Sinking narration

The memoir Sink by Joseph Earl Thomas encompasses an inward-looking exploration of survival and self-development through the form of unique narrative perspective. Throughout most of his story, Thomas uses third person narration, which interestingly places the reader into the perspective of the people being described rather than the immediate narrator. This striking choice of narration fosters distance and intimacy between the protagonist and the reader at different points in the memoir. Thomas’s switch to second-person narration in the final “Some Summers” section and the untitled final vignette signals pivotal moments of the protagonist’s emotional transformation. Furthermore, the use of a more personal narrative style assists the reader in understanding how Thomas reconciles with his past self.

The choice of third person narration is uncommon for a story about oneself. In Sink, Thomas refers to himself as “he” instead of “I”, creating a sense of distance or separation from his experiences. The third person usage illustrates Thomas’s dissociation of traumatic events. In the book Reading Autobiography Now by Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson, the authors discuss the distinction of autobiography in the third person describing it as: “It is, as he observes elsewhere, a situation in which one narrator “pretends to be two” (208). The story is from an interesting viewpoint for most of the memoir because it is reflective of the younger version of Thomas, someone who the narrator categorizes as different from his current self. This idea reinforces the sense of isolation and detachment that embodies Thomas’s childhood experience. For example, near the beginning of the memoir, Thomas describes an emotional moment: “she asked Joey if he needed anything. It was such a simple question that it made him cry. He tried to hold it in at first, but his chest was too tight, forced in on itself from pneumonia and fear and loathing” (Thomas 32). Through the context of this quote, it can be assumed that Thomas is unaccustomed to kindness or care from others. When someone asks him the simple everyday question he has an emotional response, mirroring his consistent neglect and emotional distance from other characters. Using third person in this instance creates a buffer from the narrator and his own experience.

Furthermore, Thomas’s stylistic choice reinforces the theme of memory and trauma. As said in Reading Autobiography Now, “For some narrators, the problem of recalling and re-creating a past life involves negotiating its fragmentary instructions with increasing, if partial, understanding” (Smith & Watson 46). The language used in Sink is typically fragmented, which reinforces the idea that traumatic memories are not always grappled with in a cohesive or linear manner. Thomas utilizes third person narration, almost as if he is writing fiction, to re-write his story from an outsider’s perspective as a method to separate himself from his own traumatic experiences. This allows him to reconfigure his story with a level of control over what he presents to the reader and also demonstrates how creating distance to one’s own life is a trauma response.

However, third person narration may conversely create a closeness between the narrator and the reader because they are given snapshot moments of Thomas’s life without additional opinions from the narrator. This process leaves it up to the reader to interpret Joey’s inner world and voice without being completely consumed by his observations. Additionally, using third person allows Thomas to successfully present his story with directness and intentionality while omitting additional details, forcing the reader to experience chosen moments of suffering, happiness, and development.

The final shift to second-person narration in the “Some Summers” and the untitled final vignette sections pulls the reader further into an immersive experience by directly addressing the protagonist as “you.” For instance, in the chapter “Some Summers”, Thomas writes, “Some summers, you’ll change shape and in the following years relatives who used to fuck you up will say, Oh he done got so big now!” (Thomas 237). Addressing the reader as “you” shifts the attention and calls the reader to imagine what it is like to go through these moments and emotions firsthand. In contrast, third person narration instills a sense of detachment and almost creates a separate entity. The transition to second person narration at the end of the memoir represents the author’s acknowledgement of his journey to becoming who he is today in a way that third narration does not allow. It is a personal reflection of reclaiming himself despite the fractured and traumatic aspects of his identity.

Additionally, this shift illustrates a harmonization between Thomas and his younger self. For a majority of the memoir, the third person narration creates removal from his past self, almost like he is viewing himself from an outside perspective. The transition to second person aligns Thomas past self and current self into one identity in a reflective manner. The implementation of second person narration also influences the reader to empathize with him in a more personal way, leaving the reader to further reflect on his journey. The memoir’s conclusion is an arrival of understanding that ultimately recognizes the little boy who endured so much as an adult.