Semicolon Janet Anderson Analysis

The article by Janet Byron Anderson titled “The Enigmatic Semicolon” encompasses the often purposeless and incorrect use of the semi colon in literature and other writing works. With that being said, the article begins by setting the general idea for the article by comparing the effect of a semi colon to that of a mermaid. Comparable to the confusion and offset direction a semi colon may subject a reader to, a mermaid is said to put sailors in a state of hypnosis eventually leading them to their death. Altogether, the piece surrounds the trouble that the semicolon causes in the writing of those from all backgrounds, qualifications and skill levels.
Further along, the article discusses how even established writers- specifically George Orwell- agree that the semi colon is unnecessary and tend not to have a useful purpose in one’s writing. As well, Anderson’s argument was supported by Rene J. Cappon who argued that this punctuation is both too formal and difficult to learn and understand. Anderson concludes
She notes that the way modern society communicates in writing would lead to an automatic decline in the use of the semicolon. With that being said, society continues to attain the ability to express complex and distinct relationships without the semicolon. Therefore, simpler forms of punctuation are sufficient.
In closing, Anderson mentions how the use of the semi colon will likely only survive in ways that are simple and are open to interpretation. As well, she highlights that it’s the uses of the semi colon that are argued. The use of the semicolon in things such as dictionaries and bibliographies are not widely discussed. However, with cultural shifts in language, any doubt or concerns surrounding the use and purpose of a semi colon is becoming an issue of the past. To conclude, Anderson and a number of other writers believe that the semicolon is a useless form of punctuation in modern day