In her personal commentary about having a brother in jail, Jennifer Martinez, 18, displays her emotions vividly. She uses a flowing style and soft tone. The fluctuations in her voice help the surroundings around her come to life. She explains her dilemma with her brother's advice well, the advice is both helpful and hypocritical and she is frustrated about the bullet-proof glass which causes a barrier between them, both in the real and metaphorical sense.
The ending, “Martinez time is up,” is especially brilliant, because it's both surprising and thought-provoking. At first, I felt confused and expected something more romanticized, but then realized that Jennifer's time with her brother is truly limited. She must feel the same way, expecting a happier ending, but the abrupt command by the guard is how real life is.
In terms of improvement, more ambient sound, such as jail-bars moving, would have been good, yet overall this is a very nice piece. The piece might be good for Youth Radio, as they do first person commentaries. It is 4 years old now, yet still relevant and makes me wonder where she is now.
I am a little surprised that so little has been written about "Prison Visiting Hours". The writing is vivid and Jennifer is eloquent. She throws her story down like a challenge. You have to listen to what Jennifer has to say because she is not saying it to you, the listener. She is speaking to her brother who is in jail, on the other side of a scratched up barrier of glass. I really enjoyed listening.
This piece really touched home, as many people I know are in, or have been, incarcerated. The title of the piece captivated me. Prison Visiting Hours. I remember quite clearly the long lines and countless security measures that were taken just for a few moments to speak to someone I love. The ambient sound of people in the background really put things in perspective. The emotion that I hear in Jennifer?s voice as she speaks in her beautiful accented voice is priceless. Her tone is well, especially since she enunciates and pronounces most of her words. Additionally, she puts the right emphasis on just the right syllables, giving the listener the feelings of both sympathy and empathy. Very descriptive.
Though the piece is on the short side (playing at a length of two minutes and fifteen seconds), I truly enjoyed hearing another youth?s impression of the prison scene ? not as a ?rehabilitant?, but as a visitor. It saddens me to know that the same big brother who promised to beat up any boy who hurts his sister or makes her cry, is, in effect, the same one who is doing the hurting and paining. Throughout the piece, the conversation with the audience is fluid and well-paced which gives the narrator a personality and sense of self in the ears of the listener.
I absolutely HAVE to hear this on the radio. No doubt about it. It?s raw. It has flair. Most of all, it?s real. Many people ? both kids and adults alike ? can relate to this story. Wonderful job Martinez. Wonderful job.
Comments for Prison Visiting Hours
Produced by Jennifer Martinez for Curie Youth Radio
Other pieces by Curie Youth Radio
Rating Summary
3 comments
Ali Tahir
Posted on March 29, 2012 at 06:22 AM | Permalink
Review of Prison Visiting Hours
In her personal commentary about having a brother in jail, Jennifer Martinez, 18, displays her emotions vividly. She uses a flowing style and soft tone. The fluctuations in her voice help the surroundings around her come to life. She explains her dilemma with her brother's advice well, the advice is both helpful and hypocritical and she is frustrated about the bullet-proof glass which causes a barrier between them, both in the real and metaphorical sense.
The ending, “Martinez time is up,” is especially brilliant, because it's both surprising and thought-provoking. At first, I felt confused and expected something more romanticized, but then realized that Jennifer's time with her brother is truly limited. She must feel the same way, expecting a happier ending, but the abrupt command by the guard is how real life is.
In terms of improvement, more ambient sound, such as jail-bars moving, would have been good, yet overall this is a very nice piece. The piece might be good for Youth Radio, as they do first person commentaries. It is 4 years old now, yet still relevant and makes me wonder where she is now.
Teresa Goff
Posted on April 07, 2010 at 11:59 PM | Permalink
Air this piece
I am a little surprised that so little has been written about "Prison Visiting Hours". The writing is vivid and Jennifer is eloquent. She throws her story down like a challenge. You have to listen to what Jennifer has to say because she is not saying it to you, the listener. She is speaking to her brother who is in jail, on the other side of a scratched up barrier of glass. I really enjoyed listening.
KaMeisha Jerae Hodge
Posted on March 31, 2008 at 05:47 AM | Permalink
Review of Prison Visiting Hours
This piece really touched home, as many people I know are in, or have been, incarcerated. The title of the piece captivated me. Prison Visiting Hours. I remember quite clearly the long lines and countless security measures that were taken just for a few moments to speak to someone I love. The ambient sound of people in the background really put things in perspective. The emotion that I hear in Jennifer?s voice as she speaks in her beautiful accented voice is priceless. Her tone is well, especially since she enunciates and pronounces most of her words. Additionally, she puts the right emphasis on just the right syllables, giving the listener the feelings of both sympathy and empathy. Very descriptive.
Though the piece is on the short side (playing at a length of two minutes and fifteen seconds), I truly enjoyed hearing another youth?s impression of the prison scene ? not as a ?rehabilitant?, but as a visitor. It saddens me to know that the same big brother who promised to beat up any boy who hurts his sister or makes her cry, is, in effect, the same one who is doing the hurting and paining. Throughout the piece, the conversation with the audience is fluid and well-paced which gives the narrator a personality and sense of self in the ears of the listener.
I absolutely HAVE to hear this on the radio. No doubt about it. It?s raw. It has flair. Most of all, it?s real. Many people ? both kids and adults alike ? can relate to this story. Wonderful job Martinez. Wonderful job.
?There we are, the closest we will ever be.?