INTE 5340 Digital Story Critique ~ Kurt Vonnegut on Man-Eating Lampreys

Storytelling genius and literary icon, Kurt Vonnegut tackles some heavy topics with light-hearted humor in this fast-paced story about his life, his parents, and the mindset of a writer/storyteller.

In typical Vonnegut storytelling style he delivers the punch lines with perfect timing and an unconventional way that works. He switches topics artfully bringing the tale together.

I assessed this story on originality, voice, creativity, flow, organization and pacing, and story.

Kurt Vonnegut had a unique voice and storytelling style. Funny, sardonic, and eccentric, Vonnegut felt writers write what they must write and hope to find an audience for it. He certainly did. I loved the originality of the animation and creativity in this Man Eating Lamprey story. Vonnegut's ability to laugh at himself and flow from topic to topic provides a great model for achieving flow.

The organization in this story is pretty amazing. The diversity of topics, and how Vonnegut ties them all together, is an organizational coup. He progresses at a rapid pace through intimate details of his own story, the mindset and creativity of writers, and wraps it all up with a sci-fi story about man-eating lampreys. If you, like me, did not know what a lamprey was, it's an eel like fish known for boring into the flesh of other fish and sucking their blood.

The story structure is something to be studied by those interested in improving their storytelling. What you see and hear in the beginning consummates into a memorable surprise end. Nothing was extraneous to the story. Vonnegut is telling a story about himself. His character transformation from a young man concerned with the insecurities of youth to author extraordinaire is a story that sticks.

I have no modifications or changes to suggest, except maybe more of this very good thing.