Part 2, Section 3, Broccoli Summary and Analysis

How does broccoli relate to writing? Anne introduces the idea of a writer's inner voice or intuition via a quote about broccoli. In the quote broccoli tells the eater how to eat it. The rational mind does not allow for intuition, yet it is the very tool a writer can use to discover hidden ideas in the story. A hunch or a random idea could all lead to a new and more truthful extension of character or plot.

Quietly settling one's self is the only way to hear the inner voice or intuition. It takes practice to overcome the random thoughts and assumptions of the conscious mind. For Anne, whose neurotic and random thoughts are well documented in previous chapters, this exercise of 'listening to broccoli' is not an easy one.

Once quieted, a writer must decide...