Analysis of Thesis by Deborah Tannen “Sex, Lies and Conversation: Why Is It So Hard For Men and Women to Talk to Each Other?”
Comprehension:
1. What is the Thesis or claim of this essay? Where Does Deborah Tannen most clearly articulate it?
The Thesis or claim of this essay is that men and women misunderstand each other that cause problems in their relationship. Deborah Tannen most clearly articulates it when she gives the example of when a women in college was frustrated because every time she talked to her boyfriend, he would lie face down on the ground, closed eyes and arm around his face. This signaled to the women that he was taking a nap but really that’s the only way he could listen to her without be distracted.
Rhetoric:
1. Deborah Tannen begins her essay with an anecdote. Is this an effective way of opening this particular essay? Why or Why not?
I think opening with an anecdote was the right thing to do in Deborah Tannen essay. It was the right thing to do because it gave the reader a vivid idea of what she was talking about. After the anecdote was done she then started to explain in detail about how it is hard for men and women to talk to each other.
6. Concerning the lack of proper communication between men and women, Deborah Tannen states, “Once the problem is understood, improvements come naturally.” Is this statement substantiated or backed up with evidence? Explain.
Yes, the statement is backed up by explaining how the college couple solved there difficulty by having the guy sit up instead of lying down and actually look at the women without being distracted and listen to her. Now every time she talks to him he realizes the women like to be looked at when talked to, he altered his behavior and did so.
7. Explain the analogy the author employs in the final paragraph. Is it a good or poor analogy? Explain.
I think it’s a good analogy because the author shows that there is other stuff in the world that men and women misunderstand. Also, men and women need to alternate their wrong behavior in other cases when the realize it.
