Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Haley Scholars (Group A1) Rion Amilcar Scott's “A Loudness of Screechers”


[Haley Reading groups Fall 2021]

Rion Amilcar Scott's "A Loudness of Screechers" is a supernatural or magical tale that has a large group of menacing birds hovering over a town before then taking a human sacrifice. The story is told from the perspective of a young girl in the town. 

In one interview, Scott explained his reasons for presenting magical elements in his stories. For one, he said it's fun. And second, he said, that doing so "allows me to dramatize some ideas that I can’t dramatize otherwise."

How did you respond to the use of magical elements in "A Loudness of Screechers"? That is, was it a fun, unsettling, confusing, intriguing, unusual, or familiar reading exeprience for you? Or, was it something else? In brief, state why you think you had that response to the story.

120 comments:

Jasmine J said...

For me it was confusing at first. But then as I began to re-read the story the it kind of became interesting in a way. It was definitely a different reading experience for me especially since this isn't usually the genre I read and not really into the magical elements. But the story wasn't too bad.

Ivan Johnson said...

I responded to the use of magical elements as a fun outlook of the story. The use of magical elements made the story fun because I could picture all of the animals, like the birds flying, the rats squirming, and the wolves. I think why I had that response to the story is because when I can picture something that I'm reading it makes the story more interesting and keeps me entertained.

Taylor Gray said...

My response to the use of magical elements in "A Loudness of Screechers" were a variety things. I found it to be a confusing and unusual, yet also intriguing reading experience for me. I believe one of the reasons I responded in those ways because I didn't expect for the story to be what it was, I didn't expect for there to be supernatural or magical stories in the book. Another reason I reacted the way I did is because when the ritual was occurring I started to wonder why did the ritual have to happen at all. Also, I wondered why was did the uncle have to be the sacrifice of the ritual. Why were they not allowing his brother shoot at the birds? This short story left me with a lot a question which is why I found it intriguing because I want to know the reasons behind everything and what would happen next.

-Taylor Gray

Shaquerria Cole said...

To me the story was very intriguing but confusing at the same time. It sounded like something that would happen in a movie. I was only confusing because I didn't really understand the point of the sacrifice and everything that was going on during it. I was shocked that what she wanted to happen to the two boys happened to her uncle.

Latavia Bryant said...

My response to the use of magical elements in "A Loudness of Screechers" is that it was kind of confusing. I'm not sure I understood the point behind the story. I feel like this author uses stories to give it a gentler tone than history books, but I cant quite put my finger on what this tory was about.


-Latavia Bryant

Kemry H said...

Reading the story, I found it very confusing and slightly unusual. I feel like I would have to read it again to better understand what was going on. In a way, it was also intriguing. I was curious to the point where it made me interested. I want to learn more and figure out what is actually going on, and that will maybe change my mind about how I feel towards the story.

DaMya Evans said...

My response to the use of magical elements in "A Loudness of Screechers" was confusion, I think I had this response because the story seemed to be all over the place. I think there were many unnecessary details included, the thing I was most confused about was the reasoning behind the ritual.

-DaMya Evans

Jercura K. said...

My response to the use of the magical elements in "A Loudness Of Screechers" were on a wide spectrum. This was a very intriguing read for me seeming as though the story had many descriptive words that were meant to elicit a visual representation as to what the author wants readers to imagine. Through these sensory details, not only was I able to understand what was going on, but was able to anticipate the relief that the people felt once the birds finally left.


-Jercura Kindred

Naomi B. said...

The story was confusing to me at first because it didn't give reasoning as to why the birds was there. As I read it became unusual but interesting at the same time. After reading the story I wondered why they called it a ritual as if Uncle Charles was sacrificed. I assumed it was to prevent the birds from attacking the town maybe. I like how the story made me wonder.
-Naomi B.

Taylor Corbin said...

Taylor C. Said
I was very confused by the story all I understand is that “A Loudness of Screechers” is from the perspective of Sorai. And Sorai sees screecher birds. And the rest I don't really understand like why does her uncle have to be sacrificed to make the birds go away. It just doesn't make since in my head.

OLUWATOMISIN AROGUNDADE said...

I found the story a bit confusing at first. I found it interesting that at the beginning of the book she wanted those birds to take Andrew and the other guy away for harassing her, but when it came to her uncle being attacked by those birds she immediately hated them.

Kennedy J. said...

As I was reading, I thought the magical elements were confusing and difficult to comprehend at first. However, once I understood it a little more I thought it added a fun touch to the book. I wish there was more of an explanation about the birds and the reasoning for them but looking over it again might clear up a few questions of mine.

Tashauri F. said...

My response to the magical elements used in n“A Loudness of Screechers” were very confusing and unusual because I couldn’t figure out the point behind this story. The story didn’t even give a reasoning behind the ritual.

Jonathan H said...

I found the use of supernatural elements in this story to be very interesting. I appreciate that Scott was able to use the bizarre characteristics of the story to talk about such a grounded and realistic subject. it made the story much more entertaining to read than it would have been without them.

Layla Brooks said...

My first response to the story was very confused and kind of lost because of the magical or supernatural elements in the story. I honestly read it over and over again and I couldn't figure out the purpose or the reason behind the story. Other than me not knowing what was going on I like the part about the ritual because it felt like something deep or something that really had a meaning behind it.

Tomia B. said...

My response to the use of magical elements in "A Loudness of Screechers" was first confusing but yet entertaining at the same time. Because it illustrated things that are unusual to the real world, I was confused. The scarification confused me because I didn't understand the purpose. How is the person determined to be the one who gets sacrificed? Its sounds more of entertainment than logical. But because of its uniqueness, it also made the reading entertainable and more enjoyable to read which is why I think I responded to it in this way.

Marlon C said...

My response to the use of magical elements was in the middle of lost and uninterested. I am very confused sometimes until I back track and obtain the information. I think if I took more time out to go over everything within the book, I'll be more interested and concerned about what is really going on with this book.

Anijah Barringer said...

My response to “A Loudness of Screechers” by Rion Amilcar Scott was confusing at first. I did not really understand the use of the magical elements. I was mostly confused at first because when it comes to supernatural powers it could be confusing to one at first. Yet as I read more and more of the story some things started to connect a little bit. I tried to make sense of why certain situations occurred, due to other ones. The one thing I really did not understand was the sacrifice I could not make much sense of that.
-Anijah B.

Harrison Brooks said...

This story confused me from beginning to end. The description of the birds did interest me, however I was confused about their purpose. When they started attacking Uncle Charles, I was confused as to why no one was helping him except his brother. Then when everyone was saying it was a part of the ritual, I got even more confused. I feel as though Reynold knew what was happening, but he did not want to see his brother go. I assume that the ritual was a sacrifice to save the town, because everything started to clear up.

Arieona B. said...

My response to the use of magical elements in “A Loudness of Screechers” was a combination of things. Which was confusing, unsettling but also intriguing in a way. In the beginning there were a lot of random details that I’m still not sure of what the importance of those details were. I found it unsettling that they are participating in this ritual sacrificing their family member and also it is being done in front of the young children. This is all intriguing though because it grabs my attention and makes me curious to what’s going on, why it’s being done, and what it means.
-Arieona B.

Nija Hendricks said...

Taking a more magical approach was a strange one but I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Was the Uncle taken because he disrespected women at a point in time or because of the advice he gave to his niece? I can't say having the Uncle snatched away in front of his family made me feel happy nor sad. So I don't understand the point of this story.

-Nija H

Kambria C. said...

My response to "A loudness of Screechers" was confusing. When I read the story I didn't understand what was happening at first. By the end of the story I started to connect the dots and the story became more clear.
-Kambria C.

Stefani F said...

My response to the chapter was confusing at first. I was confused that the little girl kept talking about the birds as if they were big monsters. But as the story continued it started to make more sense and I started to become more interested. The adults and epsically the father knew what was going on and that the birds do this ritual, that's most likely why the father was crying and was hugging everyone (he knew what was going to happen to his brother).

Niylah Edwards said...

The response to the magical elements was weird and confusing. I had to keep rereading to fully understand most of what was happening, like the sacrifice. The confusion kept me interested because it made me really think about why certain things happened. A lot of things left me curious in the story.

Alayah D. said...

Reading this made me take a second look. The use of magical elements left me with a bunch of questions, so of course I had to read it again, and really break apart everything that I was reading, and try to understand it piece by piece. After reading it, and really paying attention to detail. I could tell that most of this had a deeper meaning behind it.

Alexi J. said...

Alexi J.

While reading "A loudness of Screechers", I found the magical elements very unsettling. It disturbed me because of how Sorai's family most likely knew of what was to come while Sorai was in the dark, making jokes about them and relating them to heroes.

Tashauna F. said...

My response to "A Loudness of Screechers" was confusion. I was confused because I didn't understand why the uncle had to be sacrificed. I also didn't understand why everyone went along with it even though they already knew the consequences. But it was also interesting that the birds were described as if they were "high and mighty."

Cortni J said...

Cortni Jordan
At first I was little confused trying to see who’s point of view we were looking at but afterwards, I found it intriguing and interesting that birds were basically plotting on humans before taking one.

Shelbe D said...

I found "A Loudness of Screechers", to be very interesting. I think the addition of magical/ mystical elements allows for dynamic storytelling but not only dynamic, there aren't many boundaries. It allows the author creative freedom and not be restricted by realism and using his imagination to its full extent. It obviously makes the story more interesting for the reader but also leaves the interpretation of the story up to the reader.

Erin Myers said...

Natalie G.:

My response to the use of magical elements in “A Loudness of Screechers” was that I was somewhat confused. There were some details in the story that I didn’t really understand very well.

Erin Myers said...

Z'Kya Dixon said...
This story was very confusing in the first half. I originally thought it would involve Josh and Andrew more. But it turned around and was about her family. It was intriguing and I liked it . Did kinda leave us on a cliffhanger, but that's not the point. I wasnt expecting the magical part..because they're birds that are loud. But it was different. In a good way.. This reading reminds my of an episode of supernatural, and a live action version of red riding hood...

October 28, 2021 at 8:34 AM (posted to blog B)

Erin Myers said...

Itangishatse Bujeni said...
At first, the presence of magic was surprising, only because it was so sudden. The passages of this book have been a different experience each time. When introduced to the magical creatures from the eyes of the little girl, I thought for sure this passage would be the first light one of the book, boy was I wrong. It is made pretty clear that the little girl has little understanding of these creatures and the ways in which they work. She does not realize the depth to these creatures, and since we view the story from her eyes, we’re also in the dark about the creatures. This is what makes this story so unsettling. At the start she is excited to see the creatures, she makes a slightly light hearted joke about them attacking some annoying classmates. To her they are just an annual occurrence, she enjoys their presence and looks forward to it. As the story continues and we are given little information about some ritual that includes these creatures, we along with the little girl are confused. We can feel the tension and intensity in the house along with her, when she watches her father cry and scream against her uncle being the sacrifice, we feel a pot in our stomach much like she probably does. Everyone leaves her in the dark and suddenly she is watching as her uncle, her fathers brother and friend steps outside and is stabbed in the chest by the talons of these creatures she was fond of. The passage ends this way, and I imagine the little girl is left shocked, confused, and terrified. The audience is left with this unsettling feeling as well, the author has turned this creature that started out as this magical beauty into a nightmare for this little girl, and for us, asking what happens now? What happens to the little girls innocence, to her view of the world, to her trust in magic and adults. We don’t know, and she doesn’t know. (I tried putting this up yesterday and it must not have gone through, not sure what caused the issue)

October 28, 2021 at 9:27 AM (posted to blog B)

Erin Myers said...

In my opinion the use of magical as a fun and unique outlook of the story. The story got interesting in a look over the story again type of way, it was truly a different reading experience, I could picture all the animals. Like the birds flying , the wolves doing what they do, and lastly the rats squirming, but overall the story wasn’t bad.

-Anaya J.

Erin Myers said...

Neville G.:

In the story A Loudness of Screechers it was a very confusing story to me. Apparently the girl’s uncle was doing a ritual that went wrong in the eyes of her dad, that he dad almost shot his wife. Then, when rereading you get to understand that the birds and stuff was apart of the act and the brother really thought it wrong.

Erin Myers said...

Thiane D.:

The use of magical elements was confusing. While I was reading the section of the book, I thought that this was going to a normal story. The author was talking about the bird screeching a lot, but I thought it was going to be a symbol for something later in story. There was a lot of descriptive elements about the bird and screeching but it told nothing about the ending. I was not very surprised for the way that it ended and the ritual, considering a lot of black culture is rooted around rituals and supernatural ideas, so I believe that there is a deeper meaning behind this short story.

Tonia Estes said...

It was defiantly pretty confusing for me to read the first couple of times. Being honest, I was not a fan because the piece was just too confusing overall. Like, what is the point of this? If your audience cannot understand your work, then you're doing something wrong. Weird.

-Tonia Estes

Damilola Adebisi said...

Damilola Adebisi
At first this reading was very confusing and I had to read it a couple times. I thought the reading was very tense towards the end. The concept I thought was most interesting was how important this ritual was to them even though it was a family member. What shocked me the most was why the uncle decided to sacrifice his life for the ritual.

Damilola Adebisi said...

Damilola Adebisi
My response to "A Loudness of Screeches'" is At first this reading was very confusing and I had to read it a couple times. I thought the reading was very tense towards the end. The concept I thought was most interesting was how important this ritual was to them even though it was a family member. This demonstrates how normalized it is to them. What shocked me the most was why the uncle decided to sacrifice his life for the ritual.

Cidney C. said...

At first, I was very confused reading the story. I had to reread the story to understand, but once I did fully comprehend what was going on, I found the story quite interesting. I enjoy reading stories that have magical elements, it can make the story more fun to read. However, this one made me feel a little sad because of the uncle having to be sacrificed, but overall, I liked the story.

Aunye Harrold said...

My response to the magical elements was that I was a bit confused at first however I can see how someone would use magical elements to dramatize certain parts of a story. It is creative in the way of "I have no other way to dramatize this scene or event, why not use magical elements because they are a dramatic thing themselves".

Indya Howard said...

My response to the magical elements was confused yet intrigued. I was confused about the sacrifice and just how big the birds are yet the story intrigued me because I wondered if the council of adults were discussing who who be the sacrifice or if they were discussing how to stop the birds altogether. I wish the story was a bit longer so we could have a better understanding of what’s going on in the story.

Tyler Guthrie said...

After reading the story, "A Loudness of Screechers,"my response towards the story involved initial confusion and then as I revised over the story, I felt a sense of intrigue and sadness. The story had a very sudden transition from a casual setting to a very dark and demonic ritual based turn of events which personally shocked me. In essence, I had went from having apathy towards the story to then feeling somewhat concerned about what happens next, making this a somewhat interesting story.

Shakyiah C said...

When I first notice that the story would have unnaturally large birds in a what seems to be normal neighborhood, I knew I it would be a fun and interesting story. The story reminds of a horror anthology called 'Slasher Girls and Monster Boys' with wonderful tales from what seems like an average situation that changes in a minute. I like the story implies that a certain groups of adults have to sacrifice one of themselves to the birds. Hinting to this being a tradition that Sorai and/or her brothers will be a part of when they are older. I think it is interesting that Sorai thought nothing of the birds before then. She only knew they were big, unusual, and something always seen in the town. Sorai and the other children in the neighborhood understood that the screechers were intimidating but thought they will never come down an attack. Showing how hard the adults try to hide the ritual from the kids and why Sorai's father wanted her and her brothers to go down in the basement so badly.

James Gladney said...

After reading the story, "A Loudness of Screechers," signs of confusion caused a sense of sadness and depression. The concept projected trial and error with the process of the ritual. I like that the story explains that certain groups of adults have to sacrifice one of themselves to the birds.
- James Gladney

Jenaya G. said...

My response to the magical elements was confused yet intrigued. I was confused about the sacrifice and just how big the birds are yet the story intrigued me because I wondered if the adults were discussing who would be the sacrifice. I wish the story was a bit longer so we could have a better understanding of what’s going on in the story. I think the story was interesting but still unclear.

Starr C said...

My initial response to "A Loudness of Screechers" was intriguing because I wanted to know if the "Screechers" were actual mystical creatures or a metaphor for something. Once I found out these were actual mystical beings familiarity settled In because it remind me of other books such as "Black Box". Stories/shows that involve mystical creatures are very entertaining to me because I agree that they are fun and full of imagination. The only question I had after was what is the true meaning of "Screechers".
-Starr C.

Raven Dewalt said...

When reading the story it was very confusing. I couldn't wrap my head around exactly what was happening. The sacrifice and the dark sky threw me off. At first I thought the story was about a girl and her interest in birds. But, when they talked about the dark sky and the birds, and the uncle going out there getting attacked changed my thought. What if this is a story about things beyond us. For example the sacrifice, I thought that maybe the family had powers of some sort. The uncle was sacrificing himself to protect them, and afterwards the sky turned back clear.

Ruth B. said...

After reading "A Loudness of Screechers", I felt like the story was unusual because I've never read anything similar to this before. Initially, I thought that the big birds were showing symbolism of something but I wasn't sure. I think I would have grasped it more if the author had continued the story to elaborate on the ritual so I could infer the meaning behind it. Additionally, I wanted to know more about the background of the girl and her family. It was sad reading the part where her father was crying that his brother was going to be taken. Although this wasn't a type of story I would typically read, I admired how the author, Rion Scott, created an outlandish but intriguing vision for the story because it's something outside of the box and weird in a good way.

-Ruth B

Chidi Anyamele said...

Initially, when I started to read Magical elements I was a little bit confused, mainly on who's point of view we were given. But as I read on, the pieces started to come together and the story made more sense.
-Chidi A.

Niate Kina said...

Honestly, the use of magical elements in this text left me feeling very unsettled. At first, I thought it was interesting how the kids would observe the birds and found them to be sort of fascinating. However, once I continued to read on I noticed that these were no normal birds. This was especially true, once I noticed that they were actually attacking their uncle. I didn’t think this chapter would take the negative turn that it did, but regardless, it absolutely did. With that being said, the fact that the mother justified what happened to the victim, left me in complete and genuine awe.

Anonymous said...

Jonathan G

While reading this story I was very confused. My response to the magical elements "A Loudness of Screechers" was very unusual and intriguing. I believe I feel this way after reading this because it wasn't how it expected it to be. Reading this also makes me want to know reasons behind this and everything that has happened.

Jonathan G

Colette Jackson said...

My response to "A Loudness of Screechers" was very interesting. It sort of felt like a rollercoaster of emotions because I did not exactly what was going on in the beginning of the story. I initially thought the story was bringing about the idea of magical elements nothing to be to think on but once they started speaking on the birds and the girl hoping it would take away the boy who was harassing her but then it took her uncle...I was so lost. I genuinely believe in the magical elements and that there is more to the universe than we know but his story sort of thew me off guard. I did find it intriguing how the sky was a source of "life" I guess because the dark sky resembled like a darkness and that something needed to be given or it will be taken and the sacrifice that was given, I guess, was her uncle then after he was sacrificed the sky was clear. It was a interesting ritual based story that took time to understand and I still don't exactly but it ended up to be intriguing to me but confusing as well. I did enjoy reading it tho.
-Colette Jackson

Airika C said...

While reading I was a little bit confused about what was actually going on in the story. It seemed as if the girl was very interested in the birds until she started describing them and what she wished they would do to those two boys. The end when the uncle got taken away was very sad but I wonder why the sky was brighter after they took the uncle and why did they take him and not the other men around him.
-Airika C.

Elizabeth Alao said...

When I first read the book, I thought it was very confusing at first, the first though that came into my head was "What did I just read?". I felt like I had just jumped from a normal story about a girl normally going to school, then we jumped to bird taking her uncle for a sacrifice. The magical aspect came out of nowhere, and one thing I didn't get is when the girls father hugged her and her brothers, what the point was. I thought the story at first was just about the girl and her connection to the birds, I thought the birds would be a representation or symbol of something that was part of her life. I'm still a little confused on what the sacrifice means and what it symbolizes and what the bird means. Overall it felt like a good story but just a little confusing because of the sacrifice and the birds.

Anonymous said...

After reading, "A Loudness of Screechers" I was confused because the plot, in the beginning, did not necessarily correlate with the ending. The story itself was interesting and had its ups and downs but to me, it just did not feel organized and laid out.

Ehijie Ilenikhena

Muhammed A said...

I thought that the use of magical elements in the story enhanced my experience. It was interesting to see that the kids joked about the screechers and the adults knew the real terror of them. When I find that there are magical elements in a story, I am always intrigued by them because it is something that I would have never thought of.

Aminah Haynes said...

My initial reaction to the use of magical elements of Scott's, "A Loudness of Screechers" was a confusing experience for me at first. The magical elements made the story more dramatic and intriguing as I could see all the animals, birds, and full setting that were described in the story with the dramatic hint. I was confused at first because I didn't understand what the ritual was for. I also don't understand why the uncle had to be sacrificed for the ritual. All of these wonders made the story very much intriguing as I want to find out about the full meaning.

Anonymous said...



I guess the real response I have is the connection between African Americans and magical elements. Often, African American stories are always only connected to trauma, mistreatment, or heartbreak. While that is fine to understand and commemorate the stories of black lives; it gets repetitive. Why can’t there be stories like this, that are about dark magic and rituals without the undertone of racism or discrimination? It is because we are not used to African American stories about families that just so happen to be black and go through tragedies. Not because they are black but simply unlucky. I do not mean to eliminate the narrative of the true and real struggle. I would like to diversify the way we see each other. Therefore, I see this story as a new way to see stories about African Americans and magical realism.
-Sheena C.

Amy descollines said...

At first when I was reading I was confused but then after I kept reading I kind of liked it. I felt like I could imagine the animals in my head and it felt kind of real. I felt part of the story.

kelly said...

The more I read “The loudness of screechers” the more I found myself confused. I am left wondering what the point of the sacrifice was. The story left so many questions unanswered. Amoya B.

Kevin Dillard said...

My response to the magical elements is confusion. The discussion between the adults about sacrifice was what was keeping me curious and staying in the story. I say it was new to me on how it went with more magic involved.

Unknown said...

I was confused at first as I wasn't sure exactly what the birds had to do with anything in the beginning. We were given no context as to why they are there or even what exactly they are. Towards the end of the story it intensified as the life of a loved one was being taken and the emotions of the characters changed. The father having to watch his brother get killed and the children crying gave the story a completely different feeling from the beginning.

-Maurius Gore

Tamia Goodlow said...

My response to the “Loudness Of Screechers” didn’t make much sense to me. I understood the description of the bird in the story, but it held no purpose to me. I also didn’t understand why the uncle had to be sacrificed. All in all the mysteries and questions that I raised made the story more interesting.
-Tamia Goodlow

Amber Dixon said...

To me, the magical elements were interesting, but I was a bit baffled. It was a bit confusing how the uncle had to be sacrificed for the ritual. It was interesting how the magical elements made it more intriguing and elaborate.

- Amber Dixon

Chanel Battle said...

To me the magical elements were confusing to me because it took me a while to understand concept and the meaning of it I didn’t understand why he was sacrificing and what he was sacrificing for.

Jasmine D said...

My response to the use of the magical elements in "A Loudness Of Screechers" were on a wide spectrum. This section was an interesting read for me because the story had many descriptive words that were meant to elicit a visual representation of what the author wants readers to imagine. Through these sensory details, not only was I able to understand what was going on, but was able to anticipate the relief that the people felt once the birds finally left.

Anonymous said...

My response to "A Loudness of Screechers" were a mix of confusing, yet interesting emotions. Initially, I didn't expect the use of supernatural figures and phrases to be used within this book. There were also very many vivid descriptions to help you visualize a true representation of our imagination the author was trying to instill in us. I feel like I would have to truly read the piece again to understand the true meanings of what the author's points were and what was truly trying to get across.

Jordan L Allen said...

In "A Loudness of Of Screechers", I believe that the characters are anthropomorphic because of the description of the two five-year-olds and the situation between the Screechers and Uncle Charles. It would make sense for the two little brothers to be overactive but why would they be drooling and running in circles in animalistic ways? Also, the Uncle was apparently mauled by the birds so either the Uncle was small or the birds were large in size.

Jayda Adams said...

The story was confusing to me I didn't really understand the point at all or why her uncle had to sacrificed.

Marcus G. said...

For me, "A Loudness of Screechers," is sort of confusing. I had to re-read it a few times to sort of understand what was going on. The sacrifice to wishing the boys' guts were ripped out utterly disturbed me.
The "screechers" come to me as mythical beings. I still don't know why they had to offer up a sacrifice, but again, it disturbed me. It was an interesting turning point in the story from what it already was, but it indeed put on a different tone.

Unknown said...

My response to this was a few things. It was very different from things I read previously. It was interesting due to the supernatural and magical stories. Also with him sacrificing himself and the ritual etc. It threw me off a bit because I never read about anything like this or never though this would even happen

Aaliyah Fuller said...

This chapter is very confusing as I read it, I was enjoying to finish reading up because it left me with rather a lot of questions. The uncle and the two brothers I understand the way they acted but it was some things very confusing

Jordan Brawley said...

I found this chapter very odd and very confusing to interpret. It was very intriguing in the sense of what it was talking about which is the stories but overall it was confusing.

Erin Myers said...

ivorie arthurs said...
Adding magical elements to the plot of the story makes it more interesting. I found the story to be familiar and definitely intriguing. The ritual was, however, usual but it made me think of the things that one might do for their family. The magical elements gave the writer space to express different outcomes.
-Ivorie Arthurs
November 2, 2021 at 7:43 PM (posted to blog B)

Erin Myers said...

Alexis D said...
My response to the use of magical elements in “ A Loudness of Screechers” was that found it interesting because after reading the section I closed my eyes and could picture all the animals just roaming around. There were supernatural and magical stories in the book. I had this response because when I closed my eyes I could see myself there.
October 30, 2021 at 1:21 PM (posted to blog B)

Erin Myers said...

Demoriay Davis:

When I was reading the story it was very interesting and questionable. They were questions about the big birds, council of adults, and about the uncle being sacrificed. There is so many questions that has to be answered because this book is very intriguing.
In this book the main idea of it has a bigger meaning to it because it has us thinking more than we know.

Erin Myers said...

Willie D.:

It was interesting that the family referred to the birds as screechers. I think they were actually eagles because they do make loud screeching sounds. In the story, it said they snatched Uncle Charles and their talons pierced his sides.

Chloe Hatcher said...

This story was one I had to read multiple times. Simply because when first reading you were left only with questions ,The more I started reading the more I understood the magical elements of the story.

Cameron kellogg said...

The story was pretty good, but a little confusing reading it for the first time.

Cameron kellogg said...

The story was pretty good, but a little confusing reading it for the first time.

Justin L Burns said...

My first round of reading the magical elements left me with a horror dream like feeling. Reading and imagining the way that the birds interacted with people additional to people's interactions felt as if I was in a Jordan Peele movie. Lots of things were happening in the book's setting which threw me for an adventure.

Maya Chapman said...

As I was reading, I thought the magical elements were confusing and difficult to comprehend. Once I understood it a little more I thought it made the passages more interesting. I wish there was more of an explanation about the birds. Overall I just thought it was weird.

Jaliyah J said...

The Magical element was complimented and confusing at first. But Then I realized the magical element made the story unique in its own way. I liked the sky and how the sky represented the feelings of the people it was dark before the uncle left.

Unknown said...

When I initially read the passage, the use of magical elements was a bit confusing. I wasn't expecting it, so that may be the reason why it threw me off at first. However, supernatural topics tend to interest me at times, so it soon became intriguing.
Camille Brown

Erin Myers said...

Tanija H.R.:

My response to this was a few things. It was very different from things I read previously. It was interesting due to the supernatural and magical stories. Also with him sacrificing himself and the ritual etc. It threw me off a bit because I never read about anything like this or never though this would even happen

November 1, 2021 at 8:40 PM (previously posted anonymously)

Mysaiah said...

Personally, I love the story and in general I love magical and mystical stories. Hearing that there was always a light at the end of the tunnel in every story. This story is definitely something you have to read the whole thing to understand, but overall I like it.

Anonymous said...

When I was first reading the passage, I was confused. I didnt know what was going on. While reading it did get to become interesting but I didnt know why everything was going on. I wanted to read a little bit more because of the dad coming out with his shotgun to protect his brother. - LaShawn D.

Erin Myers said...

Lashae C.:
“A loudness of Screechers”

This story was very confusing and disturbing to me. The story starts out with a girl walking home from the bus stop and she has some other boys walking home with her. The boys pick on her, but she ignores them like her mother says to do instead of punching them like her uncle says to do. She thinks punching them is too violent, but then she imagines the screechers in the sky swooping down, snatching the boys, and tearing them limb from limb. Before Christmas the skies are filled with screechers, and sunlight can be seen through the wings of these birds. Everyone except the children seem to be threatened by the birds. The children are told to go downstairs, but then they see their uncle go outside to perform a ritual. The father is upset and grabs his gun. His wife stops him and reminds him that it’s a ritual. The father watches as his brother is torn from limb to limb and dragged away. After the screechers leave. I believe this is a ritual that must be done every year, but sometimes the screechers like what they have been offered so they don’t kill you. At the beginning of the book the girl wished the screechers would snatch the boys that annoyed her and now they had done that to her uncle and she hates them.

Erin Myers said...

Vernell J.:

While reading this short story it was a confusing at first but when you actually understand the plot it's kind of intriguing. The magical elements brought humor to the story, but also the sacrifice brought a dark cloud around the storv.

Anonymous said...

I felt an unusual sense of dreary while I was reading the pages. From sorai's attitude towards the screechers, I could feel something bad waiting to happen. I thought the screechers were going to get one of the boys that were messing with her, never expected it to be her uncle. I was also left with some questions such as; what is the true significance of the screechers, how did this ritual come to be, and what happens if the ritual is disrupted?
- Udochukwu Chikere

Unknown said...

David Gaines

The first time through when I read the story I was confused. The story was interesting to me because it involved magical elements that were able to keep me intrigued throughout the whole story. With the uncle being sacrificed it brought an element of sadness which also helped bring the story together in my opinion.

-David Gaines

Tamya Goodlow said...

In the beginning, I did not have a clue what was going on. I did't understand what the birds signified. I didn't understand the purpose it held. As the story progressed, my feelings changed. I never read anything like this, so it was interesting to me. I liked reading something new.

Kendall B. said...

The story is interesting mainly because of the magical element along with adding supernaturals too the mystery made the section impossible to stop reading. Also the details within the text made it impossible to not imagine what the supernatural characters look like , due to the vivid details . The magical element made me disturbed due to the fact there needed to be a sacrifice done that was pretty disturbing to read.

Jasmine B. said...

As I read the story I found it quite weird and unusual. The story was all over the place and I believe I need to read it again to fully grasp what the story was about. Of course, the story was amusing and I was very fascinated but the tone of the story I was very confused about.

Memory Jacobs said...

Memory Jacobs
As I was reading the story, I thought the magical elements were confusing yet intriguing at the same time. The elements made the story interesting to read and made me glued to the book in the way, but I was still confused on what was going on. I was more so confused as to why not really what.

Aaron Crawford said...

The magical elements of the story intrigued me. I love when elements like these are incorporated into stories they make them twice as interesting to me. Seeing stuff like rituals and sacrifices really intrigued me because I wasn't really expecting it at first and it made me want to learn more about the lore of the story.

-Aaron A. Crawford

Scott Freeman said...

The story was intriguing to me because it reminded of a science fiction/ fantasy movie. Giant monstrous birds, a town in fear, an unknown ritual, and family drama to get emotions high. The magical elements of the story also draw me into the story. I wanna know what these birds are, why are they there etc. It definitely makes the story much more suitable for readers because it’s a thriller.

Scott Freeman said...

The story was intriguing to me because it reminded of a science fiction/ fantasy movie. Giant monstrous birds, a town in fear, an unknown ritual, and family drama to get emotions high. The magical elements of the story also draw me into the story. I wanna know what these birds are, why are they there etc. It definitely makes the story much more suitable for readers because it’s a thriller.

Eric Friends said...

I found it a little confusing, because at first I didn't really know what was going on. It was definitely an unusual reading experience for me. What intrigued me was how the giant screeching birds covered the sky and were up there throughout the night.

Unknown said...

This story was a really different story, when I first started reading it I didn't really understand what was going on. It is like a true story but at the same time like a fantasy-type story. I don't know but I like how the magical elements were involved to make the story seem more interesting.

-Anjeal Jones

Deborah Adekale said...

It was confusing at first because I didn’t understand what they were trying to say but once I realized they added the magical component to make it more interesting I kind of like it. It was very unique and different.
- Deborah Adekale

Erin Myers said...

Brianna H.:

I was very confused reading it. I didn't really understand what was going on. When I usually see or read something I don't understand my first responses are " huh?" " wait a minute." . It's just an usual story I didn't get at all.

Erin Myers said...

Nadia G.:

I responded to the magical elements in “A Loudness of Screechers” in a couple ways. They were confusing, I didn’t understand the sacrifice, and I never really do in any book or movie. Then again they were interesting and I can admit I was curious, it brought a sense of fun because you can visualize all the things described and the animals.

Erin Myers said...

Corey A.:

This was most defiantly a weirdest story. I’ve never read anything like this before or even thought of reading something like this, but the story pulled me in and kept me interested so I would definitely read something like this in the future.

Erin Myers said...

Abdixakin A.:

when I was reading, I was trying to figure out the importance of the Screechers. As I kept reading the more confused i got.
I tried to understand the meaning of the story but can't seem to understand it. It left me wondering why the mom kept yelling "its a tradition" as her brother in-law was getting mauled by Screechers. But after thinking about the story, I believe it has a deeper meaning than that.

Erin Myers said...

Allana B.:

My personal response to the use of the magical elements in "A Loudness of Screechers" was honestly very confused for the simple fact that there was no purpose mentioned in the story about it and it left us as the readers at a loss because they didnt explain the ritual or why it was done. I have looked back to make sure I was not just simply reading over something and I was correct I had read everything as it was written but to me it adds suspense and more questions that makes me want to read the book more and more.

Erin Myers said...

Gianni D.:

Despite being confused, I was intrigued by the magical elements. It piqued my interest because I wondered if the adults were discussing who should be sacrificed or if they were discussing how to stop the birds from flying. In my response to 'A Loudness of Screechers,' I explained that I thought the story could be a bit longer, so that we could have a better understanding of the plot. The story was very confusing. Certain parts were quite interesting, but were also a little dramatic.

Erin Myers said...

Stephanie H.:

Since the story didn't give a reason for the birds' presence, the story was confusing to me at first. Then, as I continued reading, I found it intriguing. It seemed like Uncle Charles was sacrificed, but after I read the story I wondered why they called it a ritual. I considered the birds attacking the town was probably the reason. In this story there was a lot of mystery and confusion from beginning to end. However, I was confused about their purpose after reading the description of the birds. I was confused as to why no one was trying to help Uncle Charles except his brother when they began attacking him. I became more confused when people said it was part of the ritual. Reynold felt his brother was headed for the grave, but didn't want to see him go. Everything started to clear up after the ritual, so I assume it was a sacrifice meant to save the town.

Chaz Hunter said...

The elements of the story really intrigued me. I love when elements like these are incorporated into stories they make them very interesting to me. Seeing stuff like rituals and sacrifices really intrigued me because I wasn't really expecting it at first and it made me want to learn more about the story.
-Chaz Hunter

Jordan Barnes said...

To me, this story was very confusing. Some of the stuff that was happened sound like something that you would see in a movie or something. I didn't understand the point of the sacrifice thing.

Jordan Barnes

Zion H said...

This story does spark an interest due to the different elements it brings up. It gives you something to really think about while your reading; with the different perspectives with the characters in the story. Also the different lessons all the characters in the story.

Kobie Davis said...

feel Scott's magical elements in the story were extremely unique. I wouldn't say I found it fun or unsettling. Instead, I think the use of these magical elements and overdramatized language served to pull readers in. I think it allowed the author to approach topics with more creativity. Doing so keeps the reader intrigued and interested in his writing.

Kelan Branch said...

I didn't understand what was going on at first because a lot has happened. The giant birds, the sacrifice, and magic elements. but as I thought about it it's the author's way of making the story more interesting. the many different perspective's from each viewers was very descriptive and it made me realized how much I enjoyed it.

Erin Myers said...

Tracey H.:

It was pretty confusing but I also like the description of the birds as well. I felt like I was getting lost with the story while reading but I was interested in how big the birds were and how they described the scream comparing it to 12 sirens

Erin Myers said...

Jameelah H.:

My response to "The loudness of the screechers" had me feeling a couple of ways. At first I was confused and intrigued by the magical elements but when I read about to animals it went from concernment to excitement and I could visually imagine the animals like the birds flying but I was still confused on the sacrifice and the ritual and did the birds play apart of this story for real.

Erin Myers said...

Tyler B.:

My response to "A Loudness of Screechers" were a mix of confusing, yet interesting emotions. Initially, I didn't expect the use of supernatural figures and phrases to be used within this book. There were also very many vivid descriptions to help you visualize a true representation of our imagination the author was trying to instill in us. I feel like I would have to truly read the piece again to understand the true meanings of what the author's points were and what was truly trying to get across.

Erin Myers said...

Alex C.:

My response to the use of magical elements were sort of a mix of different feelings. I felt though it was typical of the story to have some weird unexplainable element to it. This is what also makes the story interesting for me to read because it catches my attention. Another reason i was confused was due to the supernatural powers because I would have never imagined a story like this to have those types of elements in it. The ritual was also a bit weird to me as well and I was a bit confused about what happened in this part. Overall, a very interesting story with just a few confusing elements.

Erin Myers said...

Arielle J.:

I want to say this particular chapter was very dark and kind of confusing. I have a general basis/understanding of the chapter which i think the father was trying to shoot one of his children. Before that it seemed like the family were preparing for the ritual, which in still not entirely sure the reason why. Or the significance of the birds

Erin Myers said...

Ma Kayla J.:

Personally, I was Intrigued but confused about the story and the magically element. Initially I thought The story was going to be a rape or assault story, but the author took us on a ride with the ritual idea. I almost believe the beginning of the story was pointless to the main idea of the story. I believe a better transition and explanation of the crow and werewolf idea would have better suited the story and appeased the hunger for the reader. I'd defiantly want to read a complete story/ longer story!😄

Erin Myers said...

Marina B.:

I am quite confused at what the author was getting at with what the screechers represent, but I think something that stands out is the bond of the family. I relate very much to helping a parent with younger brothers and understand the connection of the brother as he was begging to "save" his brother.