"Vanishing Act"

Lost

This photo shows a young, hopeful writer named Barbara Newhall Follett. After very early success, the pressure and expectations of being a prodigy stole this young girl's drive, and ultimately her existence. Barbara's story is the tale of child fame gone terribly wrong.

In “Vanishing Act” by Paul Collins, the reader is introduced to the enigmatic story of literary child prodigy Barbara Follett. After her introduction to the typewriter at age three, Barbara’s astonishing literary talents were unleashed. Miss Follett began working on her first novel at the age of eight, and became a published author shortly after her twelfth birthday. While reading the account of Barbara’s early success, it is logical for the reader to conclude that her extraordinary talent led her to a lifetime of work in the industry. This leads to the next question: why isn’t Barbara known globally today and celebrated as a gifted writer? Paul Collins answers these questions in his essay in conjunction with mentions of other forgotten child masterminds. With a vast majority of American society so engrossed in the world of fame and celebrity, Paul Collins uses young Barbara as an example of why these labels can be toxic. The author’s main purpose in writing this piece is not only to pay homage to a talent that deserves recognition, but also to warn against over-exposure of gifted children to fame. The general American public for whom Collins writes is in need of a reminder that children of celebrity status must be seen as vulnerable individuals to be treated with care, and not toys that can be played with and then discarded. As Paul Collins specializes in covering forgotten historical figures and literature, this essay is an example of his writing in its natural and well- practiced element. The story of a precocious child author turned struggling young adult is one that naturally elicits an emotional response. The pathos that Collins creates with his bleak and unhopeful telling of Barbara Follett’s older life adds to the overall moral of the story: child fame’s destructive consequences. For me as a reader, Collins’ purpose in writing this piece was definitely achieved. I have seen the same detrimental consequences that Barbara Follett experienced occur in prodigious actors and musicians of my own generation, and I believe that Collins is right to warn against the dangers of child prodigy. 

"Killing My Body to Save My Mind"

Effects of Depression

One of the major points that Slater gets across in “Killing My Body to Save My Mind” is that depression is not something to be taken lightly. Depression is an extremely serious affliction, and anything that can be done to relieve it should be done. 

“Killing My Body to Save My Mind” by Lauren Slater is an interesting piece, which gives insight into many issues. Within Ms. Slater’s essay there is information on mental health disorders, physical health, marriage, and parental relationships. Despite the numerous topics touched on by this composition, more than anything else it is a comparison of the importance of the body versus that of the mind. As someone who has struggled with bouts of severe depression throughout her life, Slater’s understanding of mental health issues is highly personal and undeniably credible. Through her own experience with one particular anti-depressant drug, the author was forced to make a decision between the importance of being physically healthy or mentally healthy. Her purpose in the writing of this piece is to reach out to anyone dealing with mental health issues, and help them to see that they should not feel guilty or wrong about doing anything they possibly can to achieve mental health. The pathos that Lauren Slater uses in this piece is incredible. When the author describes her crushing onsets of depression with vivid detail, the reader can practically feel the hopeless despair that she had felt. On the other hand, the joy that she’d experienced after taking Zyprexa is also brought to life. All six senses are engaged in detailing the experiences of being able to admire the world around her. The emotions that Slater evokes with her writing help the reader more than anything else to see why mental clarity is so crucial. Prior to reading this essay, I would not have been able to see why it would be worth it to take a drug that will eventually destroy your body in order to maintain a stable state of mind. As a result of “Killing My Body to Save My Mind”, my opinion has completely changed. I can see now that for anyone, but especially someone who suffers from mental disorders, psychological health is of the utmost importance. The pathos and personal experiences that Slater incorporates into this piece deepen its meaning and achieve its purpose in a major way. 

"Other Women"

A Realistic Approach to Feminism

A take on feminism that is based in the condemnation of men is exactly what Francine Prose was aiming to avoid teaching in "Other Women". The standpoint that Ms. Prose takes on feminism is strong, but far more logical. 

Francine Prose’s “Other Women” approaches a topic that is long overdue for discussion in American society: the truth about feminism. Using experiences from her own life from the feminist movement of the 1970’s, Ms. Prose describes the way that her views have evolved over time, and paints a truthful and informative picture of a highly controversial topic. Having lived through one of the most famous periods of “consciousness-raising” towards feminism and been involved in the women’s advocacy as a member of a feminist group during this time, Ms. Prose is an extremely credible source on this issue. With an wonderfully little amount of bias on the topic, Ms. Prose dispels myths about feminism and ultimately presents the facts. The author wrote this essay primarily for a female audience. However, the intended audience being female is not due to an overly zealous feminist viewpoint or any type of male- criticism within the piece. The purpose of this essay is to help women to better understand feminism, giving themselves a sense of inward empowerment based on the facts, such as gender being irrelevant in intellectual and emotional capacity. The diction of this piece was particularly noteworthy. In a manner that stayed true to her belief in women’s ability to be as stable and emotionally unaffected as men, Prose wrote with complete blunt word choices and an unabashed sense of honesty. What was refreshing about this piece was its lack of romanticized feminist ideals. Supporting gender equality is one thing, while professing men to be evil and women to be superior creatures is quite another. The rational reasoning of women’s rights by Francine Prose, conveyed by her stark and forthright word choices, helped to get across the picture of feminism as something real and logical rather than some radical movement. As a woman reading this piece, I have never been able to connect more to a viewpoint on feminism. With her levelheaded reasoning and strong but not fanatical views, the author achieved her purpose of educating women on the truth about feminism and being able to feel empowered by it. 

"Objects of Affection"

Recognize What You Have

The theme of gratitude is a big one in Ewa Hryniewicz- Yarbrough's "Objects of Affection". As a child who didn't have the same opportunities as most typical American children, Hryniewicz- Yarbrough learned early on to appreciate and be grateful for the possessions that she had. Passing along this sense of gratitude and emotional significance attached to objects is the main purpose of her essay.

(Sondibruner.com)

In “Objects of Affection”, author Ewa Hryniewicz- Yarbrough tells a sentimental and nostalgic story of her relationship with possessions throughout her life. The author illustrates for readers the unparalleled importance of holding onto objects that she experienced during her childhood in Communist Poland, the lessons that she learned from her grandmother’s life, and the way that her relatively deprived childhood has affected her attachment to possessions in later life. Growing up in an environment so different than the free-market consumer haven that Americans are accustomed to, Hryniewicz- Yarbrough offers an interesting perspective to the American public that she targets with this essay. The stories from her own life are meant to give her audience a completely new way of looking at possessions, and a greater sense of appreciation for the things that typical Americans take totally for granted. The structure of this piece is instrumental in achieving the author’s purpose. Hryniewicz- Yarbrough starts out with details about a flea market she frequents in Poland. The mysterious and exciting description that she gives of the objects she finds there immediately starts the reader thinking about objects a different way than they normally would. Now that the reader is open to a new perspective, the author dives into information about her childhood and her grandmother’s life, explaining why objects are so emotionally significant for her. To wrap up her wonderfully fluid and well-constructed essay, the author ends with an anecdote from a literature class that she had taught; this I believe serves as a perfect conclusion to her structure and conveys her purpose flawlessly. While reading a short story in class, her students couldn’t understand why the main character would carry his only remaining possessions with him still when he knew he faced immediate death. In explaining the reasoning behind it to her students, Hryniewicz- Yarbrough conveys both her message and her purpose. Her message is that objects are a reliable and stabilizing force against the chaos of life, and her purpose is to help people, especially the American audience for whom she writes, recognize this importance and learn to treasure it. 

"The Good Short Life"

Death: Life's Greatest Taboo 

This graphic image illustrates the main purpose of Mr. Clendinen's essay "The Good Short Life". The author recognizes death as something that is taboo in society and aims to set his audience on the right track to overcoming this social barrier. 

( kuow.org )

Within the pages “The Good Short Life” by Dudley Clendinen, the reader is privy to the open and candid musings about life and death by a man who has been diagnosed with a degenerative disease and given a maximum of three years to live. It is with brutal honesty that the author shares details of his own condition, and expresses his wish to continue living only while he can maintain a respectable quality of life. Mr. Clendinen goes about describing the painful truths of his illness very frankly in order to reach the general masses of American society, whom he believes should be more comfortable discussing the reality of death and dying. As an accomplished journalist known throughout his life for his honest and controversial work, such as the book he co-wrote in 1999 on the gay rights movement in America, Clendinen is undoubtedly qualified to broach this subject based on his journalistic career. His own personal battle with ALS is all the more reason why his views are so relevant. The tone used in this piece is vital to ultimately achieving the author’s purpose of translating his realistic views on death to the American public. It would have been easy for the reader of a piece written by a man dying of an incurable disease to pity the author. However, Clendinen makes quite sure in “The Good Short Life” that this will absolutely not be the case with his work. He employs a casual and straightforward tone that leaves the reader seeing him as a regular person rather than just a victim of the illness. This allows the reader the room to respect his decisions and his overall message, rather than simply feeling sorry for him. In my opinion, the culmination of journalistic credentials, personal experience, usage of tone, and simple honesty got the author’s purpose across beyond any doubt. As a member of the American general public, Clendinen’s target audience, my eyes were definitely opened to the need for more acceptable and public acknowledgment of death in American society.