Linenthal Narrative

            Linenthal’s uses a narrative in the opening of the chapter as a way to introduce readers to the material in a way that is easy to understand and accessible. A problem with some academic work is that in between the big words and cited research, the literature can be hard for people to grasp and make meaningful connections to. In using a narrative to introduce the chapter, Linenthal helps ease readers into the material – the narrative is effective in that regard. Another way the narrative is effective in Linenthal’s work, is it foreshadow the perspective of the rest of the piece. The chapter largely focuses on the Anglo-American perspective of the Custer’s Last Stand. The narrative is set up similarly, told from Linenthal’s vantage point of a white American looking back at Custer’s Last Stand. Therefore through the narrative, Linenthal has also introduced the perspective the rest of the chapter will study. Another aspect of the narrative I liked was how Linenthal’s memory of the Custer’s last stand invites readers to think about their own experiences and make their own connections. I don’t remember Custer’s Last Stand being very memorable in my own childhood, but his narrative brings up different memories of mine like the remembrance of Pearl Harbor each year and the cultural issues surrounding that. In that sense, even though Custer’s Last Stand is not of much personal importance to me, Linenthal’s narrative at the beginning helps increase my overall interest.

One thing I thought the narrative was not effective in was portraying to readers what Linenthal’s purpose was in writing the chapter. While having more background about the book itself would obviously help figure out what Linenthal is trying to achieve in his writing, the introduction is a good place to reiterate the purpose of the text.

            From Linenthal’s narrative, I took away several points that I will keep in mind as I write my own. First, I think a narrative should be clear and easy to understand. I will concentrate on writing clearly in a way that readers are able to follow and relate to. Additionally, Linenthal’s narrative highlighted the importance of perspective in a narrative. Even when writing a personal narrative, the perspective is an important aspect of the work. Lastly, my narrative should have enough personal details that readers are reminded of their own past experiences.

The Financial Crisis of 2008

The current event I picked to analyze was the climax of the subprime mortgage crisis in late 2008. The article, written by Andrew Ross Sorkin for the New York Times on September 14, 2008 highlights the dramatic conclusions to the financial crisis of 2008. To give a basic overview of the events, private firms had begun a practice of purchasing subprime mortgages, bundling them, and then selling them to investors in a process called securitization. During this time, there was a trend for many financial institutions to issue low-documentation loans meaning there was little verification required for homeowners to prove their ability to pay back a loan or place a down payment. When US housing prices peaked in 2006, mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures soared. The crisis reached its climax in September 2008. Prominent financial institutions Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers were both on the verge bankruptcy following the crash of the subprime mortgage backed securities market. Described as “one of the most dramatic days in Wall Street’s history”, Merrill Lynch was sold to Bank of America followed closely by Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy. Simultaneously, insurance giant AIG was seeking over $40 billion dollars from the Federal Reserve and The Fed was beginning to build emergency funds for the Wall Street banks.

I believe the event embodies several important aspects of public memory. First, it was an unprecedented moment on Wall Street where “once-proud financial institutions have been brought to their knees”. Industry experts and civilians alike were shocked at the speed and intensity the financial crisis gripped Wall Street. The after effects of the financial crisis gripped Americans in more personal ways. The stock market fell, unemployment rose, and the bubble of relatively good economic times people had experience prior to the crisis was over.

The financial crisis makes me wonder what David Rieff would have to say. In his article, “After 9/11: The Limits of Remembrance”, Rieff argues that “the stark reality is that in the very long run nothing will be remembered”. He makes a compelling argument, using Pearl Harbor as evidence to support his assertion. He poses to readers, “But how many Americans actually remember the 1,177 American sailors killed on the U.S.S. Arizona that day…?” I am compelled to agree with Rieff. Eventually, the majority of Americans won’t remember names like Merrill Lynch or Ben Bernanke. However, I think the public’s memory of their own emotional response to the events and what followed will ensure that collectively, the financial crisis of 2008 will not be forgotten soon. True, in the future it many not be remembered for it’s precedent-breaking financial implications. But, it will be recalled by one individual as the time they lost their home to foreclosure due to the stagnant housing market. Or perhaps it will be remembered by someone else as when they lost their job due to rising unemployment rates. Each person’s individual memory of it, overall is combined to produce a collective, public memory of the event.

"Lehman Files for Bankruptcy, Merrill Is Sold"