Feedback on my Feedback

         

In reflecting on the feedback on my project one thing particularly stood out to me that I found initially quite disheartening. It was a comment that I hadn’t described the world I had chosen to depict. That I hadn’t described the inner logic and rules of that world. How the world affected my characters: the violence, the heat, interaction with locals etc.

When I later reflected on these points I came to the conclusion that I had considered those things and understood the parameters of my world quite well. I think I addressed those things intuitively without thinking about it. I thought about why I had always placed my characters in a bar but isolated away from other people and the answers to these points came clear to me. Also the question of who they were with was an important part of that same discussion.

The journalists had developed viewpoints and opinions, and had experienced events that they could only share and discuss with a tight and trusted group of friends. They would only discuss and reflect on events with friends who shared a common viewpoint. Their trust in each other was imperative to retain their privacy and protect their ability to function honourably in their world. They needed to trust that their friends would protect them and honour their viewpoints. The journalists were dependent on soldiers in the field for their safety so wouldn’t want to be overheard criticising their morals or standards of behaviour. They required detachment from the military to share experiences with their friends and share views, opinions and observations to allow freedom for new perspectives to formulate. They required advice and a sharing of perspectives to increase their understanding of events.

Journalists were dependent on soldiers for information and and an honest sharing of their understanding of events. The soldiers needed to trust them and not think of them as judgemental or they wouldn’t share their perspectives. The journalists were dependent of soldiers for protection in the field, they needed to be allies just to stay alive. To be overheard criticising soldiers actions would not serve the journalists in their quest for ‘truth’.

There was also a need for detachment from the population at large as the journalists would be wary of spies from the Viet Cong and even other journalists if they sought to protect their stories and leads. Their associations with local ‘fixers’ may need to be protected if there were spies among the people in the bar. They may wish to protect their Vietnamese friends and associates.

Their isolation with their trusted friends allowed them to relax and unwind after returning from the field. A sense of camaraderie and mutual support was essential in a land far from home. They could understand each others sorrow and share the tragedy of losing loved friends and colleagues. With their friends they could share a joke and relieve the tension of their gruelling jobs. They could tease each other and get drunk together in the knowledge their friends ‘had their back’ and would protect them from harm as they would do for them.

With their friends they could share the latest news and share information which could protect their very lives.

These are the things I will hopefully explore if I am lucky enough to spend time with Tim. There are many questions about my ‘world’ I wish to explore.