Major Strategy Of Ager's Essay example essay topic

The title, 'Cool Comfort Steals Summer's Seasoning', of the essay by the newspaper columnist, Susan Ager, is very obvious to reveal her negative attitude toward air-conditioning which is a technical convenient machine. And she uses the strategy of contrast to catch reader's attention: "Summer used to be sultry and sensual. Now most of us spend it entombed". At the beginning of her essay, the sentence that "I hate air-conditioning, which polishes summer air until there's nothing memorable left". conveys her thesis clearly how technical convenient machines deprive our most valuable things in our lives. Following sentences which are various examples support her thesis. First she shows her memories of 'heavy and damp summer' from her childhood which was very beautiful and she wants to share these memories with readers.

At the middle of the essay, Ager gives audience anecdotes of her husband who loves to stay where air-conditioning is on compared her childhood. Then, in the last paragraph, she quotes a scene from 'My Dinner with Andre' where two friends argue over an electric blanket. In this story Andre rejects an electric blanket as "the kind of comport that separates you from reality."Without an electric blanket, you might need to add a blanket to your bed, or even pile coats on top. You will know it's cold, and wonder if the person beside you is cold, and think about others in the world who are cold".

In this sentence, we could realize what is most important and valuable in our lives and how the machines deprive these from us. The major strategy of Ager's essay is description which engages readers' interest. She describes about her childhood memories without air-conditioning and this description inspires readers's ight, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gestation. We can see 'the dark, convinced lights would heat the house', and 'the fireflies', hear 'the clink of the neighbor's silverware as she washed her dishes', 'crickets', and 'the caw of black bird', feel 'the shade on a bed sheet spread on the grass', 'the cool wood', 'the thinnest cotton night clothes', and 'the wind which snuck up our sleeves and billowed out our shirts', smell 'hay', and taste 'macaroni salad or cold leftovers, with watermelon for dessert', and 'iced tea'. These details stir readers' emotion. The second major strategies of Ager's essay are induction and coparoson-contrast.

First, to support her claim, Ager gives many specific examples such as her memories from childhood when she enjoyed the heat without air-conditioning, and the situation that she undergoes in the present time. And she contrasts these two cases. Also Ager uses strategy of illustration as well such as the anecdote of her husband who prefers to air-conditioning and the situation that there was no air-conditioning while they were driving rural highway due to their engine overheated. Ager also illustrates of the scene from 'My Dinner with Andre'. Ager's essay appeals to pathos very much such as her many descriptions which rouse reader's emotion. As I read her descriptions I recall my childhood when I enjoyed 'sultry and sensual's summer.

Most of readers have memories of hot summer which made them happy and Ager's essay reminds them of that summer in order to change their mind toward 'machines'. Her appeal to ethos is also strong. Ager is a newspaper columnist who should be objective therefore this fact helps us to rely on her essay. She tells us her own experiences and the way she feels about it using strategies of description and illustration. Also the tone of the author is honest, friendly, and ethical.

This personality of the author revealed through her writing makes her claim more credible and believable. She does not appeal logos much. However, she tries to complement logical parts using the strategies of induction and comparison-contrast. Even though descriptions of Ager's essay are beautiful and remind me of my grandmother's place where I stayed in hot summer when I was little, I do not agree with her. I have experienced many uncomfortable situations without air-conditioning. When I was a senior in high school, I had to study very hard to get into a good university.

But as summer was coming, I was almost terrified because to study in such a hot weather almost derived me crazy. In that moment I could not think about summer's seasoning. I needed just better conditions to study. Ager misses many advantages of air-conditioning which cannot be ignored and are very important at the present time.

We all know that we will undergo inconveniences without machines because we have already accustomed to those. Also we do not think that irritable situations without technical machines make me have more valuable life. Of course, I love my memories of real summer from my childhood. I played with my friends in a little stream catching craw fish and minnows instead of staying at home where air-conditioning on to avoid hot summer was.

I remember cool watermelon that was planted in my grandfather's farm and the smell of his sweat when he harvested the watermelon in the hot sunshine. But for these memories, I cannot give up my air-conditioning.