“After finishing her Coke, she folded up the tray table, summoned the flight attendant to take her empty can, and settled back for a nap. It was shortly afterward that I put the throat lozenge in my mouth, and shortly after that that I sneezed, and it shot like a bullet onto the crotch of her shorts.” This is one of these moments in a plane, where you cannot avoid the situation and be pissed off at yourself. This is one of my favorite passages in this novel; David first puts himself in a bad position by not switching seats with the women’s husband. This obviously frustrated her and there was an argument between David and her. She takes a nap and as said in the passage, David’s lozenge accidentally falls into her lap. This passage just makes you laugh every time and you hope to yourself that this situation will never happen to you. Being a very rare and awkward situation for a person, it is a pleasure to read this chapter.
From this chapter, David voice used in this passage shows that he has a personality that is paranoid but tries to make the best of any bad situation. Throughout this novel, David seems to have a theme for every two chapters, one of them in the hospital waiting room and the other an awkward situation in a plane. The theme brought up in these chapters is dealing with being embarrassed and how you might be judged. Also how you should deal with these embarrassing moments. In all of David’s stories, as odd as they might seem, they provide reader with lessons and how everyone is in secure about certain things in life. This is good structure in how David shares these random stories but all share the same interconnected themes.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Blog #5 - David Sedaris
“I thought briefly of swallowing my watch, but there was no guarantee I’d choke on it. It’s embarrassing, but, given the way I normally eat, it would probably go down fairly easily, strap ad all. A clock might be a challenge, but a Timex the size of a fifty-cent piece – no problem.” This passage all begun with a miscommunication between a French nurse and David in the hospital. He did not understand the instructions given to him, so he took off his clothing and then thought to go out in the waiting room with only his underpants on. This obviously being the wrong option, David had looked like a fool sitting beside a very-well dressed French couple. The first option he comes up with is to go back to his dressing room, where the robe he should have put on is still hanging on the rack. He then thinks of his second option suicide. This leads to David thinking of swallowing a watch to commit suicide. It is a very humorous and quirky passage, but provides the reader with very graphic image.
David Sedaris uses many hyperboles in his writing, in order to make certain things exaggerated and funnier to the reader. Examples include: When he was describing his experience in the waiting room, it is an exaggeration to have the thought of suicide at that moment. As well when David would always say ‘D’accord’ for everything as a solution to speak to French people, is obviously an exaggeration. Another literary device used is by David’s point of view and what he sees in detail around him. “My mother set the picnic table with insect-repelling candles, and just as w started to eat she caught me eating a huge chunk of beef the size of a coin purse.” He describes the setting of this picnic in a simple sentence, but gets the point across of how the table is set up and the large piece of beef he is eating.
David Sedaris uses many hyperboles in his writing, in order to make certain things exaggerated and funnier to the reader. Examples include: When he was describing his experience in the waiting room, it is an exaggeration to have the thought of suicide at that moment. As well when David would always say ‘D’accord’ for everything as a solution to speak to French people, is obviously an exaggeration. Another literary device used is by David’s point of view and what he sees in detail around him. “My mother set the picnic table with insect-repelling candles, and just as w started to eat she caught me eating a huge chunk of beef the size of a coin purse.” He describes the setting of this picnic in a simple sentence, but gets the point across of how the table is set up and the large piece of beef he is eating.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Blog#4 - David Sedaris
“What I Learned”
David’s parents always wanted him to go to Princeton University and become very successful. He would always say to his dad that he would be studying patricide and his mother would then get jealous and say; “Why not matricide?” He was accepted to Princeton, but was not sure in what program he wanted to do. History was too difficult as he always mixed up dates and eras. David had finally found a subject that interested him it was comparative literature. His parents were disappointed with his choice and thought it would not get him anywhere. That was the case at first when he came back home, where he had to complete his laundry for six months. David had nothing and his parents were not impressed, since he went to an Ivy League University and all. He then decided to move out of the house and to the city in New York. One thing that cheered him up was an alumni reunion where it was not just David who was unemployed, but most of the graduates were in the same boat. Finding work, would not be too difficult, however it was a job as a rat catcher. As days went on, he began to write about his day and the events that happened. When returning home, David’s room had been taken over by the new dog and found that a pet had replaced him.
“That’s Amore”
Hugh and David lived in an apartment in New York on Thompson Street, fall of 1991. Across the hall was Helen, an older woman who lived alone and was very loud. She would always listen to the radio, and only on one station for the whole day. That played classics from Tony Bennett and her favorite song was “That’s Amore”. Not only was she loud but also she was very opinionated, rude and thrived off getting people in trouble. David was the only one who really took care of her, and would always make him feel guilty about things. For example, not picking up the right medication at the pharmacy or not cooking the right food. While listening to the radio, Helen would spy on neighbors in the apartment’s courtyard and tell the super intendment of anything-suspicious going on. Helen was an important character in David’s life as she was a mother figure to him at that time. Even though Helen might not of been the nicest of people, she was an interesting person in this novel.
“In time I completed an entire book, which was subsequently published. I presented a first edition to my parents, who started with the story about our neighbor’s well, and then got up close the drapes. Fifty pages later, they were boarding up the door and looking for ways to disguise themselves.” This is such a humorous passage, because you can just imagine, his parents reading the book quietly and then look at each other worried and find all these ways to hide themselves.
Imagery was an easy thing to grasp from the “That’s Amore” chapter, I could just imagine how Helen would of looked sitting in her chair and watching all the neighbors from her window. Diction was fairly simple and easy to understand. The structure was good, from a transition of David’s parents being disappointed in him, to the next chapter being mainly the same thing, a character that made him feel guilty.
David’s parents always wanted him to go to Princeton University and become very successful. He would always say to his dad that he would be studying patricide and his mother would then get jealous and say; “Why not matricide?” He was accepted to Princeton, but was not sure in what program he wanted to do. History was too difficult as he always mixed up dates and eras. David had finally found a subject that interested him it was comparative literature. His parents were disappointed with his choice and thought it would not get him anywhere. That was the case at first when he came back home, where he had to complete his laundry for six months. David had nothing and his parents were not impressed, since he went to an Ivy League University and all. He then decided to move out of the house and to the city in New York. One thing that cheered him up was an alumni reunion where it was not just David who was unemployed, but most of the graduates were in the same boat. Finding work, would not be too difficult, however it was a job as a rat catcher. As days went on, he began to write about his day and the events that happened. When returning home, David’s room had been taken over by the new dog and found that a pet had replaced him.
“That’s Amore”
Hugh and David lived in an apartment in New York on Thompson Street, fall of 1991. Across the hall was Helen, an older woman who lived alone and was very loud. She would always listen to the radio, and only on one station for the whole day. That played classics from Tony Bennett and her favorite song was “That’s Amore”. Not only was she loud but also she was very opinionated, rude and thrived off getting people in trouble. David was the only one who really took care of her, and would always make him feel guilty about things. For example, not picking up the right medication at the pharmacy or not cooking the right food. While listening to the radio, Helen would spy on neighbors in the apartment’s courtyard and tell the super intendment of anything-suspicious going on. Helen was an important character in David’s life as she was a mother figure to him at that time. Even though Helen might not of been the nicest of people, she was an interesting person in this novel.
“In time I completed an entire book, which was subsequently published. I presented a first edition to my parents, who started with the story about our neighbor’s well, and then got up close the drapes. Fifty pages later, they were boarding up the door and looking for ways to disguise themselves.” This is such a humorous passage, because you can just imagine, his parents reading the book quietly and then look at each other worried and find all these ways to hide themselves.
Imagery was an easy thing to grasp from the “That’s Amore” chapter, I could just imagine how Helen would of looked sitting in her chair and watching all the neighbors from her window. Diction was fairly simple and easy to understand. The structure was good, from a transition of David’s parents being disappointed in him, to the next chapter being mainly the same thing, a character that made him feel guilty.
Blog#3 - David Sedaris
“Buddy Can You Spare A Tie?”
This chapter is all about David and his personal image. It begins with his early childhood, where him and sister had no choice for the clothing they could wear and the only day of the year they could choose was Halloween. David would always be a hobo, he defines hobo as; “Being at liberty, unencumbered by bills and mortgages, better suited his drinking schedule, and so he found shelter whenever he could.” He goes on writing about the glasses he used to wear, his lenses were so big you could clean them with a squeegee and on the stems were the playboy symbol. At that time in 1976, these were pretty stylish. However he makes the point that the whole problem with fashion is that no matter what you wear at that moment, twenty years later it will be something embarrassing to you. He also makes a point about his amazing calves, and how now if someone saw them, they would not think they were real and may wonder; “Why I didn’t have my ass done at the same time.” This again makes a point at self-image and how time is able to change the outlook on certain things very easily.
“Road Trips”
David Sedaris as I have mentioned before is homosexual, it is in this chapter he writes about how he came to the conclusion of being gay. It is on this road trip, that David takes a trip to Ohio to tell his roommate, Todd, that he is gay. David first tells his friend Ronnie that he is gay, pretending to be surprised Ronnie then confesses that she knew all along. Determined to share his life-changing decision, David coming from Raleigh attempts to find his way to Kent, Ohio and tell Todd. Having no sort of transportation to Ohio, David then hitches a ride with a driver in a tow-truck. Oddly, the driver asks David to perform sexual favors for him, even though the driver had been married. Trying to ignore the driver, David tries to change the subject, but to no avail. Frustrated the driver, denied by David, David then makes up the story that he has a girlfriend and does not want to do anything. “The man would pull over, and I would take my place by the side of the road, a virgin with three dollars in his pocket and his whole life ahead of him.” This chapter was an important event and lesson for David, as it was something in which he saw that there was a future ahead of him.
Symbolism was an important thing for David in the first chapter mentioned the clothing in which a hobo wore symbolized his style. He was free to where whatever he wanted on Halloween and he took advantage of that, with a certain style. The “Road Trips” chapter was a climax of David’s life, he realized that he wanted to be gay and put an end to pretending to be the person he was not.
This chapter is all about David and his personal image. It begins with his early childhood, where him and sister had no choice for the clothing they could wear and the only day of the year they could choose was Halloween. David would always be a hobo, he defines hobo as; “Being at liberty, unencumbered by bills and mortgages, better suited his drinking schedule, and so he found shelter whenever he could.” He goes on writing about the glasses he used to wear, his lenses were so big you could clean them with a squeegee and on the stems were the playboy symbol. At that time in 1976, these were pretty stylish. However he makes the point that the whole problem with fashion is that no matter what you wear at that moment, twenty years later it will be something embarrassing to you. He also makes a point about his amazing calves, and how now if someone saw them, they would not think they were real and may wonder; “Why I didn’t have my ass done at the same time.” This again makes a point at self-image and how time is able to change the outlook on certain things very easily.
“Road Trips”
David Sedaris as I have mentioned before is homosexual, it is in this chapter he writes about how he came to the conclusion of being gay. It is on this road trip, that David takes a trip to Ohio to tell his roommate, Todd, that he is gay. David first tells his friend Ronnie that he is gay, pretending to be surprised Ronnie then confesses that she knew all along. Determined to share his life-changing decision, David coming from Raleigh attempts to find his way to Kent, Ohio and tell Todd. Having no sort of transportation to Ohio, David then hitches a ride with a driver in a tow-truck. Oddly, the driver asks David to perform sexual favors for him, even though the driver had been married. Trying to ignore the driver, David tries to change the subject, but to no avail. Frustrated the driver, denied by David, David then makes up the story that he has a girlfriend and does not want to do anything. “The man would pull over, and I would take my place by the side of the road, a virgin with three dollars in his pocket and his whole life ahead of him.” This chapter was an important event and lesson for David, as it was something in which he saw that there was a future ahead of him.
Symbolism was an important thing for David in the first chapter mentioned the clothing in which a hobo wore symbolized his style. He was free to where whatever he wanted on Halloween and he took advantage of that, with a certain style. The “Road Trips” chapter was a climax of David’s life, he realized that he wanted to be gay and put an end to pretending to be the person he was not.
Blog #2 - David Sedaris
‘The Understudy”, David and his sister, Gretchen are left at home while their parents are on vacation. Mrs. Byrd was their first babysitter, and they both really appreciated her and she would always like their hospitality. As well, there was Mrs. Robbins who was black and whenever either of the two sitters would come over. David would give a tour of the house and would always look forward to their reactions to the house. However, it came to a day where the parents changed to a different sitter, that the kids did not like, her name was Mrs. Peacock. This was bound to happen, the first problem was that the tour that David normally gave, did not get an overwhelming reaction like the other sitters in the past. Gretchen also had the belief that she was not a woman. Mrs. Peacock would not do too much around the house. She would always lie down and make the kids get her food and drinks. The only food that Mrs. Peacock she would cook was “sloppy joes”, probably one of the most simple things to cook. She only did laundry the night before the parents came back. However, it was funny at the end, David and his sister explained all these horrible things about Mrs. Peacock. Their mother did not believe a word and the chapter ended with their mother saying to Mrs. Peacock, “Honest to God, I don’t know how you put up with them for the entire week.”
“ ‘All right,’ our mother said. ‘Jesus, calm down.’ ‘She made us scratch her back until our arms almost fell off.’ ‘She cooked sloppy joe every night, and when we ran out of buns she told us to eat it on crackers.’ ”I really enjoy this passage as it just seems like something a kid would say in their nightmares, it also a perfect example of Sedaris' humorous writing.
David Sedaris uses allegories by relating to Mrs. Peacock to characters like Dracula and Frankenstein. Personifying her as a villain or evil person. The voice is the narrator of this story well there were two voices. One was of Gretchen his sister and the other of David, both of when they were younger and had strong opinions of Mrs. Peacock. Also, hyperboles are used when David was describing the weather outside, when Gretchen had to pull weeds outside, “She had to pull weeds in the blistering sun.”
“ ‘All right,’ our mother said. ‘Jesus, calm down.’ ‘She made us scratch her back until our arms almost fell off.’ ‘She cooked sloppy joe every night, and when we ran out of buns she told us to eat it on crackers.’ ”I really enjoy this passage as it just seems like something a kid would say in their nightmares, it also a perfect example of Sedaris' humorous writing.
David Sedaris uses allegories by relating to Mrs. Peacock to characters like Dracula and Frankenstein. Personifying her as a villain or evil person. The voice is the narrator of this story well there were two voices. One was of Gretchen his sister and the other of David, both of when they were younger and had strong opinions of Mrs. Peacock. Also, hyperboles are used when David was describing the weather outside, when Gretchen had to pull weeds outside, “She had to pull weeds in the blistering sun.”
Blog #1 - David Sedaris
“When You Are Engulfed In Flames”, written by David Sedaris is a hilarious novel about all the misadventures throughout his life. All these misadventures beginning from David’s earlier years to his days in Normandy and New York.
The first two chapters, “It’s Catching” and “Keeping Up” are introductions to family and friends of David Sedaris. The novel begins with two interesting characters, Lisa and Patsy. Both of them are germaphobes, people that are obsessed with being clean and avoid any encounters with bacteria. They both share stories relating to cleanliness and what you should do in certain situations. David, being the narrator, wonders what they would do? Lisa says that in theatres, before she sits down in the chair she will place her coat on the back of a chair to avoid the bacteria from others getting on her. As well, Patsy expands on the subject and says that whenever she goes to grocery stores, she never puts her hands on the pushcarts. We are also introduced to David’s mother, whom he calls Maw Hamwrick. His mother is a warm, caring and a hard-working person around her house. All of these friends and family had been invited to David and his partner Hugh’s house for Christmas dinner in Paris. The next chapter, “Keeping Up”, is a chapter where Hugh, David’s lover, is described in more detail. The chapter is about David and Hugh travelling about, where David would always end up losing Hugh in the crowds. David would describe how Hugh would somehow blend in, and always know his way around foreign cities due to all the travel guides he reads. David described finding Hugh, as the book “Where’s Waldo”. Another portion of the chapter is David’s obsession with finding out what a dingo looked like, by going to the zoo in Australia. When going through the lengthy zoo, David and Hugh finally see the dingoes. David having a great imagination thought that a dingo would be this spectacular creature, when all it really was an animal that looked like a dog.
“I don’t know how, but he does. There’s a store in London that sells travel guides alongside novels that take place in this or that given country. The idea is that you’ll read the guide for facts and read the novel for atmosphere – a nice thought, but the only book I’ll ever need is Where’s Waldo? All my energy goes into keeping track of Hugh, and as a result I don’t get to enjoy anything.” This passage just puts a smile on your face, and helps you imagine, being lost in huge crowd of people and all you are trying to do is find this one person. It also brings back memories of when I was younger and go to the library with my friends and take out the “Where’s Waldo” book and time between each other who was the fastest to find Waldo.
The structure of the novel, in which the author follows, is fairly good. There is a nice transition between each of the chapters, as well you can almost just start the novel from any chapter and it would make sense. The choice of words is also very simple and makes it an easy and understand read. Finally, the imagery in which the author provides is a nice to read, because he describes all his travels in a very nice manner.
The first two chapters, “It’s Catching” and “Keeping Up” are introductions to family and friends of David Sedaris. The novel begins with two interesting characters, Lisa and Patsy. Both of them are germaphobes, people that are obsessed with being clean and avoid any encounters with bacteria. They both share stories relating to cleanliness and what you should do in certain situations. David, being the narrator, wonders what they would do? Lisa says that in theatres, before she sits down in the chair she will place her coat on the back of a chair to avoid the bacteria from others getting on her. As well, Patsy expands on the subject and says that whenever she goes to grocery stores, she never puts her hands on the pushcarts. We are also introduced to David’s mother, whom he calls Maw Hamwrick. His mother is a warm, caring and a hard-working person around her house. All of these friends and family had been invited to David and his partner Hugh’s house for Christmas dinner in Paris. The next chapter, “Keeping Up”, is a chapter where Hugh, David’s lover, is described in more detail. The chapter is about David and Hugh travelling about, where David would always end up losing Hugh in the crowds. David would describe how Hugh would somehow blend in, and always know his way around foreign cities due to all the travel guides he reads. David described finding Hugh, as the book “Where’s Waldo”. Another portion of the chapter is David’s obsession with finding out what a dingo looked like, by going to the zoo in Australia. When going through the lengthy zoo, David and Hugh finally see the dingoes. David having a great imagination thought that a dingo would be this spectacular creature, when all it really was an animal that looked like a dog.
“I don’t know how, but he does. There’s a store in London that sells travel guides alongside novels that take place in this or that given country. The idea is that you’ll read the guide for facts and read the novel for atmosphere – a nice thought, but the only book I’ll ever need is Where’s Waldo? All my energy goes into keeping track of Hugh, and as a result I don’t get to enjoy anything.” This passage just puts a smile on your face, and helps you imagine, being lost in huge crowd of people and all you are trying to do is find this one person. It also brings back memories of when I was younger and go to the library with my friends and take out the “Where’s Waldo” book and time between each other who was the fastest to find Waldo.
The structure of the novel, in which the author follows, is fairly good. There is a nice transition between each of the chapters, as well you can almost just start the novel from any chapter and it would make sense. The choice of words is also very simple and makes it an easy and understand read. Finally, the imagery in which the author provides is a nice to read, because he describes all his travels in a very nice manner.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
"The Dog, The Family, A Household Tale" - August Kleinzahler
There is a uniqueness to August Kleinzahler’s writing. Almost everything that he writes is humorous in some form or another. As well in this passage, the two prominent figures in his early life were; his dog and Nanny Far. Usually, as a child your memories would surround your Mom and Dad for example; this was not the case for August. His dog, in which he always relates uniquely to having the characteristics of a human, was his best friend. Nanny Far was obviously a woman that really influenced him in being the person he is today. Especially, changed his taste in women; “I would live with a young Czech woman, Canadian Czech, and suck my thumb til it was raw…” August as mentioned in the text, said that he was a “mistake”, he was conceived by accident. This really does clear up, why August was an outsider in his family, both his parents do not connect with him as much as most parents should. This was probably another reason for his unique writing, he had a different perspective than other kids. His brother, the usual risk taker or brave one that is always up to trouble. Dad was not a key character in his life, he was always away at work. His Mother was someone that had values and seemed to be very "proper" and loved the family dog, just as much as August did. Finally, was his sister, a mysterious character in his life that never was really close to the family as she lived in the attic and listened to her loud thumping music.
“You see, if Mother had only listened to her own mother and averted her eyes from the dog during the term of pregnancy. It was said, this unhappy result might have been avoided.” This quote is a great example of how humorous the author is in describing how everyone thought that he looked like the dog because his mother was looking at the dog when giving birth to August. It's just a quotation that makes you laugh and wonder where does he come up with this stuff? “He seldom attacked humans, only dogs, male dogs. Female dogs brought out his romantic side.” This quotation was describing his dog, in a very humorous manner and how he relates to other dogs around him. Again, bringing up the fact of how the author believed that the dog acted like a human. This is a perfect example of human nature, especially in males, acting tough in front of other males and then bringing out a softer romantic side around females.
“You see, if Mother had only listened to her own mother and averted her eyes from the dog during the term of pregnancy. It was said, this unhappy result might have been avoided.” This quote is a great example of how humorous the author is in describing how everyone thought that he looked like the dog because his mother was looking at the dog when giving birth to August. It's just a quotation that makes you laugh and wonder where does he come up with this stuff? “He seldom attacked humans, only dogs, male dogs. Female dogs brought out his romantic side.” This quotation was describing his dog, in a very humorous manner and how he relates to other dogs around him. Again, bringing up the fact of how the author believed that the dog acted like a human. This is a perfect example of human nature, especially in males, acting tough in front of other males and then bringing out a softer romantic side around females.
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