TOW 12- IRB Post

My grandmother can read multiple books in one day. She trained at Juliard and often sings opera. She was one of the first women to graduate from the Bronx High School of Science, she finished college in three years and medical school by the time she was twenty-two. She is a member of Mensa, the genius society. She is one of the most brilliant people in this world—well, was. She died thirty years ago, a victim of cancer, which takes the lives of so many wonderful beings, when my mother was fourteen. Growing up, I heard a lot about her and the impact her death had on my mother’s life. What I never considered was what it would be like to be a parent, and to lose your child to cancer. In his memoir Death Be Not Proud, John Gunther provides this perspective for me. His narrative style writing evokes emotion in his audience and ultimately teaches them an important lesson about dealing with whatever life throws in the way.

Gunther tells the story of a “long, courageous struggle between a child and Death” (1). The aforementioned child is his son, Johnny. Described as “handsome” (2), “considerate” (2) and “exceptional” (2), Johnny is a person everyone loves as well as a heroic and beloved character—as portrayed through the wit of Gunther’s words. The topic of cancer automatically evokes an emotional response from the reader. By sharing the exact events of Johnny’s diagnosis and ensuing journey, Gunther gives an in-depth and detailed synopsis of what it is like to live with cancer, the thing everyone hopes to never have. Gunther’s narrative style writing allows the reader to experience the process with Johnny, and to understand on a deeper level how remarkable Johnny’s continued optimism was. The narrative style writing also allows Gunther to show, rather than tell, how one should deal with difficulty in life. Johnny’s continued optimism and attention to the feelings of everyone around him even while in the face of his impending doom is exactly what Gunther hopes for his audience to achieve. By telling Johnny’s story and sharing every minute detail, Gunther proves to his audience the importance and how admirable it is to retain a positive attitude and find enjoyment in life even in the face of adversity.

Gunther’s narrative style writing is extremely effective in achieving his purpose and even goes further by providing an enjoyable read. Johnny’s continued positivity is something I believe we should all strive for.