Learning from Other Writers

On the following pages are two essays by writers who observe their surroundings and reflect on their observations. As you begin to analyze the first reading, look at the notes in the margin. They identify features such as the main impression created in the observation and stated in the thesis, the first of the locations observed, and the supporting details that describe the location.

As You Read These Observations

As you read these essays, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. What does the writer observe? Places? People? Behavior? Things?
  2. What senses does each writer rely on? What sensory images does each develop? Find some striking passages in which the writer reports observations. What makes these passages memorable to you?
  3. Why does the writer use observation? What conclusion does the writer draw from reflecting on the observations?