Of the handful of pieces that I read from multiple literary magazines the one which stood out to me the most is the short story “Play Until” by Cara Dempsey which was published in the literary magazine Cease, Cows in the September 2014 edition. The link to the story is: http://ceasecows.com/2014/09/27/play-until-by-cara-dempsey/

What captivated me most about this piece is its use of many of the literary techniques we have discussed in class. I was primarily intrigued by the author’s ability to incorporate surrealism into her piece so effortlessly without stripping the piece of its legitimacy. While the author introduces a fantastical element, the otherwise ordinary and everyday details of the piece made this unrealistic element appear completely sensical and believable.

Furthermore, I really like the way in which the author structured her piece to include the reader in the storyline itself. Her blatant attempt to make the reader feel included in the narrative with the hypothetical situation with Frank further served to enhance the experience of the piece rather than just an make the reader feel like an outsider observing.

I appreciated how there is not necessarily just one interpretation to the fantastical element of the piece nor does the author go out of her way to explain why this detail was added. The multiple justifications as to why this element was included and the multiple symbolistic roles it can play are left entirely up to the interpretation of the reader. Overall, this was a great piece and I highly recommend it.