Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out by Dave Barry

The subject of Dave Barry’s “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” is the difference between men and women’s priorities. The contrast between the two sexes is illustrated through Barry’s use of examples. He uses dirt and cleaning to show what women notice, and he uses sports as an example of what men’s priorities are. He explains how women are sensitive to things like dirt and cleaning, and men are sensitive to sports through stories he tells.
Dave Barry’s message that he wanted to convey to the audience is that both women and men have things that are sensitive about, just not the same things. The different priorities men and women have are revealed when he says “She is there looking at the very walls I just windexed, and she is seeing dirt!” page 206. This shows that women are very sensitive to cleaning, and men are clearly not. He then says, “the opposite side of the dirt coin, of course, is sports. This is an area where men tend to feel very sensitive and women tend to be extremely callous” page 206. According to Dave Barry, their preferences differ and he illustrates this value by the use of the coin, meaning that it’s two-sided. One being mean and one being women. They have different preferences but yet they are ine. This is what men are sensitive about, proving that the priorities for the different sexes alter, and the sensitivities still exist.
Dave Barry also believes that women and men should stick to their own “thing”. He uses the example of Pompeii where men didn’t notice things that women did, ending in tragedy. He mentions that from then in men have never done housework because they don’t notice the little details. Proving that certain people are meant for different things and should stick to what they know. His use of phrasing is evident throughout the essay by using the beginning paragraph to talk about the difference of men and women, the next few paragraphs to talk about women’s priorities, and the last paragraph to talk about men’s preferences. Dave uses his humor to keep the essay flowing and to create a light mood. He keeps it lively but also creates a very understanding tone that shows he knows what he is talking about in the relationship to the differences between men and women. His tone serves the purpose of keeping readers interested and to have an understanding of the realization he has come to. When he claims that, “…I always get irate letters from women who say they are the heavyweight racquetball champion…and are sensitive to sports to the point where they could crush my skull like a ripe grape, but I feel these women are the exception” (page 206). He creates humor but also knows that there always exception. This proves that he understands, but can also have fun with it.