Both written pieces represent memoirs, which implies that those stories happened in real life, and it raises more exceptional emotions within the readers. Us and Them is a powerful piece discussing mindless beliefs and adaptation to something uncomplicated, like television. Sedaris’s purpose is to show how people are unable to notice the real joys of life. Many people choose to stay in a comfort zone and judge those who are different from them. First, the story’s tone seems to be curious and humorous.
Still, when the Tomkeys show up to get Halloween candy, the mood changes. It can be noticed with “I did not want them to know how much I had, so I went into my room and shut the door behind me” (Sedaris, 2019, p. 887). Thus, one can notice the switch to irritation, and, later, self-search emotions.
Who is Malala? also represents an influential work, and Yousafzai’s goal here is to show that inner fears and premonitions sometimes signal out real events. Besides, the author raises a significant issue of women in society and the Taliban movement in Pakistan, aiming to show the unfairness and false beliefs of that period. The tone of this story is serious from the beginning because it starts by mentioning the teacher’s bad dreams and Malala’s fears (Yousafzai, 2019, p. 900).
However, it is possible to say that with sorrow and thoughtfulness, the story gives a perception of lightness and easiness through the way the author is describing daily school activities.
The two discussed writings show personal stories, which, most likely, shaped their personalities and influenced the course of life. The stories share such elements as integrating the unobtrusive description of daily actions, or the connection to the emotions of family members. Us and Them also uses a pig comparison to strengthen the primary goal, while Who is Malala? grounds her objectives in powerful personal experience. It is possible to claim that due to the seriousness of the events that occurred to Yousafzai and how it impacted her future life, her piece is influential and thought-provoking.
All three pictures portray males in straw hats, and probably each of those men has a different background. The left image shows a man who is concentrated, calm, and who, at the same time, experienced grief (Van Gogh, 1887). The middle portrait represents a confused person who is lost in his reality and who has an inner struggle (Wanford, n.d.). The right picture represents a young man who is disappointed and sad, probably having a broken-heart or other challenges (Reddit, 2018). Those images are similar because they disclose the individuals’ feelings, although differently, through shades, colors, and various painting techniques.
The man in the left picture has green eyes that are concentrated on someone, to whom he is talking. His clothes have a weird smell, reminding fresh lavender and the fragrance that one can feel in an old church. The gentleman is neat and polite, always being a good listener and a quiet person who does not talk much. This man can be a professor, or an artist, who spends most of the time reading, writing, or creating.
The male in the middle picture looks slovenly, exhaling a musty smell. This person does not seem to be sober, and it is possible to state that he is trying to prove something, probably the unfairness of life. This individual can be a homeless drinker, who lost everything, including his job and family because of his addictions. It seems that the man is still fighting with himself, and one day he will be able to return to a decent life.
The young man in the right picture is a person who makes an impression of someone who crosses his palms and tries to hold his emotions. One can feel the fresh linen fragrance from him and see how clean his clothes are. It is possible to claim that he is a man from the countryside, who wants to move to a big city, and something got in his way, either financial problems, or misunderstanding, or unrequited love.
References
Reddit. (2018). Peppermint man, Kris Knight [Image]. Web.
Sedaris, D. (2019). Us and them. In F. Weinberg, M. D. Goggin, & R. Bullock (Eds.), The Norton field guide to writing: with Readings (pp. 883-889). W. W. Norton & Company.
Van Gogh, V. (1887). Self-portrait with a straw hat [Painting]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, United States. Web.
Wanford. (n.d.) Man with straw hat 1938 Pablo Picasso [Image]. Web.
Yousafzai, M. (2019). Who is Malala? In F. Weinberg, M. D. Goggin, & R. Bullock (Eds.), The Norton field guide to writing: with Readings (pp. 900-905). W. W. Norton & Company.