If These Wings Could Fly
Chapter Twelve
by McCauley, KyrieChapter Twelve explores the contrast between structured, logical writing and the emotive freedom found in poetry. The narrator reflects on the school-taught importance of beginning with a thesis statement, appreciating its clarity and focus. This approach demands that every subsequent word support the initial claim, providing a sense of order and purpose. In contrast, the narrator’s mother embraces poetry’s disregard for rules, valuing its raw emotional expression and freedom from conventional grammar, which allows feelings to be felt deeply rather than logically explained.
The narrator expresses a preference for journalistic writing, which prioritizes truth, proper grammar, and factual accuracy over emotional expression. This perspective highlights a tension between the objective and subjective modes of communication, emphasizing the narrator’s commitment to clarity and logic. However, the chapter reveals a personal shift when the narrator begins a literature assignment, choosing to start with a personal thesis statement rather than an academic one, signaling a move towards integrating personal goals and emotions into their writing.
The personal thesis the narrator adopts is a determination to leave their hometown of Auburn and attend college. This declaration becomes a guiding principle, much like the academic thesis statements they are accustomed to crafting. It transforms their actions and decisions, such as writing a winning essay for a scholarship contest, into deliberate steps that support this goal. This shift illustrates how personal ambition can be framed with the same clarity and purpose as academic arguments, bridging the gap between logic and feeling.
Ultimately, Chapter Twelve emphasizes the power of a clear, focused purpose in both writing and life. Whether through the structured logic of a thesis or the emotive force of poetry, the chapter underscores how meaning and direction can emerge when one commits to a central claim. The narrator’s journey reflects a blending of these approaches, suggesting that personal meaning and ambition are best pursued with both clarity of intent and emotional authenticity.
FAQs
1. How does the narrator contrast the approach to writing taught in school with the way their mother expresses herself through poetry?
Answer:
The narrator highlights a fundamental difference between academic writing and poetry. School teaches the importance of a clear thesis statement, logical structure, proper grammar, and supporting evidence, which appeals to the narrator’s preference for order and clarity. In contrast, the narrator’s mother embraces poetry’s freedom from strict rules—using sentence fragments, eschewing grammar, and focusing on emotional expression rather than logic. The mother’s poetry is described as “felt until that’s all that’s left,” emphasizing raw emotion over reason or self-preservation. This contrast reflects differing worldviews: the narrator’s journalistic desire for truth and structure versus the mother’s embrace of meaning through emotional experience.2. What is the significance of the narrator creating a personal thesis statement, and how does it influence their actions?
Answer:
By formulating the personal thesis statement, “I will leave Auburn and go to college,” the narrator applies the academic concept of a thesis to their own life goals. This statement provides a clear, guiding purpose that dictates their decisions and efforts, such as writing a winning essay for a scholarship. It symbolizes a commitment to a future beyond their current circumstances and serves as a motivational anchor. This approach demonstrates how academic skills can be adapted beyond the classroom to structure personal ambitions and create a focused path forward.3. In what ways does the narrator’s perspective on writing reflect their personality and values?
Answer:
The narrator’s preference for structured writing with a thesis statement reveals a personality that values clarity, logic, and control. They appreciate the predictability and order that comes with supporting a clear claim, which contrasts with their discomfort toward the ambiguity and freedom of poetry. This suggests a mindset oriented toward facts and reason, aligning with their ambition to be a journalist who “seeks the truth” and uses “proper grammar and sentence structure.” The narrator’s disciplined approach to writing mirrors their broader desire for direction and purpose in life.4. How does the mother’s thesis statement, “My life has meaning because he is in it,” serve as a thematic element in this chapter?
Answer:
The mother’s thesis statement introduces a theme of finding meaning through relationships and emotional connection, contrasting with the narrator’s logical and goal-oriented worldview. This statement reveals the mother’s deep emotional motivation and shapes her life’s actions, just as the narrator’s self-created thesis drives their ambitions. The juxtaposition highlights differing ways people find purpose—through feeling and love versus through planning and achievement. It adds emotional depth to the chapter and invites reflection on how meaning can be constructed in varied, sometimes conflicting, ways.5. How might the narrator’s decision to apply the concept of a thesis statement to their life goals be useful in other areas of personal development or decision-making?
Answer:
Using a thesis statement as a guiding principle can help individuals clarify their priorities and align their actions accordingly. For the narrator, this approach turns an abstract desire—leaving Auburn and going to college—into a concrete, actionable goal that influences daily decisions like writing scholarship essays. Similarly, others can use this method to articulate their values or ambitions clearly, which can improve focus, motivation, and consistency in pursuing objectives. It encourages intentionality and helps avoid distractions by ensuring that choices support a central purpose, fostering personal growth and effective decision-making.
Quotes
1. “IN SCHOOL WE ARE TAUGHT TO begin our papers with a thesis statement.”
This opening line introduces the chapter’s central metaphor about structure and purpose in writing and life, setting up the contrast between logical argument and emotional experience.
2. “I like the logic of it. The structure. I write one sentence, and every word thereafter must support that claim.”
Here the narrator expresses an appreciation for clarity and order, highlighting the discipline of writing with intention and purpose, which frames the chapter’s exploration of how we organize our thoughts and actions.
3. “Mom’s thesis statement became, ‘My life has meaning because he is in it.’ And now every move she makes supports that claim.”
This quote reveals a poignant example of living by a deeply personal and emotional thesis, contrasting the narrator’s journalistic insistence on facts and logic with the mother’s embrace of feeling as a guiding principle.
4. “I refuse to write in feelings. Journalists seek the truth. They use proper grammar and sentence structure and some goddamn facts.”
This statement underscores the narrator’s internal conflict between emotional expression and factual reporting, emphasizing a commitment to truth and discipline over subjective sentiment.
5. “But tonight, when I sit down to do my homework for lit class, I don’t begin with a thesis statement for my Tess paper. I begin with one for me: I will leave Auburn and go to college.”
This pivotal moment reveals the narrator’s personal resolution and the application of the thesis statement concept to life goals, marking a turning point where ambition and self-definition become central themes.
6. “Now everything I do must support that claim. Like writing the winning essay for Auburn’s scholarship contest.”
This concluding quote illustrates the practical impact of having a clear, personal thesis, showing how it drives focused action and motivates the narrator’s pursuit of a defined future.