Jackie Koye

ENGL1201

Prof. Womersley

11/3/09

New Essay for the Norton Reader

When comparing two essays, one must analyze and pull apart each aspect of the piece of

writing. It is difficult to depict which essay is more influential when there are no guidelines to

follow in order to draw one’s conclusion. By following what makes a great essay according to

Oates, one is able to fully analyze and interpret two different essays successfully while

determining which one is the better of the two. There are many elements of writing that must be

taken into consideration when one analyzes a text, some of the most important being use of

transitions, word choice, and language. Although Lee uses traditional use of transitions and

relaxed word choice to portray his theme, Didion exemplifies her theme through a stronger word

choice and fragmentation which proves that her essay should be included in the new edition of

the Norton Reader.

Lee’s essay, “Coming Home Again,” is well written and allows one to understand the

overall emotions of the essayist. He uses traditional transitions throughout his essay, thus

keeping the mood of the reader calm. For example, on page one Lee ends his first paragraph by

stating, “Sometimes you would hear her halt after only a few steps, to catch her breath or steady

her balance, and whatever you were doing was instantly suspended by a pall of silence” (Lee, 1).

This sentence is then followed by the first sentence of the second paragraph where Lee says, “I

was usually in the kitchen, preparing lunch or dinner, poised over the butcher block with her

favorite chef’s knife in my hand and her old yellow apron slung around my neck” (Lee, 1). This
transition from present time and a flashback of the past is very simple and traditional. It gives

the reader a chance to understand the difference in the time periods without becoming confused.

There is one more example in which Lee exemplifies traditional transitions.

Another example of the use of traditional transitions seen in Lee’s essay is portrayed in

the very end of the essay. On page nine Lee states, “He began to cry himself, and pulled the car

over onto the narrow shoulder of the turnpike, where they stayed for the next half hour or so, the

blank-faced cars droning by them in the cold, onrushing night” (Lee, 9). This sentence is then

followed by the first sentence of the final paragraph where Lee says, “Every once in awhile,

when I think of her, I’m driving alone somewhere on the highway” (Lee, 9). This transition

allows the reader to understand that the essayist switches from discussing a past memory back to

the present time period without any complications. Though these transitions may seem well put

together, in reality they are extremely weak. They are not as appealing as Didion’s use of

fragmentation because it only allows the reader to go through the motions and does not make

them excited to read further. Weak transitions such as the ones shown in the examples from the

Lee essay are ones that do not make for the best essay. Even though Lee’s use of traditional

transitions allows his essay to flow extremely well and is easy for the reader to understand,

Didion’s use of fragmentation allows the essay to be more worth to be included in the thirteenth

edition of the Norton Reader.

In Didion’s essay, “On Going Home,” she uses many fragmentations which make the

reader unable to follow her thought process thoroughly. Some may find the use of

fragmentations are more frequently found in great essays because they make the reader think and

analyze deeper as he or she is reading instead of solely interpreting with the flow of work.
According to Oates, “This is the art of the contemporary essay or memoir: a heightened, trompe

l’oeil attention to detail that allows the reader to see, hear, witness, as if at first hand, what the

essayist has witnessed.” This detail is shown through the fragmentations included in Didion’s

essay. For example, on page 10 at the end of the first paragraph Didion states, “We miss each

other’s points, have another drink and regard the fire. My brother refers to my husband, in his

presence, as “Joan’s husband.” Marriage is the classic betrayal” (Didion, 10). This series of

statements is then followed by the first sentence in the second paragraph where Didion says, “Or

perhaps it is not any more. Sometimes I think that those of us who are now in our thirties were

born into the last generation to carry the burden of “home,” to find in family life the source of all

tension and drama” (Didion, 10). This shows extreme fragmentation. There is no use of

transition between paragraphs and ideas. Didion shifts from discussing how her family acts

towards her husband to the effects of family on a middle aged person. Her train of thought is

unfocused and it shows the reader how the topic of “home” makes the essayist feel, to Didion

“home” gives negative connotation. It is simply a place filled with struggle and negative

atmosphere. She does not wish to be home; to her it is a place of obligation. The use of

fragmentation effectively contributed to the overall tone of the work as a whole. Although the

use of transitions and fragmentation contribute to the determining factor of which essay should

be included in the thirteenth edition of the Norton Reader, the elements of word choice and

language also play a role.

Lee uses relaxed word choice to portray the theme of his work. Throughout the essay the

reader is able to feel a sense of serenity and joy. For example, on page two in the fifth paragraph

Lee states, “My going to such a place was part of my mother’s not so secret plan to change my

character, which she worried was becoming too much like hers, I was clever and able enough,
but without outside pressure I was readily given to sloth and vanity” (Lee, 2). This shows how

the word choice and language used in Lee’s essay is relaxed and calm. One can understand this

through the fact that reading Lee’s essay one can be wrapped up in a blanket and enjoy what he

is saying about the wonderful memories of his childhood and mother. By having this tone in his

essay it allows the reader to get a sense of understanding of how he feels about his memories of

his mother. In Didion’s essay it makes one sit on the edge of his or her seat waiting to hear more

which is why her essay is worthy of being put into the new edition. Another example where

relaxed word choice is seen is on page three in the ninth paragraph where Lee says, “Whenever I

cook, I find myself working just as she would, readying the ingredients-a mash of garlic, a

julienne of red peppers, fantails of shrimp-and piling them in little mounds about the cutting

surface” (Lee, 3). This statement shows that Lee remembers his mother in a positive light and it

is uplifting for the reader to get a feeling of joyful reminiscence within the essay. Although Lee

uses thorough relaxed word choice to portray his theme, the use of strong and bold word choice

used by Didion makes her essay stand out a bit more than Lee’s.

Throughout Didion’s essay she uses very strong word choice and language in order to

portray the overall theme of the essay. By doing this she allows the reader to understand her

emotions and get a sense as to how she lives her life. According to Oates, “It’s a writer’s unique

employment of language to which we as readers are drawn.” This statement is exemplified

within Didion’s essay which is why one may enjoy it so much. For example, on page 10 in

paragraph four Didion states, “That I am trapped in this particular irrelevancy is never more

apparent to me than when I am home. Paralyzed by the neurotic lassitude engendered by

meeting one’s past at every turn, around every corner, inside every cupboard, I go aimlessly from

room to room” (Didion, 10). This statement shows bold language and word choice through
words such as “trapped,” “paralyzed,” “neurotic,” and “engendered.” These words are strong in

the sense that they are words seen in an argument or a debate when one is trying to convince

another of something important. They hold a significant impact on the reader because they do

not just allow the reader to simply read, but allow them to feel as if they need to understand how

Didion feels or they will not live life correctly anymore. They show how strongly that Didion

feels about the overall theme of her essay.

Another example where Didion’s word choice and language is quite powerful is found on

page 11 in the fifth paragraph where she says, “Days pass. I see no one. I come to dread my

husband’s evening call, not only because he is full of news of what by now seems to me our

remote life in Los Angeles, people he has seen, letters which require attention, but because he

asks what I have been doing, suggests uneasily that I get out, drive to San Francisco or Berkeley”

(Didion, 11). These small and choppy statements show Didion’s language is unique in the sense

that she cannot form one organized thought. Her emotions and focus are all over the place. She

shows this through her writing and it is then given off to the reader so that as he or she reads the

same emotions and tone are felt by one. Her unique form of language and word choice draw the

reader in and that is what makes Didion’s essay the one that is worthy of being in the thirteenth

edition of the Norton Reader.

Although Lee uses traditional use of transitions and relaxed word choice to portray his

theme, Didion exemplifies her theme through a stronger word choice and fragmentation which

proves that her essay should be included in the new edition of the Norton Reader. Shown

through various examples and proven through quotes by Oates, it is clear that Didion’s essay is

the one worthy of being put into the thirteen edition. Her effective use of fragmentation and
strong word choice and language in order to portray her theme to the reader is one of unique

writing style. The elements that she chose and how she exemplified them within her essay made

a significant impact in the decision of her essay being included in the thirteenth edition. Didion

portrays her theme thoroughly and more effectively than Lee with respect to; therefore her essay

should be included in the thirteenth edition in the Norton Reader.

 Works Cited

Lee, Chang Rae. “Coming Home Again.” The Norton Reader. Ed. Linda H. Peterson. W.W.

Norton & Company, Inc. 2008. 158-61. Print.

Didion, John. “On Going Home.” The Norton Reader. Ed. Linda H. Peterson. W.W. Norton

& Company, Inc. 2008. 158-61. Print.

Oates, Joyce C., ed. The Best American Essays of the Century. New York: Houghtlon Mifflin

Company, 2000. Print.