Humor In 'Me Talk Pretty One Day'

Improved Essays
Humor Essay
Many works of literature today have persuasive strategies incorporated in them to grab the reader’s attention. Most of the time, writers also use strategies such as humor to send a crucial message to the audience. While this is one effective way of sending a message, other writers utilize formal writing to express the seriousness of a problem. Both methods are effective in getting a message across; however, writing without humor is stronger than those with humor because it is straightforward and comprehensible.
Works without the use of humor have a stronger effect on the readers due to the fact that writers get their point across right away, which make it easier for the audience to comprehend. For example, in Francine Prose’s “I Know Why The Caged Bird Cannot Read,“ she
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For example, in “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” Sedaris expertly incorporates humor to draw readers in. When he integrates a personal anecdote about his experience of learning French and his teacher who had constantly ridiculed him and his classmate (Sedaris 218), he entertains the readers by keeping them interested. Additionally, Sedaris utilizes humor to create a light atmosphere for the audience. His usage of humor compels the readers to continue reading. While his use of humor is effective, it hinders his argument. For instance, Sedaris does not directly tell the audience the message he is trying to send. By using humor, he is illustrating the problems in an entertaining way, which in turn masks the message. Evidently, this causes the audience to interpret it the wrong way. Furthermore, only the minority of people understand the true purpose and meaning behind one’s use of humor because most people today overlook a writer’s message, since they are too occupied with their comedy. As a result, readers will be more likely to not notice the message the writer is

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