Punctuation In Eat Shoot Leaves

Informal grammarian and author, Lynne Truss, in her New York Times Bestseller Eats, Shoots, Leaves, demonstrates the genuine importance of punctuation to derive meaning from written text, often through the dramatization of grammatical errors and the exaggerated outrage of pedants such as herself. Truss clarifies at the start of her novel that her purpose is not to teach punctuation, but to inspire a newfound appreciation for it by illustrating how its evolution to present day allows people to properly communicate and interpret writing. She adopts a comical, pretentious tone to attract more than the typical audience of non-English speakers to a punctuation guide, and appeal to the “inner stickler” in the average reader. Truss donates each chapter

In the introduction, she states, “The reason to stand up for punctuation is that without it there is no reliable way of communicating meaning” (Truss 20). She uses many examples throughout the novel to support this, including many sentences and passages that would take on a completely contradictory meaning if punctuation was added or omitted. The title Eat, Shoots, Leaves similarly follows this trend, as the comma next to “eat” is purposely incorrect to make a deriding juxtaposition between its original intent (to express the diet of a panda) and the actual interpretation (a panda who literally eats food, shoots a gun, and leaves). The many vital roles of punctuation are clearly exemplified through these silly observations, yet, in truth, the English language would be filled with ambiguity and disorder without it. As Truss explains, proper usage is becoming lost, as the new language created for text messages and emails disregards grammar for quicker, easier conversations. Correct punctuation is necessary to express a sense of clarity, intellect, and diligence into one’s writing, and will perpetually benefit readers who seek to interpret the connotation of the words before them without