nov/dec pundit 1
Charles M. Blow
"Where Went My Empty Nest?"
The New York Times
Aug. 18, 2019
In this column, Charles M. Blow addresses the elephant in the room when people talk about parenting. Despite what many parents may believe, it is necessary to have a personal life separate from children. He shamelessly discusses how becoming an empty nester made him feel free and independent again. Then, when his kids moved back home after college, Blow felt as though his privacy has been invaded.
Blow's main claim comes as the last sentence of the piece. He claims that when grown kids come back to an empty nest, the loving thing to do it to firmly nudge them out. But he doesn't mention anything else related to this claim at all in the piece. I wasn't quite sure what the purpose of this article was as it did not inform, entertain, or argue. It seemed like a simple statement of a life event with no deeper meaning.
"Where Went My Empty Nest?"
The New York Times
Aug. 18, 2019
In this column, Charles M. Blow addresses the elephant in the room when people talk about parenting. Despite what many parents may believe, it is necessary to have a personal life separate from children. He shamelessly discusses how becoming an empty nester made him feel free and independent again. Then, when his kids moved back home after college, Blow felt as though his privacy has been invaded.
Blow's main claim comes as the last sentence of the piece. He claims that when grown kids come back to an empty nest, the loving thing to do it to firmly nudge them out. But he doesn't mention anything else related to this claim at all in the piece. I wasn't quite sure what the purpose of this article was as it did not inform, entertain, or argue. It seemed like a simple statement of a life event with no deeper meaning.
Mr. Blow,
ReplyDeleteWhat is this purpose of this article? I think I understand that you want to convey that sometimes tough love is the best kind of love, but writing with a clear intent may make this point more effective.
I, too, agree that the organizational aspects of Blow's article create many problems for the comprehension of the piece. Blow opens his op-ed, hinting that it will be about life as an empty-nester. As I continued reading the article, Blow entirely shifted gears in the last sentence, writing that tough love is essential to a great life after kids. Although his two claims were clear individually, the connection between the two is hard to decipher within the piece. Thankfully though, Blow is able to appeal to readers' emotions by explaining some of the personal hardships he's experienced and the many sacrifices he's made for his family.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that Blow's purpose seems a bit unclear, however, his audience seems to be targeted more towards parents and he makes claims that only parents can truly relate to. This is why it seems harder for us to connect with and understand the piece.
ReplyDelete