Questions:
Contrasting of Writing Styles between Different Authors
Read Dorothy Parker's "The Standard of Living" and Toni Cade Bambara's "The Lesson". Clearly, these stories were written not only by different authors, but with different styles. Write a response that addresses the issues of literary style. Your response should specifically focus on the following question:
Compare and contrast Parker's and Bambara's use of style. How do they differ and why?
To address the above question, you may also consider and want to incorporate the following questions into your answer:
Question 1: How well do you come to know the young women in Parker's story? What is their style? How do they dress, act, and talk?
Question 2: Parker was known for her sharp tongue and malicious wit. Do these show in the style of this story? Why or why not?
Question 3: In Bambara's work, we see the children from uptown through the eyes of one of their own. How does this point of view shape the story as a whole?
Question 4: How does the tough street language that the narrator and her friends speak differ from the genteel middle-class language used by other authors? What distinctive features do you recognize? Do you find the language offensive? Why or why not?