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A Plague of Tics

In: English and Literature

Submitted By Siwen
Words 293
Pages 2
David Sedaris, the author of the essay " A Plague of Tics." His essay described his life as a long term sufferer of obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD for short. He not only allows the audiences to take a look at his life, but also leads the readers to relate his struggles. Furthermore, because this is a true story about the author, it makes you feel more connected with the character being described. He is writing about himself so it is easy for him to develop the character.
In the essay, Sedaris mainly use irony, stereotypes and hyperbole to reel in his audience to make his life time full of tics and interesting. The first literary term is hyperbole. The sentences' Miss Chestnut said, " You're up and down like a flea. I turn my back...we don't leave our seats and lick things whenever we please" This is a use of hyperbole because it is exaggerated and undermined. Hyperbole was used throughout the essay when adults such as Miss Chestrut, Sedaris' mother and father.
Sedaris also uses many examples of irony throughout his essay. For example, the paragraph 12 in the essay that is considered the irony because all the author wanted to do was to be at peace in this house, but he couldn't have peace until he made his route absolutely perfect. All he wants is to be free, but he is not letting himself.
Stereotypes are littered throughout the essay. For example, the first use of a serotype is located in paragraph 11, Miss Chestnut is being stereotypical because she infers why Sedaris is misbehaved. What's more, the stereotypes also appear in the paragraph 17 and paragraph 30.
Davis Seders use these three frequently to show his purpose and appeal.

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