The Nuit of the Living Dead by David Sedaris and the A and P by John Updike - Book Report/Review Example

Comedy and Satire Analysis Introduction The Nuit of the Living Dead by David Sedaris and the A and P by John Updike takes the narrator’s account of personal experiences to build out the story’s themes, motifs, and symbols. Interestingly, both the stories occupy a comic narration trimmed with both sentiments and satire in their backgrounds and plot. “Nuit of the Living Dead is a personal account of David Sedaris on the very interesting night he had experienced. The story is told in First person narration by David Sedaris while in Normandy in His home country of France. Sedaris gives a complete personal experience through opinion that is literary expounded through internal dialogue and as humorous as the central character. Comparatively, John Updike applies allusions in his story to give a special pleasure to the plot of history encircled to a nineteen-year-old protagonist narrator based on dramatic irony. Updike uses Sammy as the story narrator to describe his personal experiences at the A and P local grocery stores to provide insights beyond the characters articulation to express personal sexual and moral sensitivity. To the readers of the “Nuit of the Living Dead,” it raises to the myriad of questions of their interrelation with strangers, exclusion, loneliness, and fear. There are different patterns of thought that runs through one’s mind when reading the book. The story is told in a horrific and frightening manner, but it happens to be humorous and comic. The readers of the A and P story needs a sympathetic listener to understand the fiction build in irony and innocence exaggerated in an individual who loses a job (McMahon, P. 317). In this paper is a depth analysis of the David Sedaris and Updike stories to help in deeper understanding of the array of literary elements such as theme, Humor, Irony, rhyme ,paradox, plot as well as the imagery and other literary elements used synergistically in the book the “Nuit of the Living Dead” (McMahon, P.452). Deep analysis shows Sedaris the main character and the persona himself leave many of the readers wondering what he will say or do next since he is so unpredictable. The style and language used not only leaves the readers with a disjointed chronology of events but also a broad gap to give their opinion on what likely could have been encountered in a particular setting in the story. Throughout as one reads the story one gets to know how Sedaris has applied an array of literary elements to make this unique piece of work. Through a deep analysis of how the story unfolds and the literary elements applied, the story plot is in rural setting of his home country of France mainly Normandy. This setting portrays Sedaris as an Author as a dynamic author and someone who has presented his art in a communicable way. (McMahon, P.452. Paragraph 3-4). In contrast, the A and P unfold in a local grocery setting in a rich sense of place and space from the north of Boston. Updike applies ironically consumerism allowing the readers to identify closely with the story’s plot filled with laughter and comic expressions. For instance, the A and P story equates the supermarket commercialism with Sammy’s greediness for sex to reinforce the presence of comic and sentiments within the story. The A & P story opens abruptly focused comically with three walking girls throughout with its 250 lines in a vernacular, ungrammatical and conversational voice. The story’s point of view strictly focuses on Sammy although the tense of the story shifts occasionally between the past and the historical events (McMahon, P. 319). David Sedaris gives his work a very comical and ironical title and even it can be unfamiliar to many readers. The story unfolds by giving persona’s opinion to reveal how the uncertainty and fear can creep to many in society and as well showing us our reaction to strangers. The response is clearly illustrated in the story when Sedaris’ response to the van of lost strangers who pulled into his property trying to be pointed in the right direction. Sedaris was very uneasy, and many questions rang in his mind questioning the intentions of the strangers. He is bewildered to the point of seeing everything in his house he had been used to having creepy tendencies (McMahon, P.452. Paragraph 8). The A & P story by Updike apply immediacy and authenticity to shows how Sammy’s entire life is altered when he interact with people filled with cultural and sexual desires. In the Sedaris’s story, the strangers were asking for the directions to their destinations Sedaris notices that the driver had no clear map. The change in perception made him welcome them to his house but upon entry into his room he notices a significant change in his room (McMahon, P. 452. Paragraph 6). In contrast, Sammy applies explicit humor when he sees the girls, and he fails to remember whether the HiHo crackers in his hands were rung causing a hell of his customers. The authors of the two stories applied the plot and setting literary elements of writing technique to demonstrate their exposition, climax and the resolution of their stories. It is worth acknowledging the impacts of the plot the Sedaris and Updike employ to create conflicts and suspense within their stories. For example, Sedaris develop the plot by arranging his ideas so that the reader could see some humor and sometimes foreshadow the events or challenges that were likely to encounter the character. For instance, it can easily be identified by the reader the background and the setting of the story depending on all the activities that were taking place in that area (McMahon, P.452. paragraph 7). For example, by Sedaris realizing that the darkness in his room was more scarring than the darkness outside the rooms. From the same approach, when Updike gives the narrator of his story to narrate Sammy’s humorous experiences with the girls on the beach to provoke the readers’ mind in order to understand the story setting and the pot. Analysis of Sedaris tone application based on descriptive narration as well as the use of imagery experiences Sedaris to have been used humor or sarcasm to convey his message. For instance, ones find the story interesting and humorous when Sedaris drown the mouse rather than saving its life due to the mercy that he felt. Comparatively, Updike uses irony and imagery to his story to describe events results develop a humorous tone as the reader laughs throughout the events with a little insight on how they could turn to be seen. For example, Sammy’s language in the A & P story took an animal’s character ‘’ the Lengel is about to scuttle in his office, the customers grouped like pigs and sheep in a chute as well as queen bees’’ to describe a sentimental situation of the A & P story (McMahon, P. 322). Therefore, there are plenty surprises and laughs as the author is seen to produce multiple comic events as evidenced by a pure domestic splatter that comically feels at home in reality outside the stories’ setting. For example, uses of the mouse, darkness, and the rural setting build the visual aspect of Sedaris’ story in a realistic world while the use of commercial girls in the beach and grocery A & P stores in the Updike’s story illustrates the local setting of the story (Romero & George, P. 214). At the end of each story, the stories turn to be interesting and peaceful from the authors’ personal conflicts. The broken parts of the Sedaris’ story by the use of direct quotes and commas such as “I mean, really’’ and the use of short and long sentences in the story, provide the story with an effective tone as the reader goes through the author’s work. Updike’s A & P applies the use of rhyme schemes by cutting down the sentences of his short story, as well as the use of informal Standard English and colloquial language. For instance, ‘’ the girls had reached the meat counter, I’m fixin’ it’’ (McMahon, P. 356. paragraph 12). In order for the two authors of the stories to create the mood, emphasize of their themes as well as creating the language of the story, each of the authors applies the use of rhymes in their stories. For example, Sedaris and Updike apply end rhymes throughout their stories thereby making their story unique, comic and interesting. Conclusion The Nuit of the Living Dead and A & P are comical, sarcasm, ironical and interesting stories that present a little insight of the title and ironic than its meaning. Understanding the literary elements of both the stories such as the plot, irony, sarcasm, rhymes and imagery lead to understanding the motif, themes and symbolism of the Sedaris personal experience and Sammy’s experiences in the A & P throughout the stories. In general, Sedaris’ and Updike stories build their plots in a rural and local setting to explore the theme, motifs and symbolism of their respective stories. Work Cited McMahon, day funk & Coleman. Literature and the Writing Process. Boston: Longman, 2011. Print. Paul, Pamela, and Jillian Tamaki. By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from the New York Times Book Review. , 2014. Print. Romero, George A, Thierry Lopez, John A. Russo, Judith ODea, Duane Jones, and Karl Hardman. Night of the Living Dead: La Nuit Des Morts Vivants. S.l.: BL Films [éd., distrib., 2006 Wolf, Werner, and Walter Bernhart. Description in Literature and Other Media. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2007. Internet resource. Read More