Anjula Razdan's article "What's Love Got To Do With It,"is an essay that expresses the authors thoughts on the meaning of true love, and finding love the right way. Razdan, throughout the entire essay, explains how true love is thought to be found, but how it all ends up in a divorce, especially in the western society, as he describes it. Razdan's own parents were joined together through an arranged marriage while they were young people in India. Razdan explains why his parents seem to not even know each other, and then goes on to talk about how this is relevant to many marriages in the U.S., most ending up in divorces. A brief plot summary, the overall theme as I see it, and my personal opinion to this essay will reveal a role that the essay can play in the lives of many ordinary people.
Razdan begins his essay by telling the story of how he and his family formulate different opinions on love and life. His parents, being put together through an arranged marriage, hardly even know each other, says Razdan. They did not even go on a date that was just the two of them, they were accompanied. Razdan then goes on to tell of how the society we think we live in today gives us the chance to pick our partners, in which it does, but we do not choose wisely. Razdan also puts into thought the fact that most of us wish we had a matchmaker, where we would not have to sit through a bad date, or a blind date, or anything of that sort. Razdan then goes on to tell of how we expect to live "happily ever after", but in fact Razdan gives a stat that states half of marriages in this country ends in divorce.
He then goes on to tell of how an experiment was done about how a love contract could work, but for a certain couple who experimented with the contract, they had to go to therapy and other types of helpful sessions to learn how to communicate well with each other, something that many ordinary Americans should do in a way. Razdan then goes on to tell of how there is an increase in professional matchmakers, and how T.V. shows and movies persuade the public to try out matchmakers, thinking that the perfect match will be made. But, as a Stanford scientist has found, there is more of a risk for failure, due to no interaction and no social talking. There would be no face to face talking or anything of the sort if someone used an online aid, so there would be no chance of know what the person would look like or really act like. All that could be gone by would be a survey on the internet, which is not very reliable. Razdan then includes a poem by Emily Dickinson, which explains how love is like a bird, and how if you tear the bird apart, you silence the song. Razdan winds up the entire essay by telling how you cannot look into love too much, because you might end up hating it more than for what it really is, and taking it too seriously.
The theme, as I read it, and take the entire essay in, is that take your love seriously, but do not try too hard to find it. Let it come natural to you and find a natural person for you. If you need an aid that is fine, but there is a chance that it will not work out, as is the case for fifty percent of all marriages in the United States. Razdan, by including the arranged marriage of his parents, helps his case, by saying that their marriage was natural and was forced, and they do not really know each other to this day. They do not see the point in naturally finding your partner on your own, and enjoying the love that can take place if you find your own love. But, with the end of the essay, Razdan makes sure to get the point across that we cannot keep it in our minds that we will ever find a "happy ever after" partner,but we can eventually find a person who we adore and love, and can build a love over time, and give each other a chance to build eternal love.
My personal opinion of this essay is that it carries a strong message, and a reality-check in mind. We must take love seriously, but not to the point where love is not fun or needed. We need that extra person in our lives, who cares for us and loves us no matter what we do. Every person needs to feel that acceptance and have their emotional needs taken care of. If a person does not have these needs, then they will be miserable. We need to also be able to find true love the natural way. Not all of us are made to be married and have children. We all do have the ability to have strong relationships, and this is what gets us through life. I am at a stage in my life where I am exploring the world of love, not trying to find the perfect girl right of the bat, but looking at the different options that I can choose from and see. I am not worried about finding true love this early in my life. That time will come. For now, I am going to enjoy my life in college without the worrying of finding the perfect girl.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Advertisement Critique
In the world that we live in today, one of the most influencial types of communication between a produce and consumer is advertising. We see advertisments everywhere we go in the normal day, and we watch and listen to them on our radios and televisons. We all see billboards on the side of the road, boasting large lettering, and impressive images of the product being sold. From food to cars, and clothing stores to gas stations, these impact our everday lives, whether we are able to accept it or not. The actual definition of an advertisment is a public notice, published in the press or broadcasted over the air. The society we live in today allows for the producer to get into the ehads of the consumer, and enables the buyer to be persuaded, with great ease, to purchase from the seller. There are three specific ads that I will refer to throughout, and I will go into detail about what the advertisment is selling, the message that is being given through the ad, and who the audience really is, and the tools that the advertiser uses to grab the attention of that audience.
The first ad a Braun ad for a razor. The text in the ad says, "Brings out the human in men."The man begins as a gorilla at eight in the morning, and five minutes later, the man is shown clean shaven, hair slicked back, and has a fierce impression on his face. This ad does several different things to persuade the consumer. The first being that this razor can work magic on the five o'clock shadow that the normal, everyday man goes through. The razor can withstand the tough, thick whiskers of a man, and make his face look smooth as silk. It can also sells thast it can change the apperance of a man and make him look not as a monkey, but as a man with a large ego. The message being given is that a man will be able to use this razor, no matter his condition in the morning when he wakes. This razor will be able to do the job, and he will not have to take a long time to shave. The speed of the razor is amazing in itself, but the condition that the razor will leave the man is is another feat only that razor could do. The audience for this specific ad is men from the ages of twenty-five until about men in their seventies. This is because men of this age are able to use heavy equipment like this in the morning, and are able to have the thickness of hair needed to fill the face of a man, such as the gorilla face given in the ad. The tool that is used by the advertiser is persuasion. "If you look like an animal in the morning, we can fix you right up with this razor and make you look like a man." This is what I took from the first of the three ads.
The second ad is by Antonio Federici, and it looks like the product is ice cream. In the ad, there is a priest and a nun, and they look as though they are about to kiss, which of course is forbidden in the religion. I see the message being given here as being a hidden pleasure. This product is so good, it is like it should not be allowed to be around. The temptation for this ice cream is so strong. The text given in the ad is "Kiss Temptation." The ad is saying that the temptation is that of a priest wanting to kiss a nun, and vice verca. The audience for this product is a tough one to consider, but I believe it to be people of the ages of thirty and older. This group of people would be able to understand the temptation of the ice cream and the message better than any other age group, and would understand the feeling of the ad as well, having to face these temptations like this through life. Even though you should not ought to have the ice cream, the taste is irresistable, and the temptation to want it will be verystrong. The tool the advertiser uses is the thought of being naughty, and the fact of hidden pleasures. The urge to want to have the product will grow strong when looking at the ad.
The last ad that is being critiqued is of a rainforest being destroyed and an ape-man looking person swinging from a vine that ends in a bare, cleared out part of the forest. There is a bulldozer in the background where the cleared out part of the forest is as well. The text of the ad says that "15km squared of rainforest disappears every minute," and the ad is sponsored by the WWF, which is the World Wildlife Fund. The ad is sending the message that the forests which we rely on for oxygen and other important factors in our lives is being destroyed every minute. The advertisers might also be sending out the message that people need to be eco-friendly and environmentally aware of what we do as a community. The people of all of the world need these forests in order to survive, and maintain a healthy lifestyle and environment. The audience for this ad is for those of us who are unaware of what our behavior can do to not just our own environment, but the environment of animals and other creatures. Young school kids can be targeted the most by this ad, for it is the opinion of a little boy or girl that could persuade the parents of a young person to change their minds on how they use things in their lives. By persuading the audience to give money or awareness to what their lifestyle is doing to the environment, the ad can bring more people in and give a lending hand to the cause they are trying to help, a lacking and destroyed rainforest.
Advertisements can go a long way in the society that we all live in today, and many people are easily persuaded by the pictures, texts, and purposes behind each and every ad that is seen all over the world, either by print or by air. We all are impacted whether we realize this or not, and there really is nothing that a person can do to ignore advertising. It is a part of life now, and it is part of the way we have all been raised. We must either decide to trust or ignore the information that is given to us through ads, and we must make a decison on whether to buy a product, or pass up on a product.
The first ad a Braun ad for a razor. The text in the ad says, "Brings out the human in men."The man begins as a gorilla at eight in the morning, and five minutes later, the man is shown clean shaven, hair slicked back, and has a fierce impression on his face. This ad does several different things to persuade the consumer. The first being that this razor can work magic on the five o'clock shadow that the normal, everyday man goes through. The razor can withstand the tough, thick whiskers of a man, and make his face look smooth as silk. It can also sells thast it can change the apperance of a man and make him look not as a monkey, but as a man with a large ego. The message being given is that a man will be able to use this razor, no matter his condition in the morning when he wakes. This razor will be able to do the job, and he will not have to take a long time to shave. The speed of the razor is amazing in itself, but the condition that the razor will leave the man is is another feat only that razor could do. The audience for this specific ad is men from the ages of twenty-five until about men in their seventies. This is because men of this age are able to use heavy equipment like this in the morning, and are able to have the thickness of hair needed to fill the face of a man, such as the gorilla face given in the ad. The tool that is used by the advertiser is persuasion. "If you look like an animal in the morning, we can fix you right up with this razor and make you look like a man." This is what I took from the first of the three ads.
The second ad is by Antonio Federici, and it looks like the product is ice cream. In the ad, there is a priest and a nun, and they look as though they are about to kiss, which of course is forbidden in the religion. I see the message being given here as being a hidden pleasure. This product is so good, it is like it should not be allowed to be around. The temptation for this ice cream is so strong. The text given in the ad is "Kiss Temptation." The ad is saying that the temptation is that of a priest wanting to kiss a nun, and vice verca. The audience for this product is a tough one to consider, but I believe it to be people of the ages of thirty and older. This group of people would be able to understand the temptation of the ice cream and the message better than any other age group, and would understand the feeling of the ad as well, having to face these temptations like this through life. Even though you should not ought to have the ice cream, the taste is irresistable, and the temptation to want it will be verystrong. The tool the advertiser uses is the thought of being naughty, and the fact of hidden pleasures. The urge to want to have the product will grow strong when looking at the ad.
The last ad that is being critiqued is of a rainforest being destroyed and an ape-man looking person swinging from a vine that ends in a bare, cleared out part of the forest. There is a bulldozer in the background where the cleared out part of the forest is as well. The text of the ad says that "15km squared of rainforest disappears every minute," and the ad is sponsored by the WWF, which is the World Wildlife Fund. The ad is sending the message that the forests which we rely on for oxygen and other important factors in our lives is being destroyed every minute. The advertisers might also be sending out the message that people need to be eco-friendly and environmentally aware of what we do as a community. The people of all of the world need these forests in order to survive, and maintain a healthy lifestyle and environment. The audience for this ad is for those of us who are unaware of what our behavior can do to not just our own environment, but the environment of animals and other creatures. Young school kids can be targeted the most by this ad, for it is the opinion of a little boy or girl that could persuade the parents of a young person to change their minds on how they use things in their lives. By persuading the audience to give money or awareness to what their lifestyle is doing to the environment, the ad can bring more people in and give a lending hand to the cause they are trying to help, a lacking and destroyed rainforest.
Advertisements can go a long way in the society that we all live in today, and many people are easily persuaded by the pictures, texts, and purposes behind each and every ad that is seen all over the world, either by print or by air. We all are impacted whether we realize this or not, and there really is nothing that a person can do to ignore advertising. It is a part of life now, and it is part of the way we have all been raised. We must either decide to trust or ignore the information that is given to us through ads, and we must make a decison on whether to buy a product, or pass up on a product.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
My Semester
This being my second semester in college, I think that it is really going along smoothly. With golf starting up again for our spring season, I will be facing some tough times with time management. Everyday, I will be spending two or three hours on the golf course, and in the rest of my time during the day, I will have to fit in my homework, eating, and time for rest. This may seem like an easy task to some, but being mentally ready for everything waiting ahead will be tough to do. The main concerns I will have during the rest of the semester will be getting a good enough GPA to continue to receive a scholarship, playing my best golf to get to the NCAA Tournament, and managing my time well enough to succeed.
I will have to get a GPA of at least a 2.8 in order to continue to receive a scholarship big enough to allow my family and I to pay the tuition. I need to have a cumulative of 3.0 to get the entire scholarship, and in the first semester, I got a 3.2. I am proud of the way I have adapted to the new way of doing my school work and the new way of studying I have had to get used to. But in order to get the GPA I want and need, there will need to be quite a lot of studying and focus from my part over the next month or so. I will need to do well on my tests and my finals in order to achieve this feat, which is more than capable of being conquered.
My next concern that will be looming in my mind will be playing the best golf I can in order to get a chance to play in the NCAA National Tournament. Playing in the national tournament is a dream of mine, as I have never been a part of a championship team. I never was able to go to the state golf tournament in high school, and that is one of the very few regrets I have from my high school days. I feel I owe it to my teammates and myself to get to the national tournament. Having an experience like this would help me in life. It could also potentially help me in job interviews and job searches. Having these special experiences will help me later in my life, and hel pme to teach the game of golf and get jobs to live a healthy, less stressful life.
My final concern about the rest of this semester that I will face is managing my time well enough to get the previously mentioned concerns under my belt. Managing my time well will give me enough rest to get through each and every day. Along with rest, I will be able to get all of my homework and other school work done throughout the day. With golf starting up again, as I said earlier, I will be tired each and every day. I have to get my work done along with all of the other responsibilities I will face throughout the day. I cannot afford to put off too much work, as I might not have the time to make it up, then I will fall farther behind, not only in my class, but my rest because I will be staying up later into the early morning.
These are the three biggest concerns that I will face when I get out of bed each and every day for the rest of the Spring semester of my Freshman year. I have to get the GPA I need to go here at the Mount next year. I want to go as far into the golf season as I can, and if that means I try my very hardest to get into the national tournament, either as an individual, or as I would prefer it, a team, I will do what I have to do to get us there. The final thing, time management, the biggest concern of all, is the key to my success for the rest of the semester. If I can balance my golf and homework, I will get everything I want out remains of this semester.
I will have to get a GPA of at least a 2.8 in order to continue to receive a scholarship big enough to allow my family and I to pay the tuition. I need to have a cumulative of 3.0 to get the entire scholarship, and in the first semester, I got a 3.2. I am proud of the way I have adapted to the new way of doing my school work and the new way of studying I have had to get used to. But in order to get the GPA I want and need, there will need to be quite a lot of studying and focus from my part over the next month or so. I will need to do well on my tests and my finals in order to achieve this feat, which is more than capable of being conquered.
My next concern that will be looming in my mind will be playing the best golf I can in order to get a chance to play in the NCAA National Tournament. Playing in the national tournament is a dream of mine, as I have never been a part of a championship team. I never was able to go to the state golf tournament in high school, and that is one of the very few regrets I have from my high school days. I feel I owe it to my teammates and myself to get to the national tournament. Having an experience like this would help me in life. It could also potentially help me in job interviews and job searches. Having these special experiences will help me later in my life, and hel pme to teach the game of golf and get jobs to live a healthy, less stressful life.
My final concern about the rest of this semester that I will face is managing my time well enough to get the previously mentioned concerns under my belt. Managing my time well will give me enough rest to get through each and every day. Along with rest, I will be able to get all of my homework and other school work done throughout the day. With golf starting up again, as I said earlier, I will be tired each and every day. I have to get my work done along with all of the other responsibilities I will face throughout the day. I cannot afford to put off too much work, as I might not have the time to make it up, then I will fall farther behind, not only in my class, but my rest because I will be staying up later into the early morning.
These are the three biggest concerns that I will face when I get out of bed each and every day for the rest of the Spring semester of my Freshman year. I have to get the GPA I need to go here at the Mount next year. I want to go as far into the golf season as I can, and if that means I try my very hardest to get into the national tournament, either as an individual, or as I would prefer it, a team, I will do what I have to do to get us there. The final thing, time management, the biggest concern of all, is the key to my success for the rest of the semester. If I can balance my golf and homework, I will get everything I want out remains of this semester.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
"What is It About 20-Somethings?"
"What is It About 20-Somethings?", written by Robin Marantz Henig, is an article addressing the problems that kids from the current generation are faced with during their lives. By giving specific examples throughout the article, Henig explains how the generation of kids today live life differently compared to the generations of past years. Things like getting married later in life, creating families at an older age, and even going to school give the reader a general idea of how the current generation lives differently. Using a brief summary of the article, identifying the overall theme, and giving my personal opinion about the article will reveal a hidden meaning and purpose of the article, that will help explain the culture and generation that I have heard and read about, and now that of which I have become a part of.
"What is It About 20-Somethings?" begins by introducing a phrase that sums up the entire article. This phrase would be "failure to launch." Henig includes this phrase to get the point across that kids are staying at home longer than ever before, and getting onto their own feet taking years of development. Several reasons, all spanned over the entire article, are given as reasons for why these kids are stuggling to get out on their own. This issue was not a big problem in past generations, as people went to work or to the military after graduating from high school. Shortly after this, families would be started, as younger people created families at earlier points in their lives. Times have taken a turn to the hard side of things, as more years of education is needed in order to get a good job, and live a successful life. As the article states, "[t]he traditional cycle seems to have gone off course, as young people remain untethered to romantic partners or to permanent homes, going back to school for lack of better options,..." Young adults are unable to remain in a stable place, and are scared of commitment.
The society of today allows this to happen to these young people. It is accepted throughout the country, and this is all that this generation has ever known. Studies have been conducted to support the idea of kids not being able to get out on their own, and what they expect to get from their lives. The answers support the idea that young adults were confused about their future, not knowing where their life would take them. The society has come to believe that the environment these people are living in contribute to their lack of confidence, resulting in the security blanket of their parents, and living at home for longer spans of time, further into their lives. This generation has been given everything they ever wanted, and there is nobody to blame. The world has done this, in the advancements of technology, to the efforts of parents trying to give their kids the things they need to get through life. The loss of jobs, and the lack of existing jobs has contributed to the twenties living at home as well. There are so many reasons as to why this is happening, but all of the problems cannot be solved. This is something that another generation will have to climb out of, and start a new system of expectations to live by.
The theme of this article by Henig is that times change, along with the generations that follow it. Generations from the thirties and forties could graduate from high school, and go out into the world, and pick up any job that they could find, such as grocery stores, factories, and even the military. Things have changed now. Kids have to go to school to get decent jobs, that will help to support themselves, not to mention a family. When these kids go to school, they have to go not only four years, but to get a good job, six, even seven years of higher education is needed. Kids do not have the jobs or money to go out on their own now. It is free for these kids to stay at their parents houses. Times have changed since the last generation was at the age these kids are at today. There are many factors that play into the reasons for these changes, and we cannot point fingers and any one thing.
I personally can relate to this article strongly. I will probably be one of these kids who live with their parents into their twenties. My parents are more than willing to keep my room open for me until I can get a firm stance on my feet, with stable finances, and a good job. I would not want to start a family too early in my life. If I have a family, without a stable job, and not a good weekly income, I would be in debt for many years to various people and companies. This article helps me to look into my future, to try and set goals for how I want my life to turn out. The less conflict that I have with my finances and the battle to get jobs, the happier my life will be, and the sooner I can retire, and live my last years in a relaxing environment. Growing up into this generation is going to be difficult, but if I can determine my own fate, and make the right decisions, then I can live a good life, be able to support my family, and enjoy life. If it means that I have to stay in my parents house into my twenties, I will do it if it leads to a better road in life.
"What is It About 20-Somethings?" begins by introducing a phrase that sums up the entire article. This phrase would be "failure to launch." Henig includes this phrase to get the point across that kids are staying at home longer than ever before, and getting onto their own feet taking years of development. Several reasons, all spanned over the entire article, are given as reasons for why these kids are stuggling to get out on their own. This issue was not a big problem in past generations, as people went to work or to the military after graduating from high school. Shortly after this, families would be started, as younger people created families at earlier points in their lives. Times have taken a turn to the hard side of things, as more years of education is needed in order to get a good job, and live a successful life. As the article states, "[t]he traditional cycle seems to have gone off course, as young people remain untethered to romantic partners or to permanent homes, going back to school for lack of better options,..." Young adults are unable to remain in a stable place, and are scared of commitment.
The society of today allows this to happen to these young people. It is accepted throughout the country, and this is all that this generation has ever known. Studies have been conducted to support the idea of kids not being able to get out on their own, and what they expect to get from their lives. The answers support the idea that young adults were confused about their future, not knowing where their life would take them. The society has come to believe that the environment these people are living in contribute to their lack of confidence, resulting in the security blanket of their parents, and living at home for longer spans of time, further into their lives. This generation has been given everything they ever wanted, and there is nobody to blame. The world has done this, in the advancements of technology, to the efforts of parents trying to give their kids the things they need to get through life. The loss of jobs, and the lack of existing jobs has contributed to the twenties living at home as well. There are so many reasons as to why this is happening, but all of the problems cannot be solved. This is something that another generation will have to climb out of, and start a new system of expectations to live by.
The theme of this article by Henig is that times change, along with the generations that follow it. Generations from the thirties and forties could graduate from high school, and go out into the world, and pick up any job that they could find, such as grocery stores, factories, and even the military. Things have changed now. Kids have to go to school to get decent jobs, that will help to support themselves, not to mention a family. When these kids go to school, they have to go not only four years, but to get a good job, six, even seven years of higher education is needed. Kids do not have the jobs or money to go out on their own now. It is free for these kids to stay at their parents houses. Times have changed since the last generation was at the age these kids are at today. There are many factors that play into the reasons for these changes, and we cannot point fingers and any one thing.
I personally can relate to this article strongly. I will probably be one of these kids who live with their parents into their twenties. My parents are more than willing to keep my room open for me until I can get a firm stance on my feet, with stable finances, and a good job. I would not want to start a family too early in my life. If I have a family, without a stable job, and not a good weekly income, I would be in debt for many years to various people and companies. This article helps me to look into my future, to try and set goals for how I want my life to turn out. The less conflict that I have with my finances and the battle to get jobs, the happier my life will be, and the sooner I can retire, and live my last years in a relaxing environment. Growing up into this generation is going to be difficult, but if I can determine my own fate, and make the right decisions, then I can live a good life, be able to support my family, and enjoy life. If it means that I have to stay in my parents house into my twenties, I will do it if it leads to a better road in life.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
"Laugh, Kookaburra" Response
David Sedaris' essay, "Laugh, Kookaburra," is an essay that reveals the inner feelings of the author himself, through the actions of an Australian bird, the kookaburra. A trip to the "Land Down Under" exposes Sedaris to the bird, in a semi-natural habitat. Sedaris looks into the actions of the bird into great depth through the memories he has of his father, and through the great imagery given through the words of the entire essay. A brief plot summary, the overall theme as I see it, and my personal opinion of this essay will reveal a role that the essay can play in the lives of many ordinary people.
"Laugh, Kookaburra" is a short reflection that Sedaris has of his past, both of his trip to Australia, and his childhood with his father. The essay begins with the reader being put in the middle of an arguement between Sedaris and his father. Sedaris's father exclaims that in order to really be in Australia, one must see the countryside, not just the cities. This gets under the skin of Sedaris, as he knows he saw the wilderness, he just cannot give proof. The only thing Sedaris can think to do is get his friend, Hugh, on the phone, which would not happen during a dinner.Sedaris goes on to tell of his trip to Australia, including a woman named Pat, who he had met a couple years earlier in Paris. Had it not been for this lady, the heart and theme of the essay would not be existant. Pat offers herself as a tour guide and takes Sedaris through the country, and then moves along to "the bush," which turns out to be a forest. Whie going through the forest, Pat brings up an interesting point. She asked Sedaris and his traveling partner, to invision a four-burner stove. Each burner represented one important factor in one's life: family, friends, health, and work. Pat added that in order to be really successful, you had to cut two off. Sedaris goes through the entire essay trying to find the second burner he turned off, but cannot quite seem to solve it.
Later, on a stop during the trip, the group goes to a lunch in a small town building. While waiting on their first course, Sedaris spots a kookaburra staring at him through the window. He asks questions to the employees, then goes to feed the bird. The bird flings its food several times before eating it, reminding Sedaris of a song he learned, and how singing the song ended up with him being beat by his father. The visions the kookaburra gave him made him realize that he had turned off the "family" burner already, but had yet to turn off a second. He ends the essay by imaging the laughing of the kookaburra in the wilderness, just like the song he learned in the fifth grade went.
The theme, as I see it, was given to the reader, by Pat. When she brought up the four-burner stove image. The theme of turning off two burners in order to be really successful is a good way to look at how to be a success. But, even though it is good, it can also be bad. I think that you have to do this to be really successful, but is that the most important thing? I want to be good with all four of these aspects, which were listed earlier. I want to be close to my family, be close with my friends, have good health, and be good at the work that I do. This is a good outlook on how to be successful, but I do not think it would be the right thing to do, as an empty space would be left in the heart of everyone who attempted to do something like this.
My opinion on this essay is that is has a good message. Having parents that stick up for you, and try to keep you from a world that rejects people like David are good people. Even though their actions might lead our minds to think they are mean and abusive, their actions are in love, and are for the good of the child. In the case of this essay, David gets beaten by his father, who is trying to paddle the girly signs out of him. David would not listen to his father's warnings, and had the punishment coming to him. There have been many times where I have been spanked in my childhood years at home. I realize all of this happened for a reason, and it has ultimately helped turn me into a respectable young man, who can be respected, as well as treat people with the same respect. I can relate to David in these ways, but I can honestly say, I did not end up in the same boat as Sedaris in later years.
"Laugh, Kookaburra" is a short reflection that Sedaris has of his past, both of his trip to Australia, and his childhood with his father. The essay begins with the reader being put in the middle of an arguement between Sedaris and his father. Sedaris's father exclaims that in order to really be in Australia, one must see the countryside, not just the cities. This gets under the skin of Sedaris, as he knows he saw the wilderness, he just cannot give proof. The only thing Sedaris can think to do is get his friend, Hugh, on the phone, which would not happen during a dinner.Sedaris goes on to tell of his trip to Australia, including a woman named Pat, who he had met a couple years earlier in Paris. Had it not been for this lady, the heart and theme of the essay would not be existant. Pat offers herself as a tour guide and takes Sedaris through the country, and then moves along to "the bush," which turns out to be a forest. Whie going through the forest, Pat brings up an interesting point. She asked Sedaris and his traveling partner, to invision a four-burner stove. Each burner represented one important factor in one's life: family, friends, health, and work. Pat added that in order to be really successful, you had to cut two off. Sedaris goes through the entire essay trying to find the second burner he turned off, but cannot quite seem to solve it.
Later, on a stop during the trip, the group goes to a lunch in a small town building. While waiting on their first course, Sedaris spots a kookaburra staring at him through the window. He asks questions to the employees, then goes to feed the bird. The bird flings its food several times before eating it, reminding Sedaris of a song he learned, and how singing the song ended up with him being beat by his father. The visions the kookaburra gave him made him realize that he had turned off the "family" burner already, but had yet to turn off a second. He ends the essay by imaging the laughing of the kookaburra in the wilderness, just like the song he learned in the fifth grade went.
The theme, as I see it, was given to the reader, by Pat. When she brought up the four-burner stove image. The theme of turning off two burners in order to be really successful is a good way to look at how to be a success. But, even though it is good, it can also be bad. I think that you have to do this to be really successful, but is that the most important thing? I want to be good with all four of these aspects, which were listed earlier. I want to be close to my family, be close with my friends, have good health, and be good at the work that I do. This is a good outlook on how to be successful, but I do not think it would be the right thing to do, as an empty space would be left in the heart of everyone who attempted to do something like this.
My opinion on this essay is that is has a good message. Having parents that stick up for you, and try to keep you from a world that rejects people like David are good people. Even though their actions might lead our minds to think they are mean and abusive, their actions are in love, and are for the good of the child. In the case of this essay, David gets beaten by his father, who is trying to paddle the girly signs out of him. David would not listen to his father's warnings, and had the punishment coming to him. There have been many times where I have been spanked in my childhood years at home. I realize all of this happened for a reason, and it has ultimately helped turn me into a respectable young man, who can be respected, as well as treat people with the same respect. I can relate to David in these ways, but I can honestly say, I did not end up in the same boat as Sedaris in later years.
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