My Childhood On The Continent Of Africa

In an essay, structure and balance are important because they allow the reader to stay focused on the material. As a result, the reader will feel involved in the topic because he or she is the writer’s targeted audience. Involving the reader in the text is an effective way to attract his or her interests. For instance, there are several elements used in a paper that can affect the reader’s emotional response. An essay that connects to the audience’s emotional response is a successful paper. For this reason, “Remembering My Childhood on the Continent of Africa” is a strong essay that relates to a reader’s response due to its visual descriptions that are clear and recognizable. Therefore, the main strengths of the essay are classification, comparison and contrast, and their impact on its audience.

In addition, there are two types of classifications: binary and complex. A binary classification sorts things out into two groups; a complex classification sorts things into many. For example, David Sedaris compares his childhood memories to his lifelong friend Hugh’s memories: “I threw stones at stop signs. Hugh threw stones at crocodiles” (Sedaris 267). The similarities and differences of something are shown by classification and it helps the reader compare them. Furthermore, the classifications used in “Remembering My Childhood on the Continent of Africa” are consistent, complete, and they have a purpose. The goal of classification is to stimulate the reader’s emotions in order for them to feel sympathetic towards David, who is envious of Hugh’s interesting childhood. Classification is a method similar to comparison and