Close Reading - Assignment 1

"Memory", The introduction to "Life Itself"

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/cest-moi/memory-the-introduction-to-lif.html

Reading the first section of Roger Ebert's soon to be published memoir, I was reminded of how well he writes movie reviews and novels alike. The sections tone is casual yet sophisticated, including Ebert's usual signature of cleverness making it enjoyable for many readers. While many enjoy his reviews some may not know all he's gone through and what he has faced, to ultimately be the person he is today. When thinking about our prime source of literary analysis D.I.D.L.E.S, Ebert's use of detail, diction and imagery replaces the voice he's lost and gives a new perspective to his incredible life story.

Ebert's attention to literary detail can best be seen through his writing about his personal childhood experiences. In the second paragraph Ebert writes about learning to tie his shoes with his father, who tells him that "it can't be explained in words". From this section the reader can infer that  Ebert is very simple and remembers both the small and the big things from his earliest times. While he learned many things from his parents Ebert goes on to show how he learned important lessons about life on his own, without parental help. One example of this can be found in the next paragraph where he recalls that he "was seven or eight when I opened a nudist magazine and discovered that all women had breasts". Another example is his remembrance that "when we gathered at my grandmother's for a big dinner, that meant nine or ten people sitting around the table smoking. They did it over and over, hour after hour, as if it were as assignment". Learning about things like parts of the human body and drugs on his own and through bad parental example, the reader can assume that Ebert had an "interesting" upbringing and that like every family, no family is perfect. 

Along with his elaboration on details Ebert uses a wide variety of diction throughout the article. Ebert repeats words like "movie", "life" and "memories" to show the reader that these are what he is addressing, they are what he has always loved to share with people and now that he cannot properly eat, drink, speak or stand without significant pain, they make up the remainder of his life. Near the end of the section he writes that "my blog became my voice, my outlet, my "social media" in a way I couldn't have dreamed of". Ebert feels that through his writing he can communicate with the world and reach people through a power that speech never could". One of his main purposes of writing, Ebert wants to share his story with readers to tell them that anything is possible. Using only some repeated patterns he uses more advanced words to tell about his struggles. Words such as "blowout", "self--conscious", "forgotten" and "flashes" leaped out at me as I read the article, adding more interest and excitement to Ebert's story. No one can ever imagine the pain that he has gone through in life and to the best of his abilities, it is only some of what Ebert wants to get across. Words such as these show the reader that Ebert has had both good and bad experiences happen and like every other human, he has emotions. Ebert also includes the names of all the hospitals and facilities that he was in when he was first diagnosed with his illness which gives the reader perspective on everything that he had to go through when his fight first began. Using such strong diction throughout the article shows Ebert's intelligence and can relate to the reader as to advance the story.  

Finally, Ebert uses imagery to make the reader understand what it is like from his perspective. He talks about being a child of World War II and what it was like to be a child of that time, surrounded by fighting and still trying to live a regular life. Ebert uses food and his earliest times on television to explain his life growing-up leading up to his fame and that day when his life changed forever. To explain more complicated sections like those that talk about his many surgeries and learning to walk again, Ebert uses memories from the facilities to help readers connect to the medical processes and understand everything that was involved. His use of emotional imagery can be found when he discusses the Rehabilitation Institute and can make the reader feel his pain and sympathy toward him. Imagery is not Ebert's main goal but he has enough to make the reader look beyond the words and more into human emotion, suffering and perseverance.

By reading this article I have learned more about Ebert and his style of writing. Words are his second language and through them he can communicate anything to the world, good or bad. He has a normal like like anyone else with just a few changes that have not gotten him down or held him back from pursuing what he loves most, ripping the movies in theaters apart!