Naipaul S Memoirs example essay topic

Every piece of poetry and prose has its own unique characteristics from the beginning to end. Most pieces of literature follow a standard form, but as the author or poet adds their own ideas it becomes an entertaining or educational experience. As is the case with V. S Naipaul ='s Miguel Street and Dylan Thomas = Milk Under Wood. A compression dealing with narrative and structural style shows that the two have some similarities for example themes as well as some differences like the use of time. Both, Naipaul and Thomas, have their own sense of writing style which contributes to the overall effect of their work. Miguel Street is a collection of memoirs written by V. S Naipaul which discusses Naipaul ='s life and eventually accumulates to give an overall portrait of Miguel Street.

Miguel Street is based on a street that is housed by a gang of people whom we hear about through Naipaul ='s eyes. The characters are discussed, in detail, one by one as they are remembered by Naipaul. The first stories occur during Naipaul ='s childhood and they continue to age as Naipaul does. Bogart, a bigamist, is the first character described, followed by Popo who happens to be a thief and a carpenter to Elias who aspires to become a doctor (Naipaul 31). Through the discussion of the people around Naipaul, we learn about him and the environment that he grew up in. Through the abuse and the poverty, we realize the need to succeed that Naipaul and his friends have.

The issue of stereotypes and separation of social classes shows the struggle that Naipaul had to face and overcome to survive. Naipaul gets strength in character as well as understanding and maturity through his friends, family and home. Naipaul ='s format of personal portraits, give his readers a detailed look at those who surround and influence him. Although the reader is introduced to many characters, the reader only get Naipaul ='s personal point of view as well as his thoughts and opinions since Miguel Street is based on his recollections of the past.

As well, since these portraits of characters are recalled from Naipaul ='s memory, there may be details added or deleted without Naipaul ='s actually consent or knowledge. The overall details of Miguel Street can be persuaded as Naipaul wanted rather than what actually occurred. The language and character analysis is portrayed in an everyday style. Slang and nicknames are used time and time again, along with dialogue written as it was actually said. The use of this type of language allows the reader to have a more relaxed understanding of the novel as well as a more comprehensive understanding of the actual stories. Through colorful descriptions of the actions of the characters, Naipaul gives a vivid picture of life on Miguel Street The tone is often serious since it deals with serious issues of abuse, poverty, mental disorders, and fear of failure.

On a lighter note, theses issues are discussed in a humorous and fun nature that the audience can relate to. The mood of the collection has a tendency to change from serious to humorous as the reader turns the pages. Under Milk Wood written by Dylan Thomas is a hilarious play that revolves in one day. It discusses the issues of a small town from the town tramp, Polly Garter, to the Reverend Eli Jenkins to the wannabe promiscuous Mae Rose Cottage (Thomas 81). The town, Llabreggub, consists of everyday people who are continuously in one another ='s business. Thomas gives a description of his characters and their actions through dialogue within the play.

The play opens up in the middle of the night, just as the characters begin to dream. As Thomas reveals the dreams that each character has, he actually discusses the fear or desire that an individual may have. Whether it is the desire of an affair, a lover, or a need to succeed or the fear of being caught by your spouse, rejection, or death, Thomas through the dreaming scene discusses one ='s underlying secrets. Thomas builds his play around this scene which allows his characters to give some information as to the direction of the play without actually telling the audience. The everyday issues that people face, such as social class or sexuality, are portrayed through the daily lives of each character and their actions.

Through the format of a play, we get the ideas and opinions of many characters rather than just Thomas = . The point of view shifts as the dialogue does which gives the audience many emotions and opinions to deal with at the same time. The description of each character changes along with the speaker, so we are continuously getting feedback discussing a character's actions. As there are usually many characters in a play, we can often get a variety of personal opinions form the characters as is the case with Thomas' play. As the play evolves in one day, the audience may get a distorted view on a character since one character depends on another to get introduced as well as the audience ='s dependency for information.

The play has a language that is proper with an everyday slang involved as well. The sentence structure is short and choppy with interruptions through the dialogue which gives the readers an actual feeling of realness. By using repetition in his dialogue, Thomas allows certain ideas or beliefs to be expressed in a serious way. Under Milk Wood is a play that has a very humorous and carefree tone. Through the dreaming scene to the day time scene, the mood is seen as one of an interesting and insightful. Through the discovery of fears and desires, Thomas allows his audience to actually get involved on a personal note.

Playing on fears is something that all individual ='s do, time and time again so that they can actually achieve their desires. Both Naipaul and Thomas share some qualities in his or her writing styles while at the same time they also differ. They both try to use language and words that an everyday person can understand and appreciate. As well they share some common traits in themes and ideas which include stereotypes and social class. In Miguel Street, the characters are defined by their place in the Street. To be popular and well liked, you were a part of the Miguel Street gang.

As for Milk Under Wood, your popularity was defined by who you knew in town and who you could associate with. Both pieces of work tell a story with the difference being that one is true, Miguel Street, while the other is false, Milk Under Wood. Both pieces of work discuss daily activities that normal people would go through, whether it be going to the store or saying hello to your neighbors. Miguel Street and Milk Under Wood, give their readers a sense of routine and conformity without actually saying so. By discussing their daily lives, they in fact discuss what all individual ='s try to accomplish to get through the day. Naipaul and Thomas, try to get at the underlying truth of the towns they live in.

They want to bring to the surface everything that people are afraid of or are trying to hide such as abuse, cheating, and lying. The concept of time is also used differently by the two authors. Naipaul uses the concept of flashbacks to recall his past childhood. His memoirs span over a time frame of years whereas Thomas = work occurs in one day. Through the idea of memoirs, Naipaul also brings to his collection a sense of maturity and wisdom.

Though Thomas = work also has maturity, he fits everything he has to say in a single day without leaving any necessary details out. He begins his play late at night and continues on throughout the day and into the following night. Both Naipaul and Thomas have excellent writing styles that allow them to entice their readers or audience into the world they have created through their own visions. Naipaul ='s memoirs give the audience a one sided point of view whereas Thomas gives us many. Through the comparison of Naipaul and Thomas' literary styles, many similarities as well as differences are presented in a well constructed manner.

Bibliography

Naipaul, V.S. Miguel Street. England: Penguin Books, 1971.
Thomas, Dylan. Under Milk Wood. United States: New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1954.