They All Just Went Away

 The essay They All Just Went Away was written by Joyce Carol Oates. She has published over 40 novels, as well as plays, short stories, and poetry. She has won the National Book Award, National Humanities Medal, and many of her books were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her essay, published in 1995, recalls her childhood, when she used to explore abandoned houses. She focused mainly on a house that was behind hers, that belonged to the Weidel family. Before the house was abandoned, it was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Weidel as well as their six children. Mr. Weidel was a drunk who abused both his wife and his children, as well as sexually abused his two daughters. Mrs. Weidel was often seen with a black eye, and loud arguing was heard from outside the walls of their eerie house. After years of these obscenities, Mr. Weidel lost it and set his house on fire. Young Joyce took a particular interest in their family. For it was very different than hers. Their family was close-knit, and her father would never imagine of laying a hand on her. The author's purpose of this essay was to teach readers about broken homes, and to argue that not every house holds a home. The essay has a large range of audiences, for the haunting essay could have an effect on just about anyone. The advanced vocabulary suggests the intent for an older audience, no one younger than young adults. The most important rhetorical decive included by Oates was Pathos. She wrote, "Tales of Mr. Weidle's chasing his wife with a butcher knife, a claw hammer, the shotgun, threatening to 'blow her head off.' Mrs. Weidel and the younger children fled outdoors in terror and hid in the hayloft" (Oates 557). The pathos helped show the audience the horror that the Weidel family faced. It was clear how scary it would be to live in that house. This helped the author accomplish her purpose, for it was evident that a family like the Weidel's did not make a house a home. After the fire burned down the house, no one tried to fix it, and no one tried to move back in. All of the family members got split up; Mr. Weidel in jail, the kids in foster homes, Mrs. Weidel unheard from, etc. Therefore, it was easy to understand, that just because a family lives under the same roof, does not mean they have a home.

A picture of a burned down house, like what the Weidel's house looked like after the fire. Source: drmstream.com

Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle of All

Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle of All was written by William Manchester. Manchester is the author of 18 books, which have been translated into over 20 languages. He received both the National Humanities Medal, as well as the Abraham Lincoln Literary Award. In Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle of All, he recalls his life as a marine and the many battles he has encountered. The essay showed how the life of war changed as time progressed. The main battle that was focused on was a fight between America and Japan on Okinawa. The essay was first published in The New York Times Magazine in 1987 on Flag Day, where both American and Japanese people met to honor the placement of a monument on Okinawa. The beginning makes it seem like it was easy for the Americans and the Japanese to meet together on Okinawa, and that they were able to put aside their differences in order to honor the battle. However, Manchester's purpose was to show the audience that two countries could make peace, but the individuals who fought still struggle. He argued that no one could understand the innerstruggle a veteran goes through. The deeper into the essay one gets, the more apparent it is that the people who fought in combat have an inner struggle long after the battle is over. The essay is mostly intended for adults interested in the life of a veteran, and people more interested in learning about American warfare. The most important rhetorical device used throughout the essay was Manchester’s use of anecdotes. The personal anecdotes used throughout the essay helped readers connect with Manchester as well as understand the hardships he faced before, during, and after war. The use of one anecdote in particular helped him succeed in getting his purpose across to the audience. The author wrote about an encounter with a Japanese businessman who volunteered as a kamikaze fighter in the 1940s, but was rejected last minute. The essay reads, "I had expected no difficulty; neither, I think, did he. But when we confronted each other, we froze. I trembled, suppressing the sudden, startling surge of primitive rage within" (Manchester 506). This anecdote demonstrated that even though America was at peace with Japan, William could not get over the war because he suffered through the battles against the Japanese. It showed that even though he was making an effort, he would never be able to overcome the anger he felt for his used to be enemy. Therefore, Manchester did achieve his purpose, for every reader could understand the struggle he continued to face, even after the war ended.

William Manchester's most famous quote, reflecting how he feels about war. Picture from azquotes.com.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, written by Maya Angelou, is an autobiography about the early stages of Angelou's life. Maya Angelou is a well-known American author and poet. She has written a total of 36 books, in addition to screenplays and poetry. Angelou also is an all around entertainer, including talents in dance, singing, and acting. In 2000, she received the national Medal of Arts. The essay included in The Best American Essays of the Century was adapted from the beginning of the Maya’s most famous book. The essay takes place in the 1930s, in Stamps, Arkansas where segregation and persecution of blacks was very apparent. The essay describes the struggles of what it was like to be growing up as a black child in the south. Young Maya Angelou, who went by Marguerite, grew up in a religious household, with her grandmother, crippled uncle, and her older brother Bailey. Throughout the beginning years of her life she struggled with accepting who she was in a society where blacks were not equal. The book reads, "Wouldn't they be surprised when one day I woke out of my black ugly dream, and my real hair, which was long and blond, would take the place of the kinky mass that Momma wouldn't let me straighten" (Angelou 343). This related to her purpose, which is to inform readers of her struggle with persecution as well as her struggle to find who she was. She argued that it is always hard for a teenager to find themselves, but growing up a black girl in the south made it even harder. Her writing was genuine, interesting, and reencountered a true struggle creating a large audience for young adults and older. The people that will find the most enjoyment out of the book are ones with an interest in the struggle with equality or ones with an interest in Maya Angelou. Angelou includes many rhetorical devices throughout her essay, however the most evident one is the use of metaphors and similes to enhance her imagery, as well as connect the audience with her characters. In the opening paragraphs of the essay she writes, "The truth of the statement was like a wadded-up handkerchief sopping in my wet fists, and the sooner they accepted it the quicker I could let my hands open and the air would cool my palms," (Angelou 342). This allowed readers to understand how desperately she wanted someone to understand what she was saying. Angelou’s succeeded in getting her purpose across to the audience, for she makes it very easy for the audience to understand the thoughts, emotions, and frustrations her character felt. It was easy to comprehend the struggle young Maya Angelou was facing.

A young, yet happy Maya Angelou, after moving away from Stamps, Arkansas and completing her education.  Source: mayaangelou.com