1The cover-art and title of the book reflects the imperfection of human nature, one of the major themes in the
story.
Me Talk Pretty One Day is a satirical journey
through the life of author David Sedaris.
Beginning with his childhood, Sedaris creates
a great deal of irony in the stories from his
youth. Through this irony, the main theme of
the first half of his book is developed.
He creates the idea of conforming to human
expectations, and how this idea is planted in
the mind at a very young age.
2 "A life in music was his great passion, not ours,
and our lessons had taught us that without the passion,
the best one could hope for was an occasional
engagement at some hippie wedding..." (Sedaris 31).
3 "I broadened my view and came to see him as a wee
outsider, a misfit whose take-it-or-leave-it attitude had
left him all alone. This was a persona I'd been tinkering
with myself: the outcast, the rebel" (Sedaris 27).
As Sedaris continues his journey, ranging
from his discovery of drugs and art, to his
move to New York City, the author begins
to develop a new and more prevalent
theme---the imperfection of humans and
how different people cope with the flaws.
Through his unique style of stringing
together seemingly unrelated anecdotes,
Sedaris reveals piece by piece his focus.
Sedaris' careful use of metaphors, similes,
and above all, irony throughout the book
shows the flaws in all humans as a part of
our nature. This witty and sardonic novel of
the life of its author is a comical read for anyone
willing enough to see the imperfections in
themselves. Sedaris has crafted a perfect story of
dysfunctional families, strange people, and the
bizarre interactions that come from living in
today's world. The relatable and amusing
anecdotes make this story an easy and enjoyable
read for everyone.
4 Author David Sedaris with his book Me Talk Pretty One Day.
Works Cited
Sedaris, David. Me Talk Pretty One Day. Boston: Little,
Brown & Co, 2000.
This page was written and edited by Cat Denison.
Last Updated: May 25, 2009 at 7:07 p.m.
Me Talk Pretty One Day
David Sedaris1 The cover-art and title of the book reflects the imperfection of human nature, one of the major themes in the
story.
Me Talk Pretty One Day is a satirical journey
through the life of author David Sedaris.
Beginning with his childhood, Sedaris creates
a great deal of irony in the stories from his
youth. Through this irony, the main theme of
the first half of his book is developed.
He creates the idea of conforming to human
expectations, and how this idea is planted in
the mind at a very young age.
"A life in music was his great passion, not ours,
and our lessons had taught us that without the passion,
the best one could hope for was an occasional
engagement at some hippie wedding..." (Sedaris 31).
"I broadened my view and came to see him as a wee
outsider, a misfit whose take-it-or-leave-it attitude had
left him all alone. This was a persona I'd been tinkering
with myself: the outcast, the rebel" (Sedaris 27).
As Sedaris continues his journey, ranging
from his discovery of drugs and art, to his
move to New York City, the author begins
to develop a new and more prevalent
theme---the imperfection of humans and
how different people cope with the flaws.
Through his unique style of stringing
together seemingly unrelated anecdotes,
Sedaris reveals piece by piece his focus.
Sedaris' careful use of metaphors, similes,
and above all, irony throughout the book
shows the flaws in all humans as a part of
our nature. This witty and sardonic novel of
the life of its author is a comical read for anyone
willing enough to see the imperfections in
themselves. Sedaris has crafted a perfect story of
dysfunctional families, strange people, and the
bizarre interactions that come from living in
today's world. The relatable and amusing
anecdotes make this story an easy and enjoyable
read for everyone.
Author David Sedaris with his book Me Talk Pretty
One Day.
Sedaris, David. Me Talk Pretty One Day. Boston: Little,
Brown & Co, 2000.
Last Updated: May 25, 2009 at 7:07 p.m.