An Audible Change – Cristal’s Diary
An Audible Change – Cristal’s Diary
Cristal’s radio diary begins in the middle of her complicated story. There is no music throughout the entire piece, only voices. The narrator describes to her audience her experience in prison. The audience has no idea why she is in prison, how old she is, or when she will be released. All we are told is that she has been there for three years and is not happy with it. After learning more details about Cristal, her time in Training School, and her life in general, the audience learns about the crime Cristal committed.
Even once the listener discovers why Cristal is in this position, they are compelled to listen further. The audience learns of Cristal’s past. She lived a troubled life even before prison. One of six children, she was constantly exposed to police, drug addicts, violence, and abusive adults. During her time in prison, Cristal changed. Initially she would fight with the others and with the guards. She disliked everyone around her and despised anyone who could express happiness or understanding. It is this development that keeps the listener hanging on – because this piece is her personal diary, you can hear the emotion and the truth behind the words. Even the stories she tells that seem unconnected are important because these are the experiences that are notable to her, and are something that the listener will likely never experience.
The story jumps from one moment to another, not following any chronological order, but with each piece a complete story begins to form. Cristal says she knows why she committed the crime, or at least she did at the time, but that it does not make sense to her today. She asks a superior who she likes, who she considers a friend, and asks whether her superior can see the change that Cristal feels she has experienced. In this dialogue Cristal is told that she has grown from a punk into a young lady. She seems proud and somewhat humored by this. While most of the piece is Cristal speaking to herself or to the audience, there are some parts where another person or background noise is featured to enhance the story.
Near the end of the radio diary, Cristal goes to a court hearing. She is told she will be released early, a total surprise – happy, shocking, and even frightening. She is released from Training School and gets to spend her first night with her daughter. She remembers normal life. She never discloses why she is sharing all of this information with the audience, at least not in so many words. The listener must decide themselves why they listened throughout the entire piece, and form their own opinions. It seems almost as if Cristal created this diary solely for herself; to document her own progress and evolution.
Most notable about this piece is the emotion that the narrator puts into every word, phrase, and story. Cristal is not angry; she is not bitter. Her voice is clear and even. She choses her words carefully. The story that she tells does not match her tone – she sounds calm, collected, even happy. Cristal is told by multiple in this people that her three years in prison has changed her. After listening to this, the audience can decide whether they agree.
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I thought this audio was very raw and sentimental. The lack of music actually contributed to the honesty of the piece. The sounds they did use, such as the rattling of the handcuffs, allowed the listener to develop an understanding of what Cristel’s life in prison was like.
I also think it was very effective how Cristel did not share what her crime was until later in the piece. I believe this keeps the listener wondering and therefore interested in the story. When she does share her crime, the details she uses are very vivid and you can hear the regret in her voice. I liked how she started out sharing information about herself that was very surface level. As the audio went on and she uncovers her crime, she allows us deeper into her mind. The listener learns about her past and develops empathy for her.
Overall, I thought this piece was set up very well. I can tell there was careful consideration put into the organization of this audio.