Compare And Contrast Pitts And Barry

Great Essays
September 11, 2001 is a day that forever left a mark on the American people. On this day, millions of Americans became unified in their grief and their desire to make sense of a senseless tragedy. In order to find solace and understanding, many looked towards the news and other sources. These sources provided the words that many could not form themselves, and these words reflected the thoughts and feelings of not only an individual, but the thoughts and feelings of an entire nation. Leonard Pitts Jr. and Dave Barry were two such sources. Pitts and Barry both convey the emotions felt after the terror attacks in their essays “Sept. 12, 2001: We’ll go forward from this moment” and “Just for being Americans . . .” through their mournful, angry, …show more content…
Pitts expresses this tone at the very beginning of his essay through the line “You monster. You beast. You unspeakable bastard.” Pitts is addressing the terrorists who initiated the attacks on the United States. He expresses his anger towards the terrorists and their actions through his use of the words “monster,” “beast,” and “bastard.” Pitts maintains this anger throughout his essay, and it can be observed by looking at how he addresses the terrorists. For example, he makes the statement “You’ve bloodied us as we have never been bloodied before .” This statement may not use words that directly says that he is angry, but the tone can still be felt by understanding why Pitts includes this statement in his essay. He is addressing a group of people who had inflicted unimaginable pain and suffering onto the American people. He acknowledges that their actions have left a wound that may never heal, and he is not happy about it. Barry also refers to the terrorists with an angry tone throughout his essay. As was the case with Pitts’ essay, Barry starts off with an angry tone right at the beginning. He does so with his title “Just for being Americans.” This line refers to the terrorists’ reason behind the attack on the United States, which he claims was for no reason other than …show more content…
12 2001: We’ll go forward from this moment” and “Just for being Americans . . .” Their mournful tones are expressed throughout their essays through the use of words and phrases that convey pain, sadness, and grief. Anger is the second tone, and it is expressed in how they address or refer to the terrorists in their essays. They condemn the actions of the terrorists, and they make it clear that the terrorists will not get away with severely harming the American people. Pitts’ and Barry’s righteous tone is expressed through their use of certain words and phrases. They clearly express ideas of retribution and justice; the American people will be better than the terrorists, but they will also rise up and fight against anyone who dares hurt their people. Their mournful, angry, and righteous tones reflect the feelings of the American people after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Pitts and Barry both used these tones to convey a similar idea: Americans will mourn and heal, and when they do, they will seek justice for not only those who had lost their lives, but for all

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