Analysis Of Guterson's Endured: The Mall Of America

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Is Bigger and Better Always Better? Society would say yes. Some would say no. Guterson’s language, diction, and tone conveys his negatively opinionated attitude about the Mall of America today. Guterson describes the changes occurring throughout society today within and out of the mall throughout his essay. Guterson’s “Enclosed. Encyclopedic. Endured: The Mall of America” conveys the reality of the mall through his language, diction and closed-minded tone shifting to a realistic and assertive attitude reinforcing his point that malls are getting bigger and better, looking to take over society socially and emotionally. Guterson uses language to convey that malls are taking away the social aspect of society. He uses a metaphor to portray …show more content…

His tone within his syntax reveals that bigger and better is the enjoyment amongst most individuals nowadays; “Getting lost, feeling lost, being lost- these states of mind are intentional features of the mall’s psychological terrain. These are, one notices, no clocks or windows, nothing to distract the shopper’s psyche from the alternate reality of the mall conjures” (199). The use of syntax emphasizes that reality is not a concern on the mall’s terrain. His tone shifts within this syntax explaining the reality and hopes individuals want when they visit malls. “All over the planet the humblest of people have always gone to market with hope in their hearts and in expectation of something beyond mere gods- seeking a place where humanity is temporarily in ascendance” (200). The syntax emphasizes the Mall of America is taking away the socialness from reality because the mall is nothing but a fantasy even though it's our reality today. Throughout his essay, Guterson uses language, diction, and tone shifts to emphasize the changes in our society and the effects on shopping malls for individuals. His tone shifts from closed-minded to realistic emphasizing how reality really is within the walls of malls, fulfilling the need of happiness by purchasing things. He persuades readers through his language and negative connotative diction that even though the designers tried to create an environment every American would enjoy, the mall is nothing more than losing the sense of