Reading Response 3

Wow, Twilight was a fascinating reading. When I sat down to begin reading the booklet, I was not excited about the amount of reading ahead of me. As I began to get through it, however, my attitude changed. There is something very powerful about reading personal stories in regard to history. It really makes it come alive. The mixture of monologues come together in order to give a comprehensive understanding of the Los Angeles riots of 1992. I loved the use of multiple personal perspectives. The perspective of the jury member was very eye-opening. When he described his horror at receiving a note of encouragement from the KKK, it really showed that he was not an evil person. Sometimes we judge too quickly. The pastor was also an interesting perspective. His use of “the collar” for protective purposes although he hadn’t worn it in years epitomizes how the fear changed people’s way of life during that scary time. I appreciated the raw reality of what was going on. These speeches did not dilute or hide the truth even when it is hard to hear. Each person captured my attention by the vivid imagery and honesty. Although they were each different, somehow they came together in a powerful way.