'Consider The Lobster' By David Foster Wallace

His findings on how a lobster can sense the changes in temperature of water by even just a few degrees clearly refute the prior claims that lobsters have no brain, or feel any pain. Pathos, our appeal to emotion is analogized very well when he describes the lobster clawing to the edge of the pot and compares it to much like a human, hanging onto the edge of a roof for dear life. An exceptional job is done by the writer in humanizing the lobster and getting the reader on his side. There is a great appeal to the morality behind boiling the lobster and Wallace relates to the reader himself by professing how uneasy he is with the idea of animal cruelty and how he and no one else likes to think about it. This is a sentiment most people can very easily associate with, this underlying thought that most of us enjoy consuming meat, but also have a liberal attitude regarding animal cruelty. He continues to test our ethical threshold by describing how they are bound and tied up, almost like a prisoner we are holding captive, only to be released into rapidly boiling water for 35 to 45 seconds before it happily welcomes death. The

There is a continuous contest over meaning when it comes down to Eric’s death. In the novel The Other Side of The River, both towns of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph argue that their meaning behind his death is the truth. Unfortunately, by the end of the novel no one truly knows what happened to Eric McGinnis, his death will remain a mystery between the two towns of Michigan. Throughout this paper I used illustrations from the novel to support my argument of meaning and social

The lobster is a disgustingly beautiful creature, known for its delicate taste, menacing shell and controversy. In his essay, “Consider the Lobster”, David Foster Wallace describes the events and festivities of the Maine Lobster Festival and the history of the lobster to deliver a poignant message about the moral implications of killing and eating animals. Wallace is able to develop his position and vividly capture the audience’s attention through a strong use of humor, deliberate tonal shifts and a unique structure.

On July 18, 1964, The New Yorker published a short story entitled “The Swimmer” (Wilhite 215). Edited thoroughly and heavily compacted from its original form, “The Swimmer” represents John Cheever 's most acclaimed and recognized work. The protagonist of the famous and momentous short story, Neddy Merrill, undergoes a watery journey of self-exploration, acceptance, and

In David Foster Wallace’s article “Consider the Lobster,” he describes the harsh reality of lobster eating. At the site of the World’s Largest Lobster Cooker at the Maine Lobster Festival, Wallace describes in detail the brutal treatment of lobsters in order for people to seek pleasure in their appetite.

The “Oyster” originally written by Anton Chekhov in 1884 essentially emphasizes massive inequalities, brutal discriminations, and severe prejudices through the disparity between the aristocracy and the proletariat in which as well juxtaposes between civilization and survival. The symbolism of oyster exemplifies innocence, virginity, and youth’s attributes which shown through protagonist’s, an anonymous boy, illiterate action toward the aristocratic society. The setting has already created a stereotypical thought for the readers indicating pathetic life in street versus suave life in city. Undoubtedly, there is a variation of social hierarchies therefore various people are nurtured in different conceptualizations particularly on both perspectives

Every person in life is created with a strong sense of belonging. Whether the belonging is to a person, a place, or a moment in time, they still feel connected and influenced by it. Exile is an action that separates a person from this connected belonging, and can suffer great consequences, but can also enrich their lifestyle. In Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the creature creaked by Victor Frankenstein is forced, from the very beginning of his existence, away from his creator and society as a whole. This type of exile turned the creature into what he is, shaping his ideas and mentalities.

In David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech “This Is Water” the main point he is trying to get across is to think differently than you are hard-wired to think. He uses multiple stories to show when and where to think differently. He introduces us to this concept with a short story about fish that aren’t aware that they are in water, except for one fish, and this confuses the other fish. He shares this story to point out that the most obvious things in life are the hardest to be aware of. For example, he tells a story about two guys in the Alaskan wilderness and neither of them would change their mind or try to understand the other one’s perspective on religion. Wallace tells this story to make the point that you shouldn’t be totally arrogant

The consumption of animal meat is highly accepted in today’s society, however, the methods, in which the animals are killed are sometimes questioned for their cruelty. David Wallace, in considering the Lobster, takes the readers to the Maine Lobster Festival, where the consumption of lobsters is exploited, and the festival's attendees celebrate these acts. However, the essay goes furthermore than narrating the lobster’s festival, because through sensory details, and different techniques, he makes the readers question society’s morality. By stressing the cruelty it takes boiling lobsters alive, Wallace is capable of creating a sense of awareness in society decisions that demonstrate their corrupted morality, and how it affects directly others (like lobsters)

Emilia Lanyer’s poem “The Description of Cooke-ham” is titled as if it is a pastoral ode praising the estate Cooke-ham. However, upon reading the poem, one quickly realizes that the true subject is actually Lanyer’s patroness, with whom Emilia stayed at Cooke-ham for some time. While the poem does describe, in detail, the beautiful natural scenery at Cooke-ham, it does so always in reference to this woman. Lanyer never names the subject by name, instead referring to her primarily in second person, though it is assumed that the subject is in fact her patroness, Margaret Clifford, Countess of Cumberland.

The documentary film Blackfish, by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, is a daring venture, which claims that orcas in captivity become dangerous to human beings, as well as to other orcas. Cowperthwaite points to SeaWorld, in particular, since this world-renowned tourist attraction has had many examples that support her claim. In producing this film, Cowperthwaite hopes to bring about an end to SeaWorld’s practice of using killer whales as performance animals since the limited environment is ultimately doing more harm than good for both the whales and their trainers. The purpose of this rhetorical analysis will be to determine whether Blackfish offers a compelling argument.

Often times when presented with raw facts it can be difficult for an audience to obtain information. In order to make information stick when writing it is important to make a strong connection with your audience. In the excerpt Martha Stewart and The Cannibal Polar Bears in Jon Mooallem’ new book Wild Ones the author makes a strong connection with the audience by seamlessly drawing you in by presenting closeness and familiarity. He simply puts himself to the position to where the reader must look up to him as an expert and someone they can relate to. The author also uses strong ethical based claims that make you almost feel bad for the polar bears. In the excerpt the mooallem explains a northern military fort that was known as “the polar bear capital of the world”. with its newfound title came tourists. And with the uprising in tourism comes with the rise in destruction. The author makes a very strong and and almost emotional connection not only to himself but the the polar bears

One literary tool that David Foster Wallace uses to invoke more feeling the reader is vivid imagery. When he talks about the hardships of having to go through the grocery after work, the little things that make life tougher, you can feel the store around you. The hard concrete floors with the damp light roughly illuminating the isle.“...the ADHD kids who all block the aisle and you have to grit your teeth and try to be polite as you ask them to let you by, and eventually, finally, you get all your supper supplies, except now it turns out there aren't enough checkout lanes open even though it's the end-of-the-day-rush…” Is a great quote to represent the vivid imagery used in this piece. The way that he writes about more than just the image

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Poet Mark Doty shares this sentiment in his piece “A Green Crab’s Shell” which explores the theme of death through an abandoned carapace of a small sea creature. Doty employs evocative imagery, colorful detail, and fragmented structure in his poem to portray death as an opportunity to be reflective on one’s life. In investigating the small shell, Doty shows the beauty of what one leaves behind, far after their death, no matter how insignificant or short their life might have seemed.

Langston Hughes’ short story entitled “Thank You Ma’am”, analyzes the interaction between Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones and Roger. It presents the readers, the idea of goodness, the theme of trust, forgiveness, and kindness. Hughes is able to convert a language that is easier to understand by characterizing the context of story, advancing important themes, and using dialogue among the characters.