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Us and Them Reading Response

       One of the personal narratives was Us and Them by David Sedaris. This short essay tells the story from a small boys perspective as he observes and studies his mysterious neighbors, the Tomkeys. It was very interesting to read this narrative because it was told by a third grader who thought all of the families in the world were exactly like his. And if there was a family who was different, they were basically aliens. For example, when he sees the family sitting down at dinner without the TV on, he thinks thats the strangest thing in the world.

        Another aspect of the essay I found intriguing was the irony aspect of it all. One example of irony is when the young boy and his family are sitting around the TV discussing the new neighbors. They discuss how the Tomkeys supposedly don't believe in TV, so they don't have one. As the father eats his meal, he says ,"Well, good for him. I don't know that I believe in it either." His mother agrees and they continue watching the news, and "what ever came on after the news".

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