Close Prompt #3

http://www.macobo.com/essays/epdf/Me%20Talk%20Pretty%20One%20Day%20by%20Sedaris.pdf

Me Talk Pretty One Day – By David Sedaris

The terrifying feat of learning a foreign language is one that is scary, and nerve racking especially when you are expected to speak perfectly already. In David Sedaris’ essay he recounts his experience of enrolling in a school to learn French in Paris by an extremely sarcastic and unwelcoming teacher. This essay accurate reveals the Sedaris struggle and fear of speaking through details, language and imagery.

Sedaris’ time in France was characterized his limited knowledge of the language, not only was he not able to speak confidently his listening needed work. The author’s incapability of understanding what his teacher said let alone anyone else is shown through the details. The author’s choice of including gibberish that represents that French words Sedaris couldn’t understand like “fiuscrzsa ticiwelmun.” By using gibberish Sedaris emphasizes his confusion. The author’s reaction to knowing the alphabet is another great example. The alphabet is a fundamental element in any language and the fact that Sedaris doesn’t know it shows even more that his French skills are not up to par.

The judgmental and unwelcoming classroom environment created by the French teacher kept the students in constant fear. This is seen through the imagery used in the piece. The author described the teacher’s reaction to the first speaker—on the first day of class— as “cold and blunt, shocking to all in the room.” She attacked the answers the student gave with ease. He sets the scene by describing her “domineering” presence and “voice dripping with sarcasm,” showing the reader the classroom dynamic.

It is easy then to understand how in that environment the students after a year did not improve their speaking skills, this supported by the language used. Sedaris tells us that the students only felt safe talking amongst themselves in the absence of their teacher. The dialogue between the students is one filled with grammatical errors, for example, “Sometimes me cry alone at night.” The author’s use of bad grammar in his translation of the exchanges shows the lack of improvement of the students. This in turns supports the idea that the student’s growth was limited because of the hostile classroom environment.

David Sedaris’ essay reveals that full growth and improvement is restricted in hostile learning environments because students aren’t willing to put themselves out there due to fear.