In this paper, I will discuss the article Reading to Write by Stephen King. I will examine the ideas he presents by citing the examples he uses. Additionally, I will give my own thoughts on his points and provide my own ideas of these topics. Lastly I will explain how I feel his logic not only effectively applies to the topic he is discussing, but how it is applicable to any chosen field a person may attempt to become successful in.…
Ambrose Bierce’s “Occurrence at Owl Creek” delves deep within the mind of a human on the brink of death. This story began the development of the “fiction of post-mortem consciousness,” which later writers, such as Hemingway and Golding, would expand upon. The analysis of the human mind in its last seconds runs a fascinating course through the whole of the story, with elements of the natural state of the world being artfully woven into the fabric of the story. This is a story about the last delusions of man before succumbing to the depths of defeat in the eternal struggle that characterizes life.…
The exploration of what it means to be human is heavily focused on in Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. The story follows a nine-year-old boy whose father died in the 9/11 attacks as he struggles to find some reason behind it, wondering along the way about existence and, more importantly, human emotion. All humans experience a range of emotions, from happiness to anger and everything in between. One of the most prominent human experiences is loss and the grief that follows it. The grieving process presents itself in many ways, and it is different for everyone. Through examining the text via formalism, which focuses solely on the text itself and not on the author on any other element, it becomes clear that the varying ways of mourning and receiving closure are well represented. The setting, plot, and structure used in the text all tie together the examination of grief as part of what it means to be human—everyone deals with grief, but each person must find a way to do so.…
At first glance, the concept of death seems simple; one tries to live as long as possible, and when the time comes, he goes. However, there is much more to it than that. There is everything that leads to a person’s death and there is the aftermath. In her article “Losing Matt Shepard: Life and Politics in the Aftermath of Anti-Gay Murder,” Beth Loffreda talks about the outcome of a gay young man named Matt Shepard being murdered, and how he became lost in the wake of the movement that followed. Similarly, Jon Krakauer retraces the story of a young man named Chris McCandless who died in the Alaskan wilderness in his piece “Into the Wild.” The death of a person can become gradually more complex based on if it was natural, accidental or murder, if it was sudden, or slow, or if it was intentional. These are things that are easy to tell people, but make a big difference in the story. When writing or reading about a person’s death there are certain limits one comes across where it becomes very complicated to get the right story across. There is a great deal of limitation in writing about a person’s death because it is challenging to get all the correct details. Communicating the story of someone’s death can be complicated because many people lack the experiences to understand the events one goes through before dying and the true story often gets obscured by a shroud of drivel.…
As a student, I could not wait much longer to read about his new writing that he presented as a result of him being inspired after closely reading James Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time.” I was eager to read his message to his fellow…
As a very successful author, Stephen King feels as if he knows what it takes to be a fruitful writer. He shares his thoughts with the public through his essay “Reading to Write.” In the text, King addresses his opinion on the importance of reading to become a good writer. Through the writing of the essay, he wishes to encourage uprising or developing writers to read more. The persuasive essay is mainly directed towards anyone who wants to become a writer or anyone who wants to improve their writing skills. If one who does not wish to become a writer stumbles upon this essay, even they may be inspired to read more as well. Throughout the essay, King uses strong rhetorical strategies such as Ethos, Logos and Pathos to express his opinion and…
Although James Dickey’s tendency is to delve into the natural world, when expressing the concept of life and death as opposed to staying grounded by the world of man, he is able to more clearly explain the significance of the two. Dickey’s word choice, his tone, the way he structures his works, as well as his own, personal experiences, aid in expressing the balance.…
Gass presents memoirs as a type of egotistical way for author’s to exaggerate their lives in order to get attention, sympathy or financial gain. Even though in most cases memoirs are used to express one’s life that they have lived and talk about their difficulties they have had in their existence. Another important quotation in Gass’s Art of Self essay, is “fate cuts the cord, and the autobiographer dies in his bed of love, still high in the saddle of self” (46) Art of Self. Many people in today’s society and especially autobiographers write memoirs and non-fiction novels about themselves that are so exaggerated. That they are no longer considered to be memoirs or non-fiction novels, to die in a bed of love, are another way to explain that a person is extremely narcissistic and always just looks at themselves, as absolutely the best person ever. Most people do not want to die that way or be anyway involved in them to that…
Distinctive voices provide understanding and emphasise the significant events and aspects of life in relation to the individual and their underlying place in the society. Both John F. Kennedy and Severn Cullis Suzuki provide evidence of this which is evident in the use of contrast, anaphora, imagery, rhetorical questions and allusion but is also perpetuated in The Sharpness of Death by Gwen Harwood. These texts provide understanding and connections within eachother……..…
R.I.P to a man at age 91, name Jerome David Salinger, January first, 1919 to January 27th, 2010. Not only was he a great father of two. A great friend for children a good brother, and son. He was also a great author. J.D. was not only a writer, but he was a mysterious fellow. He didn’t like talking about his life. Nor say anything that has to deal with his past. He was a private guy. He usually is friends with children .J.D. Salinger has changed from childhood, Adulthood, and to the day he dies. He never stops doing one thing, and that one thing was writing.…
There is a multitude of poems written with the theme of death, be it in a positive light or negative. Some poets write poems that depict Death as a spine-chilling inevitable end, others hold respect for this natural occurrence. In Emily Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death”, diction and personification is utilized to demonstrate the speaker’s cordial friendship with Death.…
Robert Frost and Wilfred Owen create this sense of a loss of innocence through a sudden and unexpected death in one case which contrasts very nicely to “Disabled” in which the veteran suffers a punishment worse than death where death would be a God send or a merciful release to his pain.…
During this time of great despair, William Faulkner imposes a solution. Although the main point of the speech was for writers to write from the heart, he also addresses the fear of the world. Faulkner reflected on the harmfulness of writing from a place of fear rather than place of hope and from the heart. Faulkner illustrated his character, his feeling toward his work, and the impact he hoped to instill on young…
Dying may be seen by many as a burden, but in Hans Jonas’s article, “The Burden and Blessing of Mortality,” dying is analyzed as not only a burden but also a blessing. By employing rhetorical modes such as division, definition, and illustration, Jonas paints a beautiful picture of how one should view death and the many views in which one can look at its foreboding shadow.…
Accepting death is not easy; one can feign his fear and desperation by appearing phlegmatic in the face of death, but his will take a while to actually accept the finale of his life. In the poignant yet inspirational essay, “Intoxicated by My Illness,” by Anatole Broyard, the author is informed about his prostate cancer, which changes his perspective in life and leads him to appreciate every minute things he has ignored before. Unlike most people who undergo the phase of despair and anxiety in the face of death, Broyard seems to quickly accept his imminent death, or he “ [turns] toward it.” (343) Despite the fact that his friends view such action as “courage,” he attributes his optimistic attitude to his desire, believing “[desire] itself is a kind of immortality.” (343-344) Broyard begins to live a new way, which is exemplified through his expanding gratitude towards his wife’s burger, his friends, and even his functioning body. Broyard is deeply “intoxicated by [his]…