(I created this literary criticism essay, which focuses on the author's effect
on the reading experience. Enjoy!)
In the Pulitzer Prize-winning non-fiction novel Evicted, the author creates
a new kind of book by exploring a topic in a journalistic style. Therefore,
Matthew Desmond’s style and creativity in the making of Evicted leads to a
reading experience unlike any other.
First, Desmond begins the novel with a prologue, saying, “Jori and his
cousin were cutting up, tossing snowballs at passing cars” (Desmond 1).
Similarly to a fiction novel, Desmond continues to describe the life of the
“characters”, who are actually real people. By writing the majority of the
book as if it was a fictional story, Desmond is able to portray factual
information in an entertaining and effective manner. This is especially
difficult given the subject matter, which is the poverty crisis occurring in
Milwaukee.
However, Desmond turns this information into a Pulitzer Prize-winning book
by writing it as if it is a narrative, which people will be able to relate to. Although
most of his audience will not be in poverty themselves, he describes struggles
regarding race, gender, and sexuality. He also includes quotes with improper
language, and describes the surroundings exceptionally well. For example, he
states, “Inside, the house was warm and smelled of dinner fried in grease. A
single, small lamp was on, stingy with its light and leaving parts of the room
veiled in shadow” (Desmond 153).
This type of description is not typically seen in non-fiction books, especially if
the novel is not a narrative. This is why Desmond uses a journalistic style to
write this novel, coupled with normal non-fiction writing, such as facts and
statistics. For example, the same appeal of investigative newspaper articles
applies to this novel. In this way, Desmond explores the lives of Milwaukee
families without becoming intrusive, and also covers different perspectives on
the issue. By including facts and statistics found after-the-fact, Desmond
supports his points while remaining on task.
Lastly, Desmond manages to write Evicted without being insensitive, and
makes sure that the people interviewed for this novel are seen as real, and not
just characters in a book. Although this book and its message are not meant to be
taken lightly, Desmond manages to balance the tone of the book with humorous
dialogue. This dialogue also allows for the families featured in this novel to be
seen as regular citizens, and not the bottom of the population. As compared to
other media, Desmond is incredibly understanding, yet informational.
This is what creates the unique style and creativity present in Evicted, making it a
reading experience unlike any other.
on the reading experience. Enjoy!)
In the Pulitzer Prize-winning non-fiction novel Evicted, the author creates
a new kind of book by exploring a topic in a journalistic style. Therefore,
Matthew Desmond’s style and creativity in the making of Evicted leads to a
reading experience unlike any other.
First, Desmond begins the novel with a prologue, saying, “Jori and his
cousin were cutting up, tossing snowballs at passing cars” (Desmond 1).
Similarly to a fiction novel, Desmond continues to describe the life of the
“characters”, who are actually real people. By writing the majority of the
book as if it was a fictional story, Desmond is able to portray factual
information in an entertaining and effective manner. This is especially
difficult given the subject matter, which is the poverty crisis occurring in
Milwaukee.
However, Desmond turns this information into a Pulitzer Prize-winning book
by writing it as if it is a narrative, which people will be able to relate to. Although
most of his audience will not be in poverty themselves, he describes struggles
regarding race, gender, and sexuality. He also includes quotes with improper
language, and describes the surroundings exceptionally well. For example, he
states, “Inside, the house was warm and smelled of dinner fried in grease. A
single, small lamp was on, stingy with its light and leaving parts of the room
veiled in shadow” (Desmond 153).
This type of description is not typically seen in non-fiction books, especially if
the novel is not a narrative. This is why Desmond uses a journalistic style to
write this novel, coupled with normal non-fiction writing, such as facts and
statistics. For example, the same appeal of investigative newspaper articles
applies to this novel. In this way, Desmond explores the lives of Milwaukee
families without becoming intrusive, and also covers different perspectives on
the issue. By including facts and statistics found after-the-fact, Desmond
supports his points while remaining on task.
Lastly, Desmond manages to write Evicted without being insensitive, and
makes sure that the people interviewed for this novel are seen as real, and not
just characters in a book. Although this book and its message are not meant to be
taken lightly, Desmond manages to balance the tone of the book with humorous
dialogue. This dialogue also allows for the families featured in this novel to be
seen as regular citizens, and not the bottom of the population. As compared to
other media, Desmond is incredibly understanding, yet informational.
This is what creates the unique style and creativity present in Evicted, making it a
reading experience unlike any other.
Hi Kate! Wow, this is super cool. I commend you, because I don't think I ever would have chosen to write a literary criticism essay for this project. Your thesis is clearly seen throughout the entire essay, and you provide good examples to back it up. All of your points were clear and well thought out; I especially liked how you pointed out that although Desmond writes it in a journalistic style and makes the book fun to read, he also makes sure that it isn't insensitive and still properly portrays the families as real people. My only comment would be to make sure your quotes actually reveal something deeper so you have something to unpack, rather than just giving an example of your point. However, I do understand that this was pretty informal compared to an actual lit crit essay, so it's not a big deal. Overall awesome job, it was enjoyable to read and easy to understand, and you still made good, thoughtful points!
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