Abortion - Shades of Gray

Every writing teacher knows that abortion is the third rail of college composition: the one topic no one can safely touch. People’s feelings are just too highly charged, and, perhaps even more damaging, people tend to see their position and that of their opponents in absolutes: pure good on one side (my side) and pure evil on the other.

The best radio documentaries, like Jonanthan Mitchell’s “Shades of Gray” (discussed below), recognize this situation and attempt to overcome it by relying heavily on narrative -- the close observation of real people.

Listen Up

• In this NPR piece (4-11-2000) Melissa Block looks back on the passing of a law legalizing abortion in New York State (8:40), in 1970, three years before the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion nationwide.
• The full-length documentary Shades of Gray (58:29) is available in three section. The show focuses on the stories told by people themselves who have been directly affected by abortion.

Write Now

• Perhaps the safest approach might me to focus on the actual reports offered here: what you found most interesting, what struck you as new?
• A major problem with a hot-botton topic like abortion is being able to maintain respect for other people’s position. Why do you think this is so difficult with this particular issue?

Read On

• More from Wikipedia on abortion