Format Forms the Meanings

After reading the first few pages of Citizen, I was thoroughly confused. I had no idea what storyline Rankine was following, who was narrating, or who the intended audience was supposed to be. Now that I am half way through the book, I still don't understand. And while I am very uncomfortable with the unknown, I think that there is significant meaning behind Rankine's style and format.

The format of a book dictates so much about the writing itself. Format can affect the perspective, the understanding, and the overall attitude of any writing piece. It is evident in the novel that Rankine truly plays around with format and experiments freely.

I have decided that Citizen is a stream of consciousness in the form of poetry. However, the speaker is not always the same, which makes it so interesting coming from one author. Rankine jumps around in time periods and characters and while it is hard to follow, it makes it that much more enticing. As a reader, you are getting more involved and using your brain harder to fully wrap your head around what is happening.

Furthermore, I think that the subject of the book matches the format. The issue of race in our country today is not something that can be typed up in a formal essay or even a traditionally written novel. Many different aspects fit into the full picture and they may not make sense individually, but when put together, the bigger picture is clear.

While I still haven't made up my mind whether I enjoy this thought-provoking and simply confusing piece of work, I can say for sure that it is the most unique form of writing that I have ever read. And in a way, I think that that was Rankine's goal.