Sedaris and Hoagland - 1291 Words

Brandi Carroll English 1A Star Taylor February 25, 2013 Language is a unique form of communication system used all around the world, in many different cultures and variations. In the short stories, On Stuttering, by Edward Hoagland, and Me Talk Pretty by David Sedaris, the authors discuss how they had to overcome obstacles in their everyday lives because of their speech impediments. They describe how they felt about their limitations, different strategies they used to defeat their language barriers, and the affects that theses obstacles had on their self confidence. Hoagland struggles with a stuttering problem, while Sedaris has moved to France in hopes to become fluent in a new language; although their handicaps were†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Is it better to remain a pleasant cypher who ventures nothing in particular but chuckles Immoderately at everyone else’s conversation, or instead to subject your several companions to the ordeal of watching you struggle to expel opionions that are ei ther blurred or vitiated, or made to sound too empathetic by all that huffing and puffing, the facial contortions, tongue biting, blushing and suffering?† (114). His conversations are limited with strangers; it is only with close friends and family that Hoagland is able to hold a clear and fluid discussion. His handicap was a factor of low self confidence. Furthermore, some of his scariest moments as a stutterer were as a father when his daughter was learning to speak and thought that she was supposed to stutter, and also when he had to have to give a speech at a wedding. Nonetheless, Hoagland refused to let his stuttering control his life. He is able to get in to the Army by telling them that he only stuttered because he was â€Å"nervous,† and even goes on to become a college professor. Unlike Hoagland, David Sedaris did not have a speech impediment or a handicap, however, he too faced many language barriers in different circumstances. He spoke English just fine, and in fact had hopes to become fluent in an additional language, French. In his essay â€Å"Me talk pretty one day† he describes his experienceShow MoreRelatedEssay on On Stuttering1082 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"On Stuttering,† by Edward Hoagland, and â€Å"Me Talk Pretty,† by David Sedaris, the authors discuss how they dealt with their speech impediments. They wrote about the way they handled their difficulties with speech, the different strategies they used, and how their limitations affected how they felt about themselves. Although the two author’s handicaps were not identical, they both used similar approaches to overcome them. After 60 years of stuttering, Hoagland reminisces about his strugglesRead MoreWriting and Research Paper2935 Words   |  12 PagesPencil, Gun.† (provided by instructor in class). Compare. Read WP: Adam Gopnik â€Å"Shootings† pp. 673-677aloud in class. Compare. Discuss HE writing skills. Quiz # 1: Argumentation. Essay # 1 is due: Personal narrative, or memoir. Homework: WP: Read Sedaris â€Å"Me Talk Pretty One Day† pp. 212-216. Pay attention to the satire. WEEK THREE January 29 Gender Roles discussion. Introduce Essay # 2. MLA research: Purdue University Owl and data bases. The research paper first draft is due 11/10: 1000 words