Baca's "Past, Present"

In this short story by Baca, he mixes two common styles of writing quite well; narrative and persuasive. The narrative side of the story is easily recognizable at the beginning, when he returned to his old prison,"... the enclosed walls, the barbed wire, and the guards in the towers shouldering their carbines made old feelings erupt in me" (221). The readers are able to know by his detailed writing, the pain and injustices that he and many other inmates suffered through. "... famewas nothing weighted against the suffering and brutality of prison life"(223). He then goes on by stating that he while he was being interviewed, he became worked up and angry and eventually told the interviewers to, "Just leave me alone!"(223). The persuasive side of Baca's story was able to make his audience dreadfully afraid of prison. The details and language he used in describing the prison, the life their, and all the suffering he and others have faced there, are persuasive enough to keep a person from going down the wrong path leading to jail. I greatly enjoyed reading this story and I think that he used the blend of narrative and persuasive in an effective way by keeping the story exciting and also guiding people away from prison.