Aimee Bender

I have really enjoyed the first two stories by Aimee Bender. The first story "End of the Line" was very different. I thought it was interesting how she incorporates fictional themes into the real world. For example she writes about how regular people live in a world with little people. I also thought it was interesting how it said, "friendly people got dogs and the independent people got cats," and how we talked about what kind of person gets small people. I didn't think the the big man had a mental disorder but I think he was very controlling and needed to abuse the little man. I also liked how at the end of the story the big and small man almost switch places.

I also liked the second story, "Fruit and Words." I was actually able to stay focused and read this story in a room full of people which made me realize how good of a job Bender did at keeping my attention and keeping me interested in the story. When I was reading the story I got the impression that the vender was almost like a con artist. She got the people's attention by showing off the great fruit and then once they by that they see the words made out of what they are and they will by that. Once they find that interesting they want to see more and she charges them to see more like the liquids and gases. Once they see the liquids they start to look the same and you can't tell if they are real or not. Then once they get to gases, she can tell them whatever she wants. Once the lady breaks the air she is charged for it even though she didn't do anything. People get suckered into breaking something and having to pay for it.