Use of Language in Dirt Essay

Dirt

In 1971 McLaughlin wrote a story about dirt, defined from a series of observations drawn from everyday experiences. He came up with the conclusion that dirt can be almost anything. It is often defined as matter out of place.

The most powerful example is a real life situation. With the use of different, real life examples it gave the reader a personal connection to the topic. No matter which situation the reader had a connection to; at least a connection was there. The connection made the essay more effective and attention grabbing.

Evidence is a key to effectiveness .McLaughlin provides a wide range of examples to support his topic. He provided evidence for everyone. In one paragraph, he mentioned lipstick on a cup, pile of dung, and soil as all being descriptions of dirt. Not every example is considered dirt and will seem unreasonable to some. With the amount of evidence, his point was proven and effectively.

Humor makes everything better. McLaughlin uses humor which makes his essay more effective rather than uninteresting and unexciting. The humor allows for the information to be remembered because it brings out laughter. The reference to the old music hall joke, where it said, So have I (17) was funny. The thought of spit is disgusting to many but the humor made it easy to handle. Also exaggeration added to the humor. The exaggeration that ...Brahmins throw food into their mouth (17) because they do not like their own saliva to touch them was funny, however overly exaggerated. Exaggeration is another device to make Dirt a moreinteresting, entertaining, and dramatic story.

In conclusion, McLaughlin chose to rely on specific details and graphic language to make his point effectively. To make his point effectively, he used humor, exaggeration, evidence and personal connection.