An interesting way of looking at the quite radical alterations that information technologies in general and computer usage, in particular, have brought into people’s lives, Nutcracker.com by David Sedaris features nearly every essay mode that there is. Despite keeping their storytelling style consistent and their narration even, the author manages to switch between different modes fast, thus, keeping the reader’s interest and attention.
The narration mode, which the author utilizes to describe his New York life, as well as a range of experiences related to his encounter with computer usage, is the schemata that are used the most frequently in the story; referring to these situations, the author sets the pace for the narration and exposes his back story to the reader, therefore, allowing the latter to understand the true reasons for his outrage.
Another essay mode, which the author uses to convince the reader to accept his point of view, the definition is barely noticeable in the essay, yet it makes its undeniable contribution to persuading the audience that the author may have the point. In his attempt to introduce the audience to his vision or reality, where the entire world, starting with the human mind, is being captured by technology, he recalls the accident at the airport, where he ironically explained to the staff what a typewriter is by stating that it was a device to type angry letters to airport authorities.
The technique known as the description is also featured in the essay, yet its role in the latter seems to go beyond its traditional set of functions. While in most cases, description as an essay model is utilized to make the object described unique (Rawlins & Metzger, 2011), in the specified essay, description hand an additional function – it served as proof to the author’s argument. For instance, the contrasting descriptions of the sounds, which a typewriter and a computer keyboard made was supposed to make it clear that the process of typing was more rewarding for the person, who used the former. Likewise, the description of the video clip, which the author’s sister showed him, served the specified purpose. One might argue that the description of the video was gross and seemed out of place in the story; however, it is also evident that it was supposed to be gross and distasteful so that the author’s argument could become more poignant and smart by comparison.
Finally, as far as the argument is concerned, every section of the paper can be defined as one. Every sentence in the essay shows the author’s disapproval of computers as a part and parcel of everyday life. Much to his credit, the author delivers his argument in a rather efficient manner: though the readers may disagree, it still prompts them to discuss the subject matter.
Reference List
Rawlins, J. & Metzger, S. (2011). The writer’s way. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.