Response to "Emergency" by Denis Johnson

While reading this story, I couldn't help but be reminded of Hunter S. Thompson. The drugs, the surreal imagery, and the unpredictable characters all helped make that connection. If I was to sum up this story in one word it would be unexpected. I think that's a great thing for a piece of writing. It means that it isn't cliché in the least. It means that the writing is never boring. I never for a moment asked myself why I was reading this story: I was too caught up in it to care.
Another great aspect of the story was the imagery.  Both the images themselves and the language used to describe them are captivating. My favorite surreal image was that of the angels descending over the graveyard. Only they weren't angels. And it wasn't a graveyard. That's the fantastic thing about it--they don't have to be real. We can't really trust our narrator, but it doesn't matter. He gives us his own version of reality. I think it's entertaining.
It's not just the narrator we can't trust, though. For my part, I wouldn't trust Georgie. But, the way Johnson has written him, I like him. Both of the characters seem very likable despite their dangerous antics.
As far as lessons for my own writing go, I think there are many things to take away. Johnson is an expert at manipulating the tension and keeping us on the edge of our seats. He's an expert at getting a reaction out of us--when Georgie came in from prepping with the knife in his hand I actually gasped. I guess my main takeaway would be just keep it interesting. Don't let the readers get complacent and bored. Keep them guessing. Keep them entertained. As always, that's easier said than done.