When did Michael start his Journal-

[Kc]

After a discussion with someone, it came clear that there is debate as to when Michael is writing the first narration in the story. So what say you and why?

When did Michael write the introduction:

As I recall, the months leading up to the beginning weren’t much to remember. My unit returned home earlier that year from our tour in Iraq. I had spent three-sixty-five on ground working as military intelligence. Our group came up with those playing cards you saw on the news, the 52 most wanted. I was a hard-charged PFC back then, Private First Class, if someone finds this and doesn’t know.

But, that was the first tour. After our 3rd, I was the tired and depressed Sergeant. Nothing used to scare me back then. I didn’t fear death or what might be there on the other side if today was my day. That was then, and this is now. I write this not for anyone to really read it, but for my own sanity. Maybe if I keep track of it from when it began, it might be able to make more sense to me. Then again, maybe not.

I was 27 at the time and in my 4th year in college. My freshman year started in 2001, almost 8 years ago now. I remember the date as if it was burned into my head. May 8th, 2009.

[pmchawk]

I'm thinking it is kind of like K-man's journal. Writing the above as he is going through his already written journal entries trying to find something he missed. Perhaps trying to find a zombie weakness he missed. I believe it is before all the chips have fallen, before the gambler shows his final hand. Not after everyone has walked anyway from the table.

[Hoff4D]

Well, putting aside any theories based on the story, purely listening to what he says, The outbreak was May '09, he mentions freshman year starting almost 8 years ago, the fact that he mentions it starting, not just freshman year in and of itself, I would think it's around the time school would've started up again (read: early fall/late summer), and he says ALMOST 8 years ago, so not quite, so I'd throw a guess out there of August 2009.

Like I said, this is putting aside any story points. This is decidedly later than he would've asked anyone to have started their journals...so:

did he go back and add this later?

Did he not start his journal until after he told everyone else to?

Is this him actually talking when he's re-iterating the story to someone? Telling the story with his own words around August/September 2009 and we switched to real-time narration of Michael at this point, instead of the commonly accepted narrative of "It's all told through the journals" ?

Or am I just totally wrong and these estimations using 'started' and 'almost' are more broad than I'm making them out to be, and it's really like late may/early June '09 and he started the book exactly where he told everyone else to start writing and it all makes perfect sense.


Just spitballing

[pmchawk]

Hoff4D, that is a good point, the last paragraph seems a little contradictory. Why would he say he was "27 at the time" if the rest of that paragraph seems to indicate that the outbreak started no more then 2-3 months prior.

[Grognaurd]

This is the whole key how to listen to WA. Narration is actual prose written in the journal. A visual director would have a voice over and then shimmer the camera edges or something. KC uses sound and painted conversation to present the story in the journal readers imagination.

Someone is reading his summary journal or after action report if you will. His story is not so much about the out break as it is the crushing amount of backstory each character has. If you thought the first three seasons had a lot of interlaced backstory, button down the hatches, you ain't seen nothing yet.

I should be more clear, this is a second or later journal trying to knit together the other people's prose with his own.

[Hoff4D]

This is the whole key how to listen to WA. Narration is actual prose written in the journal. A visual director would have a voice over and then shimmer the camera edges or something. KC uses sound and painted conversation to present the story in the journal readers imagination.

Someone is reading his summary journal or after action report if you will. His story is not so much about the out break as it is the crushing amount of backstory each character has. If you thought the first three seasons had a lot of interlaced backstory, button down the hatches, you ain't seen nothing yet.

I should be more clear, this is a second or later journal trying to knit together the other people's prose with his own.

This is most likely the case, I just wanted to comment on the text itself, nothing else behind it, just what he says.

[nikvoodoo]

I think it would be safe to say it's not option 4 (end journal), but I think Michael as a leader would have had to begun writing this narrative right around the same time he forced others. I'm sure there would have been a mini mutiny drama if he made others do it and he didn't. I'm also sure Tanya would have made mention of it when she was compiling journals.

My other reason for saying in the first few months is the option I'd prefer isn't available which is pretty much right around now in the story when there needs to be a brainstorm on the past 7 months in L.A. But hey...I'm glad this got narrowed down for us!

[Nathan.Luiz]

Didn't we hear about him writing in his journal in a discussion with Tommy early in the first season (I want to say chapter 4, but I'm not entirely certain on that)? Because that's when he got everyone to start one? So for this reason I feel he started his journal within the first couple days of the outbreak. But I think the introduction bit was added later, maybe as a summary for the overall outbreak.

[pmchawk]

My other reason for saying in the first few months is the option I'd prefer isn't available which is pretty much right around now in the story when there needs to be a brainstorm on the past 7 months in L.A. But hey...I'm glad this got narrowed down for us!

Haha, that is the same reasoning I used to pick end of story.

[Grognaurd]

I think it would be safe to say it's not option 4 (end journal), but I think Michael as a leader would have had to begun writing this narrative right around the same time he forced others. I'm sure there would have been a mini mutiny drama if he made others do it and he didn't. I'm also sure Tanya would have made mention of it when she was compiling journals.

My other reason for saying in the first few months is the option I'd prefer isn't available which is pretty much right around now in the story when there needs to be a brainstorm on the past 7 months in L.A. But hey...I'm glad this got narrowed down for us!

I think we are closer than it seems. In my opinion, season 3 is past tense journal. Season 4 may bring something else, but Saul's narration says past tense to me. The journal entry is KC's version of soliloquy. Like chapter 24. Burt has a narration, so I knew he was alive. There was simply no time for him to write it into the journal. We hear Angel and Kalani in 24, but no soliloquy. I do not think we will have your vission of Ink slamming down Michael's journal, but it works with my concept.