Susan Orlean's, "American Man"

My favorite paragraph of Susan Orlean's "American Man" would be the first paragraph. She takes a very conversational tone and I personally prefer contemporary writing rather than 18th century incomprehensible writing. Susan Orlean does well to paint a visual for her readers and as I continue her story throughout the first paragraph I am able to visualize the images she describes. Her use of imagery is a powerful component that contributes to why this piece is able to successfully guide the reader and help an individual imagine the setting. The use of personal pronouns such as I and "we" made the story very personal and it was as though she was speaking from experience. I felt as though her tone of voice sounded rather dreamybut also, her writing style sounds as though, although we understand that she is an established writer, she was making it understandable for even a 10 year old boy to understand.

I was able to stay attentive and compelled to continue reading because of the unique topic she chose to describe. No one really speaks of a relationship, much less marriage, with a 10 year old boy.  She had very specific ideas and wants that she expected to have with Colin Duffy.  She was able to take a simple story and relay it to her readers as if they are her good friends and she is telling them of her experiences. Although she is a female, she longs for a lifestyle that would appeal to a 10 year old boy, not a woman. And she ends the paragraph with “We would have a very good life.”, a very simple yet powerful close to her introduction. 

I learned from her writing that the most important thing is writing about what you are passionate about, whatever that may be, and speaking from your heart. No writer should succumb to societal expectations and write to please anyone but yourself.