Rhetorical Analysis
A Rhetorical Analysis of Bernard Cooper’s Essay a Clack of Tiny Sparks
While using literary elements such as imagery, personal anecdotes, and a diverse choice of words, Bernard Cooper, the writer of ”A Clack of Tiny Sparks”, asserts that people should not be ashamed of who they really are. Cooper clearly develops this assertion by not only involving his personal experiences into this private essay, but by also including them in a way that is both touching, and intimate. By summarizing his childhood experiences, Cooper is able to clarify that being a teenager and being attracted to the same sex is not an easy obstacle to overcome. Cooper is able to draw the reader in with personal and private life experiences from his early teenage years.
In the first paragraph, Cooper expresses his infatuation with his ninth-grade classmate Theresa Sanchez. Every week he evaluates with curiosity the new books she hides under her copy of Today’s Equations and he is intrigued with the fact that she is more mature than everybody else. However, as the reader moves through the body paragraphs, the subject shifts from Theresa to Cooper’s personal experiences with his friends. Cooper intentionally organizes the essay between the two characters to show contrast, to keep the reader entertained and interested, and to also provide the reader with consistency while reading the essay. Even though Cooper jumps back and forth between characters, it is effective because interchanging between the two characters keeps the reader entertained and at ease. Behind his writing, Cooper retells the untold story of every boy who has ever had trouble accepting their selves.
Throughout his writing, Cooper introduces a variety of different rhetorical devices. First he starts with detailed imagery while describing scenes as he saw them in his childhood whether they are about his mom, or his peers. Then he moves on to anecdotes that are so in depth that he leaves the reader blushing in
While using literary elements such as imagery, personal anecdotes, and a diverse choice of words, Bernard Cooper, the writer of ”A Clack of Tiny Sparks”, asserts that people should not be ashamed of who they really are. Cooper clearly develops this assertion by not only involving his personal experiences into this private essay, but by also including them in a way that is both touching, and intimate. By summarizing his childhood experiences, Cooper is able to clarify that being a teenager and being attracted to the same sex is not an easy obstacle to overcome. Cooper is able to draw the reader in with personal and private life experiences from his early teenage years.
In the first paragraph, Cooper expresses his infatuation with his ninth-grade classmate Theresa Sanchez. Every week he evaluates with curiosity the new books she hides under her copy of Today’s Equations and he is intrigued with the fact that she is more mature than everybody else. However, as the reader moves through the body paragraphs, the subject shifts from Theresa to Cooper’s personal experiences with his friends. Cooper intentionally organizes the essay between the two characters to show contrast, to keep the reader entertained and interested, and to also provide the reader with consistency while reading the essay. Even though Cooper jumps back and forth between characters, it is effective because interchanging between the two characters keeps the reader entertained and at ease. Behind his writing, Cooper retells the untold story of every boy who has ever had trouble accepting their selves.
Throughout his writing, Cooper introduces a variety of different rhetorical devices. First he starts with detailed imagery while describing scenes as he saw them in his childhood whether they are about his mom, or his peers. Then he moves on to anecdotes that are so in depth that he leaves the reader blushing in
Cited: Cooper, Bernard. "A Clack of Tiny Sparks: Remembrances of a Gay Boyhood." Cohen, Samuel. 50 Essays. Boston: Bedford St.Martin 's, 2007. 487.