I’m a Fool – Sherwood Anderson Question 1 Anderson tells the story, “I’m a Fool”, through the voice of its main character – the swipe. The narrator’s voice enhances the story because his language reinforces his character. The swipe says that he “got [his] education”, not at college, but though working in the stables, traveling with Burt, and going to horse races. When he refers to people as “dudes” (83) and uses phrases such as “most bitterest” (81), he confirms that fact. He uses improper grammar and many slang expressions; his language shows that he is uneducated and disadvantaged. The narrator calls himself a fool for trying to impress Miss Wessen; his lack of foresight caused him to make himself into someone richer and more important than he really is. The swipe’s limitations of understanding and comprehension are revealed through his incoherent, long-winded narration. The swipe’s story, combined with the way in which he tells it, reveals him to be an uneducated, immature person. The narration provides a direct presentation of the character of the swipe; he blatantly labels himself as an uneducated “fool” (89). The narrative voice provides an indirect presentation of the swipe; readers understand him through his language and through processes. Question 2 The swipe is ambivalent in his attitude regarding education and social distinctions. At first, the swipe wants nothing to do with education. He believes that the “fellows” who “go to high schools and college…don’t know nothing at all” (82). The swipe got his education at the stables, the races, and the saloons; he does not care to be properly educated. The swipe also disregards social distinctions. He detests people who dress up to “put on…airs” (83). He looks down on people who don’t steal, drink, or swear. When he meets the Wessens and Miss Woodbury, the swipe’s views are changed. He describes Wilbur Wessen as a “nice guy” and the “kind maybe that goes to college” (84). Miss Elinor Wessen is “the nicest girl” who “could talk proper grammar” (84). The swipe begins to admire these educated people. The swipe begins to wish that he were more like the Wessens than like those he formerly associated with. During dinner, he is so glad that his mother “made [him] learn to eat with a fork at the table” and that he is not “noisy and rough like a gang you see around a racetrack” (88). The swipe begins to appreciate his education and have a regard for social distinctions.
Bryan, James. The Psychological Structure of The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Modern Language Association, 1974.
In the novel, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Sedaris has used various literary terms which followed the use of a clear tone. This is clearly depicted with the author’s choice of words, as well as, figurative language. This demonstrates the author’s talent for casually laying out the absurdities of his daily experiences. In the novel, Sedaris has used a depressed tone. He explains how he is depressed by the French instructor. He explains that he is not alone to be belittled, but others also experience a similar attitude from the teacher, during the time they spent in class (Sedaris 13). He explains that the instructor wanted to put everyone down. For instance, he understood only half of what the teacher said, and that the first day that she was in class was very depressing (11). Sedaris also narrates that when the teacher asked that ‘has every one apzkiubjxow, it was very startling because he had not been asked the question for a while and realized that she did not understand the alphabet (11). The author states that the teacher always asked that ‘were you always this palicmkresis (15). It is clear that Sedaris employs nonsense letter arrangements, in order to replace the words that he could not understand (Sedaris 15). Through this, he relates his feelings with what the teacher said and this created pity for him and a mutual understanding (Sedaris 15). This demonstrates a depressed tone.
In this story, it is as if the individual is a part of the conversation, but not directly spoken to. It is clear in the language used too that it is country slang and in a way that one is not educated pronounce words clearly. The author writes, “His face had brightened. “I didn’t inraduce myself,” he said. “I’m Manley Pointer from out in the country around Willohobie, not even from a place, just from near a place” (193). The language used in this story can make an evident line between the educated and ones who have not had a chance to receive a good
Appealing to the reader’s emotions through stories is a commonly used technique, and Scelfo uses it beautifully. She starts the article out by introducing the reader to a young girl named Kathryn Dewitt. Whether they mean to or not, the reader develops some kind of emotional connection to this young girl. They feel as if they are a part of the story, for when
Frank Wheeler yearns to appear mysterious, intelligent, and manly, causing him to gloss over his true identity and lose touch with himself. In his youth, he dreams of riding the railroad, going so far as to plan different routes for his trip on a railroad map. He rehearses how he will act, talk, and interact with other people and buys outfits from an Army and Navy Store that perfectly convey a rugged image. Frank conceals the signs of his true self—Boy Scout emblems and the immaturity of adolescence—in exchange for this foreign identity. Others knock him down because they doubt he will play the role well, but from that point onward, Frank aims to become a man. His life in New York City reflects this goal: Frank, a war veteran, shares a one-room apartment with his friends which he uses with the girls he brings home. With increasi...
In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, many characters develop an understanding of the power of words which results in many characters being negatively impacted by the theme.
The Onion's "Girl Moved to Tears by Of Mice and Men Cliffs Notes" is an article with satirical and critical tone about a young communication major, Grace Weaver, who is emotional moved by reading the synopsis of the American classic Of Mice and Men over the original novel. In this article, the author describes Weaver's process and reaction to the assigned reading that aims to entertain an audience who has read the book. By using subtle satire and descriptions that let the reader understand the dangers of Weaver's shortcomings, the author is able to emphasize the importance of doing your own good work in a humorous and interesting manner.
John Hollander’s poem, “By the Sound,” emulates the description Strand and Boland set forth to classify a villanelle poem. Besides following the strict structural guidelines of the villanelle, the content of “By the Sound” also follows the villanelle standard. Strand and Boland explain, “…the form refuses to tell a story. It circles around and around, refusing to go forward in any kind of linear development” (8). When “By the Sound” is examined in regards to a story, the poem’s linear development does not get beyond the setting. …” The poem starts: “Dawn rolled up slowly what the night unwound” (Hollander 1). The reader learns the time of the poem’s story is dawn. The last line of the first stanza provides place: “That was when I was living by the sound” (3). It establishes time and place in the first stanza, but like the circular motion of a villanelle, each stanza never moves beyond morning time at the sound but only conveys a little more about “dawn.” The first stanza comments on the sound of dawn with “…gulls shrieked violently…” (2). The second stanza explains the ref...
In Tobias Wolff’s novel Old School, the narrator, a young and aspiring writer, plagiarizes a story that he views as his own in order to win his high school writing competition and impress his hero, Ernest Hemingway. “Summer Dance,” the story that he plagiarized—where “nothing was okay”—ends with the words, “Everything’s okay” (p. 125). The narrator’s truth, complicated and elusive, proves a challenge to admit as his own. As he considers writing someone else’s story, the narrator realizes how concealing his identity compromises the value of his writing and places his personal truth in question. The narrator uses others’ stories as an outlet for personal reflection, self-expression, and self-discovery without realizing
While writing, authors use a variety of literary devices to allow the reader to comprehend the main idea that needs to be taken from the story. Included in these literary devices is diction, and diction is crucial in the author’s development of the tone and theme that is produced. Without precise word choice, the reader would not know what kind of emotions to feel or what kind of ideas to think about the piece of writing. In the futuristically set short story, television runs everybody’s lives, and nobody can be who they are anymore due to their sitting in front of a television screen. The use of Bradbury’s selective wording throughout his story leads the reader to step into an eerie, yet strangely familiar setting. In the short story, “The Pedestrian”, Ray Bradbury uses diction to emphasize the morbid tone displayed throughout the story line and to emphasize the overall theme that technology can replace individualism.
In I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak, the main character Ed is a nineteen-year-old cab driver in Australia who has never amounted to anything. One day, while with his three best friends, an event occurs that forever changes his life. While in a bank, they are held up at gunpoint. Ed ends up stopping the criminal and saving the day. Days later, as the bank robber’s trial is ending, he tells Ed that he is “a dead man… [And to] [r]emember it every day when [he] look[s] in the mirror” (Zusak 38). This overlooked statement by the reader comes back in the end of the novel to reveal an important message that “everyone can live beyond what they’re capable of” (535). Before attending the trial though, Ed begins to receive playing cards with addresses, names, times, and movie titles on them that require him to complete tasks, which challenge him in more ways than he could ever imagine. In the short story “Good People” by David Foster Wallace, the two characters, Lane and Sheri, are faced with a situation that changes their lives as well; Sheri is pregnant with Lane’s baby. Even though Lane’s and Sheri’s situation is a little different than that of Ed’s, they relate greatly as all the characters are forced to make decisions that can alter the rest of their lives. In the novel, morality is used to accomplish self-discovery and growth of Ed’s personality by pushing his boundaries, and in the short story “Good People” by David Foster Wallace, morality is used to accomplish growth and the realization of consequences of one’s actions by placing the young couple in a faith questioning situation no adolescent wants to face.
...up on Stokesie like sheep, Engel explains that policy insists that shoulders must be covered. Policy is what the kingpins want. What others want is juvenile delinquency. Like a champ Sammy throws in the towel. He watched as 3 girls bucked the norm and alternately was confident enough to quit altogether. They get away from him and his feet are carrying him to the place of his residence rather than a car, reserved for higher classes. He ends with the thought how hard the world was to be to me hereafter. Sammy?s variety of verbal simulations and creations for the reader reveal the social and economic classes of basic society. The adults like animals, the attractive women- analyzed on a pedestal in full description and personification, employees get harped on too. Stoksie was a little to ambitious for a bagger, and management was regarded like the rest of the animals.
Wilson, M. & Clark, R. (n.d.). Analyzing the Short Story. [online] Retrieved from: https://www.limcollege.edu/Analyzing_the_Short_Story.pdf [Accessed: 12 Apr 2014].
The Play "Sure Thing" from David Ives examines the endless variations of boy meets girl and the ensuing pick up lines. The central theme throughout the play displays a few varieties of a possible conversation that end with a ringing bell that symbolizes a fresh start and a second chance to make a good impression.
The Flowers By Alice Walker Written in the 1970's The Flowers is set in the deep south of America and is about Myop, a small 10-year old African American girl who explores the grounds in which she lives. Walker explores how Myop reacts in different situations. She writes from a third person perspective of Myop's exploration. In the first two paragraph Walker clearly emphasises Myop's purity and young innocence.