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An Ode To The User-Friendly Pencil Analysis

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Personal Response to Bonnie Laing’s “An Ode to the User-Friendly Pencil” As time moves on, people begin to forget about the little things, and focus more on the bigger picture. New discoveries are being made that can make a task become easier and more efficient to accomplish. However, not all of this new technology proves to be better. In Bonnie Laing’s “An Ode to the User-Friendly Pencil,” she argues about the benefits of a pencil while outlining the drawbacks of a computer. Laing’s viewpoint on this topic is convincing because she argues her perspective effectively, she uses rhetorical devices expertly to enhance her opinion, and the overall essay can be relatable to almost everyone. Although the computer is an amazing machine, a person requires some training to be able to use it. On the other hand, “you can learn to use a pencil in less than 10 seconds” (332). Laing argues that the simplicity of a pencil makes it a better option when …show more content…

They help to enhance the essay while also proving the author’s point. Laing uses various devices within her essay including analogy, and irony. The analogy compares a destructive relationship with the author's relationship with her computer. In the end, the computer "forced [her] to spend a lot more time with an old friend, the pencil" (332). This analogy is effective because it allows the readers to understand the author's struggle with her computer, as she compares it to a subject that is more familiar. For example, destructive relationships consist of two individuals who are not sensitive to each other’s feelings. Likewise, the author states that “[the computer] proved to be very sensitive to everything but my [her] needs” (332). This comparison draws on the emotions of people who have experienced, or know of, this type of relationship. They know what the author is going through, and will likely understand the emotions that she

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