Why I Write Joan Didion Analysis

The State of the Union address is portrayed as a “master class” in public speaking, as a result of the collaboration of stories embedded into the speech that contribute to a persuasive, antagonistic nature, as categorized by Joan Didion. In the essay, “Why I Write” Joan Didion, confesses to having stole the title from George Orwell, due to her appeal of the “I” sound. Immediately following this confession, Didion portrays the act of writing as being narcissistic, when she states, “In many ways writing is the act of saying I, of imposing oneself upon other people, of saying listen to me, see it my way, change your mind” (Dision 4). The introduction of this idea, may cause the reader to question the act of writing, and reflect on previously read novels or
The manner in which, Didion explains her personal story aids in the understanding of the concept of writing for an explanation. The use of the personal experience, causes an individual to understand the thinking process that contributes to the creation of Didion’s stories and why she writes. Imagination becomes a vital role in the process of writing, thus the use of rhetorical questions can often be seen throughout the essay. The author is able to create space and time for the characters within their story, causing the writer to develop a sense of god-hood. Just as Didion uses stories to enhance her explanation and purpose for writing, President Obama uses historical stories to emphasize prosperity and patriotism. In order to convince the audience that he is correct, Obama uses stories to intensify a sense of “listen to me, see it my way, change you minds”. Although the words may appear to have a negative connotation, Obama utilizes this sense to impose prosperity, as he states, “Sixty years ago, when Russia beat us into space…We didn't argue about the science, or shrink our research, and development budget. We built a program almost