Let It Snow By David Sedaris Summary

Most people remember fondly of childhood, as childhood is an innocent and carefree time. Yet childhood may be a lonely memory for others, as not everyone had the fortune of a loving household. In the essay “Let it Snow” by David Sedaris, the author looks back at his childhood and tells of a winter day. Sedaris does not directly say it, but through his words, one can infer that he grew up in a detached family. He describes the behavior of his mother, and it is obvious that there is something more than what is shown. Throughout the essay, Sedaris indirectly conveys that the things seen on the surface may have reasoning and something more below the surface. Sedaris tells of when he had a week off school due to weather cancellations. On the fifth day, the reader learns that Sedaris’s mother kicks out her kids, as she cannot handle them anymore. Sedaris says, “Our presence had disrupted the secret life she led while we were at school...” (Sedaris 75). This shows that while the kids were at school, the mother led a different life at home. Without the burden of caring for her own kids, Sedaris’s mother was carefree and without responsibility. It seemed that her behavior was common and not very

After recalling a broken childhood, Sedaris looks back and realizes that there were many things he did not understand as a child. The treatment and attitude of his mother have helped Sedaris to understand that some things are just too complicated, and that the solution to those issues is not a single step. Being able to realize this helped to justify his mother’s attitude towards him and his siblings, confirming that a family is still a family despite the challenges along the way. In order to connect and understand the people around us, a person must first look past the appearance of someone and dig deeper, as there is more to a person than just what they choose to