Analysis of Literature

The article written by Russel Baker is a piece that, with good humour demonstrates the awkward and often-stressful predicaments that modern leisure activity often creates. The conflicting paradox, that leisure can in-fact deplete more energy than any employment opportunity, is adequately portrayed. The piece is creative, using different techniques to invoke different reactions from the target demographic. This complex use of technique also has a direct correlation to the effect and impact that the article has on the viewer.

The central idea, that modern forms of leisure are more work than any employer could ever facilitate, is present throughout the course of the piece. However there is also some ambiguity, the author can also be viewed attempting to invoke emotions of self-pity, self-doubt, confusion and humour amongst readers. There is also a strong underlying intention throughout the course of the piece and that is to simply amuse. The article itself can be classified as a satirical piece and therefore one of the main purposes would be to entertain. Whilst articles in a similar vein are not particularly "important" as such, they still gain a large audience due to the fact that readers, enjoy a laugh.

Numerous techniques are employed in order to instil this humour and purpose within the constraints of the article. The author uses a dignified tone in order to create humour using satirical statements. The structure of the passage is interesting to note, as the author lists contributing evidence in the form of a common example before re-focusing attention to the topic of the article. The vocabulary used in each of the examples is central to the activity described. Golf as the example, the author uses words such as "mashie" and "nimblick" in order for audiences to create a sense of connection toward the author, a fellow golfing connoisseur`. Undertones of the emotion exist in the passage, which, also invoke the demographic to relate directly to the piece. Sentences are generally long but concise, containing descriptions and supportive evidence. The piece has an overall rhythm, which reads almost like a factual report, baring the content. Style being central to all forms of literature and writing is obviously applicable here. Here the author uses direct linking of the supportive evidence to the examples given. In the arrangement of ideas it is intriguing to observe the pattern that Russel Baker uses. The cycle is simply, supportive evidence, followed by an example, finally refocussing attention back to the topic. The choice of words and diction is indicative of a dignified tone, which is required to produce this level of satire. Irony is also a major part of Baker's style. It is used to create humour amongst the text and used to further the themes of the article.

The influence that this article has is directly impacted by the overall purpose of the piece and the level of technique used in its creation. The article as a form of satire forces the reader to look at himself or herself and see the pure irony in their actions. In trying to create a relaxing past time, humanity has in-fact created something that is more complex than most career paths. To this extent the article is incredibly convincing and impacting on it's audience. The combination of a dignified tone, humour and an impressive amount of technical detail all contributes to the effective portrayal of the original purpose of the piece. The passage has the capacity to engage the audience and being an article grammatical errors can be theoretically ruled out, due to the presence of an editor. Conclusively it can be claimed that this satirical article has complex attributes that mesh in order to create a piece of such high calibre.