"Catch Me if You Can" by Frank W.
Catch Me if You Can by Frank W. Abagnale is the true story of Frank Abagnale himself, as a real fake. Throughout the book, Abagnale uses several different rhetorical devices, such as foreshadowing, irony, point of view, and importance of title; and raises certain social issues.
The title Catch Me if You Can is very important because it is a perfect example of foreshadowing. Frank's first taste of the criminal life occurs at age sixteen. He cons his father out of $3,400. After which, Frank runs away to New York and the con-artistry begins. By impersonating people, Frank gets a thrill and acquires a lot of money. Therefore, Abagnale spends most of his life running from the authorities.
The author writes the book in his own point of view, which makes sense because the story is about his own life. By writing of personal experiences, the reader is persuaded to take the book more literally. Because the book is written about Abagnle himself, the reader gets to know his personal thoughts and reasoning for his crimes. When Frank cons his father and is caught, his reasoning is evident when he says: "It's the girls, Dad....They do funny things to me. I can't explain it" (17). The reader also gets a better feel of the way Abagnale thinks, and his ability to manipulate others for information. Acting as Bobby Black a high school reporter, Frank interviews a Pan Am pilot and gets all the information he needs: "I was finding a lot of nuggets for my poke" (35). He also gathers information from the women he dates in his present field of work. While the women believe Frank is interested in getting to know them, his real motive is to become as educated as possible.
Abagnale uses irony in the book also. Frank makes a new identity for himself as a twenty-six year old named Frank Williams. Each time he impersonates someone new, Frank makes a new alias, but continues having the first name Frank. Though Frank supposedly appears to look of the age twenty-five, some of his thoughts and
The title Catch Me if You Can is very important because it is a perfect example of foreshadowing. Frank's first taste of the criminal life occurs at age sixteen. He cons his father out of $3,400. After which, Frank runs away to New York and the con-artistry begins. By impersonating people, Frank gets a thrill and acquires a lot of money. Therefore, Abagnale spends most of his life running from the authorities.
The author writes the book in his own point of view, which makes sense because the story is about his own life. By writing of personal experiences, the reader is persuaded to take the book more literally. Because the book is written about Abagnle himself, the reader gets to know his personal thoughts and reasoning for his crimes. When Frank cons his father and is caught, his reasoning is evident when he says: "It's the girls, Dad....They do funny things to me. I can't explain it" (17). The reader also gets a better feel of the way Abagnale thinks, and his ability to manipulate others for information. Acting as Bobby Black a high school reporter, Frank interviews a Pan Am pilot and gets all the information he needs: "I was finding a lot of nuggets for my poke" (35). He also gathers information from the women he dates in his present field of work. While the women believe Frank is interested in getting to know them, his real motive is to become as educated as possible.
Abagnale uses irony in the book also. Frank makes a new identity for himself as a twenty-six year old named Frank Williams. Each time he impersonates someone new, Frank makes a new alias, but continues having the first name Frank. Though Frank supposedly appears to look of the age twenty-five, some of his thoughts and