Christopher Morley On Laziness

Our teacher, Mrs. Hetrick, provided the answer to our question: “These essays could have easily been generated by a computer program. They tell me nothing about yourselves; why in the world you are telling me all of this? You need to make me care about the message you are conveying, otherwise, your writing is useless.” She then told us that while we were all communicating in the proper format, we had failed to take into consideration whom our audience was. In order to truly persuade and influence our audience, we had to do more than place complicated ideas into a grammatically immaculate sentences; we need to show the audience why they should care about our writing; otherwise, they will just lose interest. I realize now that this experience provided a stable foundation for what I consider to be an example of passionate rhetorical ability, which helps me reflect on what authors Wallace deems as “good” through their rhetorical strategies.

     The rhetorical style uses persuasive ideals in the use of language. For example, in the first sentence of the second paragraph, the parallel structure and

For instance in paragraph 18 it states, “Push it. Examine all things intensely and relentlessly.” Another example of this is when the author states, “Write about winter in the summer.” (Paragraph 4) The use of short and concise sentences gives a sense that what the author is advising can be achieved with ease. Furthermore, the setences are straight forward and not long, so the reader knows exactly what the author wants them to do. In addition to that, the use of action verbs entices readers to follow the advice because the exact action that is needed has been stated by the author. If one knows exactly what they are supposed to do, they are more likely to do it which is what this author has done here. Finally, the use of literary devices contributes to the tone because metaphors are made which give a better understanding to the reader of what the author is asking of them. Specificially, metaphors are used to connect the author’s ideas to familiar

This passage can be divided into three distinct sections. The first section is where he uses rhetorical strategies to get his point across. The second section is where he uses a literary device to appeal to his audience's emotions. The final section is where he uses multiple questions to strengthen the

Morley ascribes the importance of Johnson's letter to Lord Chesterfield to his laziness, telling us "that it was sheer laziness that led to the greatest triumph of Doctor Johnson's life." By associating his own ideas on laziness with those of a respected doctor and master philosopher, Morley appears to have a good ethos himself. He is also associating laziness with accomplishment, and it is a commonplace of people to want to succeed. Underneath the irony, we grow aware that there is actually a disconnect between laziness and accomplishment, and that Johnson's laziness isn't actually responsible for his achievements. The device of allusion establishes Morley's trustworthy reputation, while also convincing the audience his own ideas are advantageous to

This essay presents the argument that instead of keeping a busy life, we should live a carefree and relaxed life instead. The busyness that overtakes our lives often comes subconsciously, which we submit to, without even realizing it ourselves. This supports Kreider’s claims that busyness is a “trap”. He also points out that once it has begun to overtake our lives, we begin to accept it and are led to believe that there is no way to avoid it. Once we start to believe that busyness is an unavoidable part of life, then we fall into the “busy trap.” The author also encourages the audience to avoid a busy lifestyle giving several reasons why a relaxed lifestyle is more ideal. The author also challenges the audience to avoid busyness and to strive towards a less stressful lifestyle.

The author’s diction choices reveal her sentimental longing for the better times of Old Leisure. When explaining the nature of Old Leisure, the author relays he was “of quiet perceptions, undiseased by hypothesis.” The diction of “quiet perceptions” suggests Old Leisure tends to keep his opinions and beliefs to himself, while remaining unconcerned by the answers

The syntax that he uses may be more informal instead of formal academic language. He also uses good organizational structure to support his argument. He frequently initiates a new idea with a hook to get the readers attention or a transitionary phrases to segway into new ideas which makes the reading flow well. Then the idea is supported by either an anecdote from people or scholars that were interviewed or a statistic. This helps make his reasoning come across as persuasive and maybe bring resemblance to the readers own experiences that they can relate

He begins with comparing the scenario that “ there is nothing to be done when the temperature outside is 85 degrees, and indoors the air conditioner has broken down; obviously when that happens there is nothing to do, except perhaps curse the day when one was born.” With the polar opposite of “ But when the temperature outdoors is below freezing, it takes a positive act of will on somebody’s part to set the temperature indoors at 85 degrees” (3). The usage of these sarcastic remarks shines light of the issue that society could be in control of the very factor that is oppressing them, yet choose to relay silence in fear of creating a bigger affair then

It is often taught that to be persuasive, one must be clear and logical. In “The Wheelchair Butterfly,” James Tate takes a completely different approach; instead, he utilizes chaos to further his meaning and connect with a specific readership. Largely, it is Tate’s structure that reflects this chaos, and the meticulous arrangement of “The Wheelchair Butterfly” signifies that its setting and occurrences portray something more sinister than a bizarre and moderately grotesque town. Tate’s target readers for this elaborate, empathetically chaotic poem must be educated enough to be able to parse through his imagery, open to self-examination, and part of a society in a time of elevated social and political conflict. Thus, Tate gesticulates towards the hidden, systematic corruption common of societies with elevated social conflicts in a way that connects with the conflicted feelings his specific readership might feel towards this corruption in their own lives using elements of structure such as surreal imagery, enjambment, and simile. Using these elements, Tate attempts to relate to his readers by distracting them, creating a confusion versus clarity disparity, and transforming the nature of their concerns to make them softer and more acceptable. Because Tate’s target readers will attempt to decipher the poem’s hectic contents, these factors give readers an opportunity to examine themselves along with the poem. This highly empathetic and unconventional approach, similarly seen in Frank O’Hara’s “A Step Away From Them,” has its successes as well as its downfalls, mostly in terms of its range of readership. Though poems more explicit about their intentions, such as Lucille Clifton’s “[i am accused of tending to the past],” may be more accessible to a greater number of readers, some level of empathy is lost in their candor. The key difference between Tate and O’Hara’s poems versus Clifton’s poem, then, is a matter of being understood by a wide range of readers versus being compelling to a small group of readers. ?

In Alain de Botton’s essay, “On Habit” and Adam Gopnik essay, “Bumping into Mr. Ravioli” explain the way that individuals can think creatively and express their feelings and thoughts into newer meaning and in-depth ideas. They also explain the way that the human race are so engaged in technology and busyness that they are overlooking what really is important to them in their life. De Botton is worried that many people do not go beyond limitations and need to explore their surrounding more and appreciate what is going on around them. He urges people to use their ‘traveling mindset’ and try to approach their environments in a positive

What if we stopped celebrating being busy as a matter of importance? Would one make the relation that running errands has the result of the building of character? Would it be agreed upon that constant correspondence to our peers draws us nearer to our goals? Throughout our history humans have developed an undeniable connection between the fulness of one's schedule and the matter of importance they hold in a society. However, with the uniqueness and the complexity of the human mind, does one really need to be occupied in order to progress? In order to continue to effectively grow and progress, we must abandon the futile connection that being busy is directly related to the matter of a person's importance.

Boswell compares the writing of Addison to Johnson as nerveless and feeble because it lacks the strength and energy of Johnson’s. Boswell praises Johnson’s writing by stating that it is superior to Addison’s. Boswell states that readers ‘fancy’ the writings of Addison, but it is just a facade because he is not actually wise. In contrast, Johnson is applauded for his ability to ‘dictate’ to his readers who listen to him with ‘awe and admiration’. The ability of Johnson to present information

Both Orwell and Plath have taken the liberty to express their feelings, their griefs and their experiences through works that create a realistic image of a problem or of what could be the consequences of a situation that we are facing now. Towards the middle of Down and Out In Paris and London, our protagonist is in the midst of poverty and has taken a routine in his new penniless life. He was so accustomed to this cycle of getting up early in the morning, not eating anything, going to work for eighteen hours and come back home to sleep for two to five hours that when a murder occurred in front of his house, his reaction was emotionless as seen in this quote from the novel “We were working people, and where was the sense of wasting sleep over a murder?” (Orwell 107) This quote relates well to the world we live in; most people living in modernized countries don’t realize the severity of certain problems such as mental health, homelessness, racism, rape and abuse, instead we focus on capitalism. We have become selfish in the sense that we prioritize ourselves over others despite what most religions teach us. Plath has also explored this alarming growth in this problem as described in several of her poems, particularly The Applicant, where an individual is being given everything by society to conform to it’s expectations and eventually becomes “A living doll, everywhere you look. It can sew, it can cook, It can talk, talk, talk.” (33-35), which demonstrates how an individual can be controlled to the point where it will be commanded to move, talk and perform tasks as it becomes part of his or her daily life. This realistic image of people following a pattern and not being able to escape is a motif in literature

Imagine a world with no breaks or vacation. Exhausting, right? Thomas Jefferson once said that one should determine never to be idle and that so much can be done if one is always doing. Some, like Jefferson, think we accomplish more if we are always doing something. In today's fast-paced society, time is money and money should not be wasted. Many don't completely understand inactivity due to the stigma around it being a waste. Others believe that inactivity comes in many forms and can be of great benefit. Today's society needs a better understanding of inaction, which can come in many forms such as sleeping, relaxing or simply not doing. Inaction serves a purpose by improving mental health, keeping one out of trouble, and working tirelessly