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What Is The Central Idea Of Alan Wood I Sell My House

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Alan Wood’s “I Sell My House” reveals the unjust or prejudicial treatment and separation of Jews. During the 1950s, Walter faced ethical quandry when he was trying to sell his home in an area that became predominantly Jewish. Although Wood supports integration, he was doubtful about informing potential Gentile buyers, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, that his neighborhood was almost completely Jewish. He assumed that non-Jewish people would feel uncomfortable and prefer living among people that shared the same beliefs and values. The central idea of Alan Wood’s “I Sell My House” is that those who practice the religion, Judaism, were subject to segregation and discrimination. The author conveyed this through the literary device, known as irony, a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was expected.
In Alan Wood’s commentary “I Sell My House”, Wood conveyed the central idea that Jewish families were subject to segregation and discrimination using the literary device situational irony, where an outcome is contrary to what was expected. For instance, “He was perfectly happy to live in a mixed neighborhood, he said, until one day his wife gave a birthday party for his daughter and asked all of the neighbor’s children to come. ‘Of the thirty-two children invited, thirty were Jewish’ he said. ‘Somehow that didn’t seem a natural environment to raise my children.’(Wood 384)” This is the explanation of why the previous owner of Wood’s home moved. It is ironic to have been considered a mixed neighborhood when over half the occupants were Jews. The original owner implied that that wasn’t a natural environment to raise his children, his …show more content…

The author conveyed this through the literary device, known as irony, a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was

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