Assignment 14: Review Of "Look Out, The Saints Are Coming Through"

What is your reaction to the text you just read?

My reaction to “Look Out, The Saints Are Coming Through” from The Daily Beast is rather mixed. Personally, I would have preferred if the characters were identified by name as opposed to simply “he” and “she”. I appreciated the discussions about Bob Dylan between the two characters, but this story seemed to flash forward and back with no context to support where we were at any given time. As curious as I was about what happened to the two characters bonding over Bob Dylan, I couldn't help but be confused with all the additional of information eluding to a possible tragedy and related victims.

What also perplexed me was the insertion of social media, Instagram, used primarily for visual art, photography, or short videos. I had expected the story to be set in the 1960’s-1970’s due to the references to Bob Dylan. Mentioning social media removes the timeless element (cementing it to Instagram), as well as weaken the sense of immersion the author might have achieved had it been set in the past.

This short story had interesting aspects to it. Descriptions of the characters are expansive so the reader understands their motivations. The author makes clever use of comparisons to Bob Dylan lyrics to illuminate characters from an emotional standpoint. For example, the author references the male's favorite song as “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (about the frustrations of youth) only to have it replaced with “She Belongs to Me” (about an enchanting artist content with her life). He expresses the desire to a musician, like Dylan, and is longing to find “his artist.”

Despite the clever use of caparison, the story still felt like a steady stream of consciousness that jumped from subject to subject without an anchor to connect all the scenes together. The two main characters naturally have flaws, but there doesn’t seem to be any growth between the two while they air their criticisms about life, politics, and other people. I would have appreciated if the story was broke into cohesive pieces instead of being all mixed together. I would have preferred separate chapters so the reader isn’t confused about where they are at any given moment within the story. 

What connections did you make with the story? Discuss the elements of the work with which you were able to connect?

I could identify with the woman using the encouraging lyrics to “She Belongs To Me” for strength and motivation. I could also appreciate her bonding with someone over musician, Bob Dylan. In my own life, the rock music I love most spans many decades, and is my favorite because it endures. However, I would have preferred to hear more about the highly praised critic she knew from Yale rather than the “sudden attack” and “tragedy” of a seemingly unrelated plot.

I did think the author skillfully described the emotional reactions of each character, especially how they are perceived by one another. While it seems to be a steady stream of consciousness (which can be confusing), the author was “showing us” instead of “telling us” what was occurring, which allows the reader to visualize details while the story is revealed. 

What changes would you make to adapt this story into another medium? What medium would you use? What changes would you make?

I would separate each of the smaller plots into self contained stories as opposed to being blended without a sense of timeline. If I were to adapt this story to a medium, I might choose an episodic series solely because you can gradually evolve the characters and their personal growth in each episode. Then, you could lead up to the climactic “tragedy” and show the aftermath. I would also give names to the characters so they're easier to identify rather than guessing who is who. Audience concern and investment in the story is stronger if the viewer can bond to the characters.

Since this is heavily inspired by the legendary Bob Dylan, his music should be implemented, as well as other musicians influenced by Dylan from that period. I would also remove any references to social media and search engines so the story can remain timeless and relatable beyond the current time-frame. “You've Got Mail,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, sports the usual romantic comedy charm. However, the film references “AOL” and this “new thing called email” to such an excessive degree, it dates the film. I would keep the story relatable without such direct references. Longing and regret are human, and bonding over legendary art is timeless.