Sedaris Dialogue example essay topic

694 words
Me Talk Pretty One Day By David Sedaris David Sedaris' Me Talk Pretty One Day contains a variety of cynical, witty, and unconventional essays that hold the tone and the reader's interest throughout the book. While describing his timeless scars from the "girlish pitch and excited tone" of his own voice in middle school, to his addictions to pathetic art and methamphetamine's, Sedaris offers a view and a voice like none other. Each story is unique and short, each written in different styles while avoiding confusing language, while still making nearly constant references to things that require a more matured life experience. (A few references to the bible and others to politics are not something that every reader can understand.) Stories range from short and punchy, to more journalistic.

No chapter is more than twenty pages, and in the brief accounts of his life, he integrates the events leading up to the piece, and often adds the outcome of his outrageous adventure. Although original, nearly every story begins with an anecdote, which is weaved carefully throughout the piece. A tale of secret agents will flow seamlessly into a narrative about Sedaris's peach classes, while keeping the reader on their toes. The reader gains faith in Sedaris near the end, knowing that a chapter that begins with, "I'm thinking of making a little jacket for my clock radio... ". will turn into something hilarious, yet having very little to do with clock apparel.

The anecdotes turn into an equally amusing part of the tale, leaving the reader to keep on turning the pages. Sedaris pokes fun at himself, like an elementary child who knows if he makes fun of himself first, no one else can. Describing his seemingly Obsessive-Compulsive father, ("My father saves everything... cherry tomatoes, sausage biscuits... he hides these things in strange places until they are rotten. And then he eats them". ) and the rest of his dysfunctional family, Sedaris seems to leave himself out of the picture for unknown reasons.

What really drives the book is dialogue, and plenty of it. Sedaris' dialogue keeps the piece moving, and none of these narratives would seem complete without it. Sedaris has a one of a kind way of forming dialogue into the most descriptive and most showing part of the story. Sedaris also includes tales of his short-lived career as a "clearly unqualified" college writing professor. "It turns out that I'm really stupid, practically an idiot. There are cats that weigh more than my IQ score".

Sedaris is often found depicting himself as a moron; But a bright, individual moron. Sedaris' move to Paris poses a number of challenges for him, among them his inability to speak the language. Capable of communicating only through nouns, he undertakes language instruction that leads him ever deeper into cultural confusion. Other accounts of time spent on the French Metro with his boyfriend, Hugh give way for more observatory tales. While getting a look inside of his head, the reader realizes what a humorously manipulative individual Sedaris can be. After listening to Americans that mistook him for French talk about him, he comes up with ways to play games with them.

"I could have said something, but I though it might be better to wait and see what they came up with next... I very much wanted to hear this conversation and decided that I would take the wallet from Hugh's back pocket as we left the train. It would be a hoot". Meanwhile, giving hints, but no actual admission, of his homosexuality. Not only does Sedaris do a fantastic job of being witty and hilarious, but the reader feels as if at least one of these stories could be about his or her own life. From humorous cynicism to optimism, Sedaris' writing is something that nearly everyone could get a kick out of.

After all, who wouldn't want to know about why exactly Sedaris is up at 5: 45 am thinking about dressing up his clock?