifts�the�youngest�from�her�chamber�pot,�slides�a�piece�of�cardboard�over�its�seat,�and�kisses�the�girl�gently."My�consolation,"�he�whispers,�kissing�her�again.Then�it�begins�to�rain.I�ask�him�about�Haiti,�about�politics�and�refugee�boats,�and�the�regime�du�jour.�But�he�shakes�his�head."It�is�a�divine�presence�that�guides�us.�That�is�all,"�he�says,�offering�me�a�seat�in�his�home.The�rain�is�powerful�and�relentless.�In�a�while,�his�wife�arrives,�soaked�and�shivering.�She�sets�down�a�flat�basket�of�bruised�chayotes�and�mangoes�on�the�kitchen�floor.From�what�I�can�understand,�she�brings�back�what�the�market�ladies�don't�sell.A�25�year�old�neighbor�named�Jonny�explains�that�friends�sometimes�help�her�buy�food."She�has�many�mouths�to�feed,"�he�says.�"She�has�plenty�babies."And�another�is�on�the�way.�Margareth�is�five�months�pregnant.Why�so�many�babies?�I�ask.Morales�answers�for�her."They�are�my�security,"�he�says,�clutching�his�chest.�"They�are�my�future."The�gray�canal�outside�his�window�has�become�a�swift�river�rushing�away�from�the�shanty�strip,�rushing�toward�the�bay,�washing�the�putrid�smells,�washing�the�mud�off�the�pigs,�cleansing�the�woman�who�bathes�in�the�pig�water.After�the�rain,�everything�along�the�alley�glistens,�and�in�the�distance�a�rainbow�has�appeared.A�couple�of�days�later,�I�watch�a�storm�approach�from�my�hotel�balcony�high�above�the�capital.�The�city�seems�to�dissolve�gradually�into�silver�sheets�of�water�that�sweep�inland�from�the�bay,�across�the�slums�and�markets. Page�114I�think�of�the�slaughterhouse�and�the�resilient�souls�who�dwell�on�its�fringe.�Probably,�they're�happily�getting�wet.I�know�I�learned�something�that�afternoon�at�the�house�of�Morales�Leger.�I�learned�that�neither�poverty�nor�politics�can�break�the�Haitian�spirit.I�learned�that�sometimes�it�can�rain�on�the�most�putrid�of�days.I�learned�that�in�this�place�where�hope�is�too�often�elusive,�the�children�of�Morales�Leger,�his�hope�and�consolation,�are�truly�his�wealth.�(Balmaseda,�1992,�p.�1A)Reprinted�with�the�permission�of�The�Miami�Herald.Using�Direct�QuotationsStrong�feature�articles�come�alive�with�liberal�use�of�direct�quotations�from�a�variety�of�people�and,�occasionally,�even�documents.�People�make�features�work�and�their�words,�through�your�use�of�direct�quotations,�give�life�to�your�story.�There�are�some�rules�about�quotations�in�magazine�and�newspaper�features�that�you�should�remember.�First�of�all,�in�much�of�your�article�writing,�you�will�find�that�quotations�help�to�back�up�generalizations�made�about�a�person,�place,�or�thing.�Quotations�give�the�article�an�element�of�reality�beyond�the�perspective�of�the�writer.�For�features,�it�means�you�can�let�someone�else�speak�in�the�article,�using�his�or�her�exact�words.The�Miami�Herald's�Balmaseda�says�she�depends�a�great�deal�on�direct�quotations�for�her�articles�and�columns�about�people.�Balmaseda�(1993,�personal�communication)�explained,�"I�don't�always�have�a�lot�to�say�about�a�subject.�I�ask�a�question�and�let�people�say�it�for�me.�Sometimes�people�say�it�better.�Many�times,�people�who�never�get�into�the�paper�say�things�very�beautifully�and�I�feel�compelled�to�use�what�they�say.�Quotes�give�you�something�to�hang�the�story�on.�But�you�also�have�to�recognize�that�some�people�don't�have�something�to�say�and�you�have�to�be�selective."Paraphrasing�can�work�as�effectively�as�direct�quotations.�Sometimes,�paraphrases�work�better.�There�are�occasions�when�you�can�state�something�more�efficiently�and�more�meaningfully [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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