Schwabe, Liesl. "The Intimacy of Forks." Creative Nonfiction 41(Spring 2011): 16-19. Print
Creative Nonfiction is one of the literary journals I have explored lately. It's definitely a "reach" journal, as far as my own chances of publication go, but as I read the essays published in the journal, I find them stylistically within my foreseeable reach. "The Intimacy of Forks" is an interesting essay exploring a waitress' observations of customers who come and go from the restaurant she works at. It falls into the personal essay camp because it combines scene (and some narration or dialogue) with rumination and exploration of the author's mind. Here's one quote that exemplifies what I'm trying to describe: "Despite all the awkward interactions, moments of shared understanding flicker through most every exchange. We recognize one another in the simplicity of eye contact, which buoys my faith but can also break my heart. I will never forget the plaid shirt and the rolled jeans of the man whose hand shook so much he couldn't get his spoon to his mouth. Now, his wife comes in along to order take-out, which we rarely do, except for people we like" (19).
Fantastico. One of the characteristics I love about essays (and what often distinguishes an essay from a memoir) is the addition of personal insight (hindsight) into the narrative, where the writer is allowed to be transparent about feelings and judgments; in other words, in essays, authors "show AND tell," whereas in other forms of literature writers are told to "show, NOT tell." So, yes, good essay.
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