Monday, May 8, 2017

What generalization do the examples in paragraphs 2-3 and 22 support?

In paragraphs two and three, Sedaris humorously reflects on the insecurity he feels because of his inability to speak French despite being so much older than his classmates.
In paragraph twenty-two, the teacher tells Sedaris that she hates him, and though she is French she insults him in perfectly-spoken English. He says that he takes her comment personally.
The generalization that both these anecdotes support is that Sedaris does not look at the acquisition of a second language or by extension any type of new learning objectively as a skill that people acquire through practice and study, regardless of their age. A person's facility with a second language or any new skill or knowledge does not define them as a better or worse, likeable or unlikeable person. Sedaris points out that the process of learning can push people outside their comfort zones and make them question their self-worth.

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