Christian,+Mat+and+Aaron

Christian, Mat and Aaron

Dr. Robert Kline Highest Rank was a Staff Sgt.

__These questions are not in order!__

1. What were you doing in America before you got involved in the Army? 2. Did you have any family members that also served in the Military? 3. How was Military life, the training, food, social life? 4. Where did you serve in Europe? 5. Did you form any good friendships? 6. How, if you did, communicate with family members back home in America? 7. How did you get involved in WWll? 8. How old were you when you enlisted? 9. What was going through your mind upon arrival? 10. What do you remember seeing upon arrival? 11. When you got there what was one of the first things you did? 12. How long was it until you were involved in a battle? 13. What were you thinking going into battle? 14. What was battle like? 15. Can you remember anything specific that deals with fighting? 16. Where were you when the war was over? 17. How did you get home to America? 18. How did you react when you saw your family? 19. Did you keep in touch with anybody that you met in the War? 20. How did the wartime experiences affect your life? 21. What are some life lessons you learned in the war? 22. What was your specific job in the 88th Infantry Division? 23. In the whole scheme of World War 2, what did the 2nd battalion medical station accomplish? 24. Can you remember anything about the scenery of areas where you were stationed? 25. Did you ever have any time to your self? 26. If so, what did you do? 27. Tell me about boot camp. 28. Why did you choose the branch that you did?

toc =**History**=

How To Conduct an Interview

Interviews have four stages that precede the writing of a story:� arrangements, preparation, the actual interview and the reconstruction.

ARRANGEMENTS--Spontaneous interviews, except in connection with breaking news, seldom contribute to thoroughness.� Once you have decided to interview someone, call in advance to make an appointment.� Identify yourself by your name and the name of your publication.� If you feel the need to do so or are asked to describe what the story is about, be brief and general.� The shape of the story might change as you continue your reporting.� If you are interviewing several persons in connection with your story, interview the principal person last, because you will be better prepared based on what you learn from the earlier interviews.

PREPARATION�Do as much research as possible in advance on the person and/or topic you are working on.� Sources might include the library, public records, the internet and people you know who can provide background information.� Prepare your questions in advance in writing and bring them to the interview.� Refer to them but don't show them to the interviewee, because it creates too formal an atmosphere.� Ask other questions as they might arise, based on what the interviewee says or something new that might come to you on the spur of the moment.� Bring two pencils (or pens) and paper.� A stenographer's notebook is usually easier to handle than a large pad but use whatever is comfortable.� Bring a tape recorder if you can but be sure to get the permission to use it from the person you are interviewing.� You also should take notes, because it will help in the reconstruction phase, and, yes, tape recorders fail occasionally.

THE INTERVIEW�It is inadvisable to launch right into the interview unless you are only being given a few minutes.� Some casual conversation to start with will relax both of you.� Questions should be as short as possible.� Give the respondent time to answer.� Be a good listener.� If he or she prattles on, it is appropriate to move on as politely as you can.� You might say something such as:� "Fine, but let me ask you this�".� Try to draw out specifics:� How long, how many, when, etc.?� Absorb the atmospherics of the locale where the interview takes place, with particular attention to what might be a reflection of the interviewee's personality and interests, such as photos of children or bowling trophies or a paper-littered desk or a clean one, etc.� Note characteristics of the interviewee that might be worth mentioning in your story, such as pacing, looking out the window to think, hand gestures and the like.� Invite the person to call you if she/he thinks of anything pertinent after the interview.� It often happens, so be sure to provide your name, email address and phone number on a card or piece of paper before you leave.� If that person has a secretary, be sure to get that person's name and telephone number, too, in case there is some detail that needs followup and, again, leave information as to how you may be contacted.� If a photo is needed and is not taken during the interview, be sure to make arrangements then to have one taken at a later time.

RECONSTRUCTION�As soon as it's practical after the interview, find a quiet place to review your handwritten notes.� In your haste while taking notes, you may have written abbreviations for words that won't mean anything to you a day or two later.� Or some of your scribbling may need deciphering, and, again, it is more likely you'll be better able to understand the scribbles soon after the interview.� Underline or put stars alongside quotes that seemed most compelling. One star for a good quote, two stars for a very good one, etc.�� It will speed the process when you get to the writing stage.� One other thing to look for in your notes:� the quote you wrote down might not make a lot of sense, unless you remember what specific question it was responding to.� In short, fill in whatever gaps exist in your notes that will help you better understand them when writing.

Tips for Writing a Personal Narrative

Purpose and Audience

Personal narratives allow you to share your life with others and vicariously experience the things that happen around you. Your job as a writer is to put the reader in the midst of the action letting him or her live through an experience. Although a great deal of writing has a thesis, stories are different. A good story creates a dramatic effect, makes us laugh, gives us pleasurable fright, and/or gets us on the edge of our seats. A story has done its job if we can say, "Yes, that captures what living with my father feels like," or "Yes, that’s what being cut from the football team felt like."

Structure

There are a variety of ways to structure your narrative story. The three most common structures are: chronological approach, flashback sequence, and reflective mode. Select one that best fits the story you are telling.

Methods

Show, Don’t’ Tell

Don’t tell the reader what he or she is supposed to think or feel. Let the reader see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the experience directly, and let the sensory experiences lead him or her to your intended thought or feeling. Showing is harder than telling. It’s easier to say, "It was incredibly funny," than to write something that is incredibly funny. The rule of "show, don’t tell" means that your job as a storyteller is not to interpret; it’s to select revealing details. You’re a sifter, not an explainer. An easy way to accomplish showing and not telling is to avoid the use of "to be" verbs.

Let People Talk

It’s amazing how much we learn about people from what they say. One way to achieve this is through carefully constructed dialogue. Work to create dialogue that allows the characters’ personalities and voices to emerge through unique word selection and the use of active rather than passive voice.

Choose a Point of View

Point of view is the perspective from which your story is told. It encompasses where you are in time, how much you view the experience emotionally (your tone), and how much you allow yourself into the minds of the characters. Most personal narratives are told from the first-person limited point of view. If you venture to experiment with other points of view, you may want to discuss them with Miss Burke as you plan your piece.

Tense

Tense is determined by the structure you select for your narrative. Consider how present vs. past tense might influence your message and the overall tone of your piece.

Tone

The tone of your narrative should set up an overall feeling. Look over the subject that you are presenting and think of what you are trying to get across. How do you want your audience to feel when they finish your piece? Careful word choice can help achieve the appropriate effect.

Silver Stringers. "How to Conduct a Good Interview." 3-30-09. .

"Tips for Writing a Personal Narrative". 3-30-09. .