This story is distinct because it is told instructionally, in second person. It is vague in the events of the story and exactly what is happening. This picture displays the injunction and ambiguity of the essay.
What Really Happened by Madge McKeithen is telling a story written in second person in an instructional tone. The story includes no names about a man who has decided to visit another man in jail who killed his wife and the main character's very good friend. Lots of time has passed since the murder and the story describes the events preceding the visit and a few after. It includes the effect of the death on the main character's life. The author, McKeithen, received her education from the College of William and Mary and Johns Hopkins University. She has written multiple essays that have gotten published including a review of a memoir that was published in The New York Times Book Reviews. The context of this story is the murder of the main character's friend, and his desire to visit the offender in jail. The most important thing about this essay is the diction. The author tells a story, but it is in second person, which is very different from other essays. Most sentences are short and to the point while still being detailed about the scenery and events. In many paragraphs, words become repetitive to explain what is going on around in a more clean and cut way. Pathos is used all throughout the essay, focusing around the murder and the distress the main character is in because of it. The audience targeted for this essay is adults and young adults, understanding the concept and effect of murder. The author's purpose is giving advice to release the feelings of distress that are being held in, make amends with what happened in the past, move on and continue living a good life, but most of all, never forget what happened. The main character goes to visit the murderer, make amends with what happened to his friend, he continues to live his life and be sociable, but never forgets his friend. I believe the author did achieve her purpose because it tells the story instructionally to do all of that. In the end, it includes a paragraph instructing how to continue on with life after the visit but also to "Hear her now. Hear love life" (Mckeithen 140) and continue to remember the person who left the earth long before her time.
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