My Island Is A Brrigadoon By Ellen Goodman Summary

Why don’t emails or text messages have the same sympathetic emotions as a letter? Ellen Goodman explains that today's society doesn’t pay “full attention” to the sympathetic emails and text messages due to their daily distractions like downloading music or just being caught up in social media. In her essay, Goodman argues that, “ We are learning that paying attention briefly is as impossible as painting a landscape from a speeding car.” She uses plenty of figurative languages such as personal anecdotes, similes, and ethical appeals throughout the essay to help convince the reader that technology is truly ruining the conversations we are having with our loved ones. Goodman continues to explain that there are no emotional connections when using online messaging, but she also states that she has noticed a recent shift in society and people are starting to pay “full attention” and slow down. As Goodman says, “And sometimes, in this technological whirlwind, it takes a piece of snail mail to carry the stamp of authenticity.” Goodman argues that electronic messages, such as emails or text messages, don't provide the …show more content…
Goodman writes, “My island is a Brigadoon: WiFi is on the way, and some people roam the island with their phones, looking for a hot spot. But I exchange the Internet for the country road.” The personal anecdote provides evidence that Goodman also tries to “slow down” every once in awhile. It also shows that many people focus on their phones and the Internet instead of enjoying their summer vacation. Goodman shows the readers that she tries to enjoy herself in the “country road” even when society keeps moving at a fast pace. Goodman also shows that society still hasn’t fully developed into paying “full attention” to the environment around them, and their main focus is still on the Internet and electronic