Me Talk Pretty One Day Essay

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Despite the range of stories, Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris, appears to follow a common theme. He explores and developes his identity with every chapter. Go Carolina, the first chapter of the book, introduces young David who is struggling with a speech impediment. It’s apparent in the beginning that he suffers from insecurities derived from his lisp and having to undergo speech therapy. “The word therapy suggested a profound failure on my part. Mental patients had therapy. Normal people did not.”- Pg. 7. By comparing himself to standards that “normalize” a person, he is distancing himself from his peers more than his lisp is. Later in the chapter, David begins to relate his speech impediment to his identity. Like his lisp, his identity sets him …show more content…
His inability to effectively communicate with his peers coincides with his inability to effectively relate with his peers. Due to the fact that David’s source of security depends on the interpretation of his peers, finding himself and developing his identity becomes a challenge that lingers for the duration of the book. The chapter, Twelve Moments in the Life of the Artist, introduces David’s sister Gretchen who is commemorated for her ability to create art. Still in the process of creating his own identity David decides to pursue a career in the arts with a subconscious wish to be celebrated in the same way as his sister. Forcing an identity upon himself in hope to finally find his place and peers with whom he could relate with triggers an insecurity that David aids with drugs. His lack of confidence derived from his childhood made it difficult for David to value himself and his own talents putting David on a path incapable of leading him to his own identity. After his failed attempt to make it in the arts, David pursues careers in teaching, assisting, and furniture moving, continuing to persevere on the path to finding himself. In Part II, David is preparing for life in a foreign country with his
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