Journal of Writing & Environment

Iowa Wunderkammer

Nonfiction by Megan White

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Megan White is an MFA Candidate for Iowa State University’s Creative Writing and the Environment Program. She was raised in the suburbs of Washington DC and spent most of her life meandering between the ridges of the Appalachians and the row houses of the city. If in Iowa, she recommends the fried pickles and Dutch letters.

“Iowa Wunderkammer” is part of my ongoing attempt to make sense out of my experience of moving from the suburbs of Washington DC to the small, college town of Ames, Iowa. This particular attempt grew out of a frustration with linear narratives and a desire to break apart the structure of an essay as much as possible while still telling a story. Prezi offered a perfect platform that allowed me to mix the visual and written segments of my story in such a way that the pieces could be read along a suggested route or in any order that the reader chooses, adding to the non-linear nature of the story. Since writing this essay I’ve come to terms with Iowa, and while I can’t say I’ll settle down here for the rest of my life, it has come to occupy a warm corner of my heart.

“Iowa Wunderkammer” is a multimedia essay. Click “Start Prezi” below, and use the arrows to navigate. Click the icon in the bottom-right corner of the frame to switch to fullscreen mode.