"My Inner Shrimp" & "Dying to Be Bigger" Analysis and Comparison

It is well known that the negative effects of one’s self-image can be devastating. In the essays “My Inner Shrimp” (Trudeau) and “Dying to Be Bigger” (H.D.) the authors describe what it is that they dislike about themselves and how they dealt with it. Both authors us a similar tone that emphasizes their seemingly self-pitying emotions. Their language often uses strong, emotional words that someone would normally use in extreme situations. “I have the soul of a shrimp. I feel the pain of the diminutive, irrespective of whether they feel it themselves, because my visit to the planet of the teenage midgets was harrowing, humiliating and extended.” (Trudeau 93) The language for these particular essays seemed to reveal very negative emotions and images. In the essay “Dying to Be Bigger”, H.D. gives many visual descriptions of the effects of steroids. He mentions specific details about his physical changes such as “…my acne took the form of grotesque, cyst-like blood clots.” (H.D. 98) He uses such strong descriptions to accurately depict the severity of his conditions. Trudeau essay provided an almost humorous vibe. In the 1970’s he was the creator of the comic strip, Doonesbury. “My Inner Shrimp” effectively portrayed the difficulty that the author’s height had caused. Trudeau’s seemingly humorous descriptions showed an element of condolences. He states that after reading various books about great historical figures that were also a bit short in stature he used suggested methods that he “…incorporated into my daily routine (get up, brush, teeth, hang from doorframe… the book assured me, my rested spine rendered me perceptibly taller” (Trudeau 95). This explains how Trudeau’s dubious actions can be viewed as strange to a more elevated person. Both H.D. and Trudeau use effective language to bring out their own emotions to the reader. In efficient writing, the author must use a proper tone for the mood or attitude that the author is trying to reveal to the reader. In