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Mireille Kreines

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Aug 3, 2024, 7:38:13 PM8/3/24

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How David Sedaris Uses Humor and Language to Explore His Identity in Me Talk Pretty One Day

Me Talk Pretty One Day is a collection of humorous essays by David Sedaris, a popular American humorist and essayist. The book, published in 2000, covers various aspects of Sedaris's life, from his childhood in North Carolina to his adulthood in France. The book is divided into two parts: the first part focuses on his experiences with speech therapy, his family, his education, and his career as a writer; the second part focuses on his struggles with learning French and adapting to a different culture.

In this essay, I will analyze how Sedaris uses humor and language to explore his identity and cope with his challenges in Me Talk Pretty One Day. I will argue that Sedaris employs various techniques of humor, such as exaggeration, irony, self-deprecation, and absurdity, to create a comic effect and to reveal his insecurities, fears, and aspirations. I will also examine how Sedaris plays with language, such as using different dialects, accents, slang, and foreign words, to express his identity and to highlight the difficulties and joys of communication.

Humor as a Tool for Self-Expression and Self-Criticism

One of the main features of Sedaris's essays is his use of humor. Sedaris is known for his witty and sarcastic style of writing, which often makes fun of himself and others. He uses humor as a tool for self-expression and self-criticism, as well as for entertaining his readers. By making jokes about his flaws and failures, he shows his vulnerability and honesty, but also his resilience and optimism.

For example, in the essay "Go Carolina", Sedaris recounts his childhood experience with speech therapy. He describes how he was diagnosed with a lisp and how he had to attend sessions with Miss Samson, a strict and intimidating therapist who tried to correct his pronunciation. He writes: "I'd hoped that the teacher would recognize me for the fraud I was and send me back to my regular class. It was difficult for me to believe that anyone could master a foreign language when they hadn't yet learned their own" (Sedaris 3). Here, Sedaris uses exaggeration and irony to mock his own insecurity and ignorance. He exaggerates his lisp as a foreign language and implies that he is not smart enough to learn English. He also uses irony to contrast his hope with the reality of his situation. He hopes that the teacher would recognize him as a fraud, but in fact she recognizes him as a student who needs help.

In another essay, "Me Talk Pretty One Day", Sedaris narrates his experience with learning French in Paris. He describes how he enrolled in a class with other foreigners who spoke better French than him. He also describes how he faced a harsh and abusive teacher who constantly insulted him and his classmates. He writes: "The teacher killed some time accusing the Yugoslavian girl of masterminding a program of genocide, and I jotted frantic notes in the margins of my pad" (Sedaris 166). Here, Sedaris uses absurdity and self-deprecation to create a comic effect and to show his frustration and fear. He absurdly portrays the teacher as a tyrant who accuses a student of genocide. He also self-deprecatingly portrays himself as a helpless and clueless student who can only jot frantic notes.

Language as a Means of Identity Formation and Communication

Another important aspect of Sedaris's essays is his use of language. Sedaris is fascinated by language and its nuances. He experiments with different dialects, accents, slang, and foreign words to express his identity and to communicate with others. He also reflects on the challenges and joys of learning a new language and adapting to a new culture.

For instance, in the essay "You Can't Kill the Rooster", Sedaris introduces his younger brother Paul, who speaks in a vulgar and profane way that contrasts with the rest of the family. He writes: "My brother's voice is low-pitched but loud - very loud - so loud that it can be heard through walls or over long-distance phone lines without amplification" (Sedaris 149).