SOAPSTONE "Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out"

SUBJECT:
The subject of Dave Barry's "Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out" is that men and women see things differently. What may seem almost nonexistent to men sticks out like a sore thumb to women, and what seems very unimportant to women is of very high importance to men. Barry's viewpoint is illustrated by his two personal examples. First, when his wife asks him to clean their son's bathroom and after he had she asked him to do the same task again. His second example is of the dinner party at his friends house. All of the men wanted to watch to world series and he depicts how each ended up being able to do so. Both of these examples show how men and women see things differently.

OCCASION:
"Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out" was written during the late 1900's. This essays time of creation was conveyed by the non-sexist view on women the author has. By the late 1900's men and women were seen as equals. The probably place of this essay is in Miami, Florida where Barry lives with his family. The time of this articles creation influences the essay by the author being able to describe the differences between men and women without being viewed as sexist.

AUDIENCE:
Dave Barry's specific audience for "Batting Clean-up and Striking Out" is married med who can relate to his examples. The author's targeted audience was revealed by his multiple stories of his wife and his own different perceptions on the same things. Other married men could relate to things and sympathize with him; whereas a married women would not understand his viewpoint and it might even anger her a little for someone to say that she sees dirt where it is not and doesn't appreciate a good sports game.

PURPOSE:
Dave Barry's purpose in "Batting Clean-up and Striking Out" is to portray the many ways men and women see things differently in a humorous and relate-able way o that people will both want to read his writing and sympathize with how he feels. His purpose is made clear when he uses his examples of cleaning the bathroom and the world series game. When he does this, however, he does not bash his wife and say that the way he sees things is the only right way but, rather, admit to the fact that they see things differently neither one more right then the other.

SPEAKER:
Dave Barry, a humorist whom the New York Times has called "the funniest man in America," believes that although men and women see some things very differently both are equal and neither one is more or less right them the other. Barry supports this belief with her stories of the way he and his wife see things differently.

TONE:
Dave Barry exhibits a humorous and sarcastic tone attitude about the differences between men and women. I believe this is because although he encounters them in his everyday life they are not something to stress about. He shows his humorous attitude through his stories about cleaning his already clean son's bathroom and how the guys got to watch the world series at the dinner party. Barry exhibits his sarcastic tone through some of the phrases in his essay for example when he says "If you can imagine such a social gaffe."