Comments on: If I were to workshop Chuck Klosterman’s short story ‘You Tell Me’ https://iwilldare.com/2006/10/if-i-were-to-workshop-chuck-klostermans-short-story-you-tell-me/ A little bit of heaven & A whole lot of hell Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:44:46 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 By: dissonance https://iwilldare.com/2006/10/if-i-were-to-workshop-chuck-klostermans-short-story-you-tell-me/#comment-23837 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:44:46 +0000 https://iwilldare.com/?p=5618#comment-23837 Jack’s inability to emote in a salient way is the point of the story, me thinks, and a gross reflection of the “medicated” culture.

He has significant relationships and insignificant relationships. He has mundane experiences and exciting experiences. No matter; he “feels” them the same. The way he thinks about them is uniquely his own, though.

Jack medicates himself until he’s numb to his emotions. He imbibes So-Co/Mountain Dew and smokes PCP. In effect, he is self-prescribing anti-depressants. Klosterman takes the artistic liberty to substitute recreational drugs for prescription drugs (but he’s not far off from the effects [or is it affects]).

And, Jack exhibits impressive selfishness and grandiosity, although a modicum of insecurity exists to suggest that Jack is someone who might be real (and you and I might know).

The detail of Jack’s daily experience seems real, especially if you’ve imbibed or smoked something (not necessarily PCP) [or taken Prozac] and gone about your day’s activities.

I believe Klosterman’s essay tapped what he intended: A general exposition of the emotive-less and self-indulged slice of culture that he is familiar with. It won’t resonate with everyone, but it reflects the experience of the Gen-Xers in a nebulous way.

]]> By: Jodi https://iwilldare.com/2006/10/if-i-were-to-workshop-chuck-klostermans-short-story-you-tell-me/#comment-22189 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:05:15 +0000 https://iwilldare.com/?p=5618#comment-22189 As Kurt Vonnegut says, some things only happen in real life and bad fiction.

]]> By: blackhands. https://iwilldare.com/2006/10/if-i-were-to-workshop-chuck-klostermans-short-story-you-tell-me/#comment-22188 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:14:17 +0000 https://iwilldare.com/?p=5618#comment-22188 Oh and as for Jack and Donna’s relationship.
Haven’t we all completely fallen for someone who was completely out of their skull?

]]> By: blackhands. https://iwilldare.com/2006/10/if-i-were-to-workshop-chuck-klostermans-short-story-you-tell-me/#comment-22186 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:05:35 +0000 https://iwilldare.com/?p=5618#comment-22186 Ironically I am writing a literary analysis on “You Tell Me” for one of my classes.
But I have a different view on it.
I liked the fact that the story almost makes no sense at all, in fact, it is part of why I love it.
The first seven pages give insight to how fucking whacked out Jack really is.
If those first seven pages were omitted than Jack’s relationship with Donna would make even less sense than it already does.
Also, Jack smokes angel dust on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, for reasons that are self evident.

]]> By: jodi https://iwilldare.com/2006/10/if-i-were-to-workshop-chuck-klostermans-short-story-you-tell-me/#comment-13383 Mon, 09 Oct 2006 13:51:26 +0000 https://iwilldare.com/?p=5618#comment-13383 I figured you’d catch a few of the quotes from Dale and Rob.

But the story was horrible and if he gave it to our class we’d eat him for dinner.

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