With her use of images, Anne Lamott’s article “Polaroids” defines how life develops slightly like a Polaroid picture.
For example, when the author witnesses a special Olympics basketball game, she gives us details about what took place during the game when the author states, “In lieu of scoring, the man stampeded in slow motion up and down the court, dribbling the ball thunderously. Although the guy playing in the basketball game does not know what he is doing, at least he knew how to dribble the ball.
The purpose of this image is to give us an idea of what goes on at particular basketball games and what goes on in the mind of that person. Furthermore, the author gives us vivid details about her feelings while at a track race at the special Olympics when she states, “The race took forever. And here it was nearly noon and we were all starving. Everyone has feelings and the author shows that when she is complaining about being extremely hungry during a race that took forever. The purpose of this image is to show the reader her feelings while also telling you about the race.
Finally, the author gives us an array of details of what happens before and after she takes a picture of a family when she states, “Then the film emerges from the camera with a grayish green murkiness that gradually becomes clearer and clearer and finally you see the husband and wife holding their baby with two children beside them.” There is more to a picture than what meets the eye as you see in the author’s statement. The purpose of this image is to give the reader an idea of what takes place during and after someone takes a picture.
In conclusion, Anne Lamott uses specific details in her article to describe some events at a special Olympics, and while at it explains how life is like taking a Polaroid picture.
Tags: Anne Lamott, author, images, Polaroids