Compare and Contrast Essay Rick Bragg and David Sedaris are American authors that were both born in the 1950’s. Rick Bragg, in “All Over but the Shoutin’,” and David Sedaris, in “Us and Them” give memorable accounts from their past when they were children. Although they both use vivid details and literary devices, Sedaris’s memoir is more adolescent. Both Bragg and Sedaris use vivid details in their writing to engage the audience and bring their memories back to life. In his memoir, “All Over but the Shoutin’,” Bragg gives specific details of the time he came to visit his dying father. He states, “I knocked and a voice like an old woman’s, punctuated with a cough that sounded like it came from deep in the guts, told me to come on in, it …show more content…
In his memoir, “All Over but the Shoutin’,” Bragg uses a metaphor. He states, “When you don’t see someone for eight, nine years, when you see that person’s life red on their lips and know that you will never see them beyond this day, you listen close, even if what you want most of all is to run away.” This metaphor shows how it was not only mentally/emotionally hard to meet and talk again, but how it was also physically challenging because of the state his father was currently in. Talking was a hard thing to fulfil, as he was very sick. Rick tells us how all he wanted to do was leave, but he built up courage to face his fear. Sedaris uses irony in his memoir “Us and Them”. As the Tomkeys go out of town during Halloween, they leave a bowl of candy outside their door with a note that says “don’t be greedy” (852). Later, Sedaris explains to us his bag of candy that is labeled “My candy. Keep out” (852). This is ironic because Tomkeys were kind enough to share with others even while they were gone but David could not. Sedaris shows immaturity through this example of a literary device because it shows of selfish he was to a family that was willing enough to share with them when they weren’t even in town. Sedaris was so self-centered, that he didn’t want anyone else touching his candy or even eating the kind that made him feel