Compare & Contrast: Homelessness is More Appealing
RUNNING HEADER: Homelessness
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Homelessness is More Appealing
S. Michelini
ENG 121 English Composition I
Professor Beth Riley
October 23, 2013
Many of us will never be homeless, and not everyone understands the benefit of having a wife, but after reading the essays’, Homeless (Quindlen, A. n.d.) and I Want a Wife
(Brady, J. 1971), one can gain a better understanding of both. I am a wife. Therefore, I can certainly connect with the narrator’s story of I Want a Wife. This is a narrative essay, in which the narrator reflects on why she too would like to have a wife after a visit with a recently divorced male friend, who is looking for a new wife. The narrator gives a list of duties and activities she will and will not do if she had a wife, and she can visualize the benefits a wife could afford her with less responsibilities and more time for school or friends. My other essay of choice is quite different in theme, but it is still relatable. Anne Quindlen’s essay, Homeless
(n.d.) is a short descriptive essay with the narrator retelling of an account when she met a woman, who she believes is homeless, at the bus terminal. It is during the encounter that the narrator reflects on homeless people in general, the homeless individual and about herself. Both of these essays’ are well written, however, I feel that Homeless (Quindlen, A. n.d.), is a more appealing essay than I Want a Wife (Brady, J. 1971), as it allows the reader to become more engaged in the descriptions and reflect on the details of the story.
Whenever I first start reading any type of literature, the first thing I notice is the writing style of the author and the point of view (POV) of the narrator. Key elements of the writing style for me are POV, tone, pace, and conciseness when possible. The point of view is important to the reader as it may not be theirs. This should cause the reader to pay closer attention to details.
How much credibility does the narrator offer. The
1
Homelessness is More Appealing
S. Michelini
ENG 121 English Composition I
Professor Beth Riley
October 23, 2013
Many of us will never be homeless, and not everyone understands the benefit of having a wife, but after reading the essays’, Homeless (Quindlen, A. n.d.) and I Want a Wife
(Brady, J. 1971), one can gain a better understanding of both. I am a wife. Therefore, I can certainly connect with the narrator’s story of I Want a Wife. This is a narrative essay, in which the narrator reflects on why she too would like to have a wife after a visit with a recently divorced male friend, who is looking for a new wife. The narrator gives a list of duties and activities she will and will not do if she had a wife, and she can visualize the benefits a wife could afford her with less responsibilities and more time for school or friends. My other essay of choice is quite different in theme, but it is still relatable. Anne Quindlen’s essay, Homeless
(n.d.) is a short descriptive essay with the narrator retelling of an account when she met a woman, who she believes is homeless, at the bus terminal. It is during the encounter that the narrator reflects on homeless people in general, the homeless individual and about herself. Both of these essays’ are well written, however, I feel that Homeless (Quindlen, A. n.d.), is a more appealing essay than I Want a Wife (Brady, J. 1971), as it allows the reader to become more engaged in the descriptions and reflect on the details of the story.
Whenever I first start reading any type of literature, the first thing I notice is the writing style of the author and the point of view (POV) of the narrator. Key elements of the writing style for me are POV, tone, pace, and conciseness when possible. The point of view is important to the reader as it may not be theirs. This should cause the reader to pay closer attention to details.
How much credibility does the narrator offer. The
References: Brady, J. (1971). I want a wife. Retrieved from: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/everythingsanargument4e/content/cat_020/Brady_I_Want_a_Wife.pdf Quindlen, A. (n.d.). Homeless. Retrieved from: http://pers.dadeschools.net.prodev/homelesstext.htm