SOAPStone of Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out

Subject

               The subject of Dave Barry’s Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out is the difference between men and women’s values. These different beliefs are illustrated by various anecdotes that Barry writes of, such as when he cleans his son’s bathroom as well as when he and his wife go to a friend’s house to chat during a World Series game. When Barry cleaned his son’s bathroom, his wife doesn’t realize that he had cleaned it and asked him to clean the bathroom a second time, showing a woman’s emphasis of cleanliness. One of Barry’s female friends had invited the couple to chat whilst the World Series was on, not understanding the prominence of sports in a male’s life versus the desire to socialize and chat.

Occasion

               Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out was written during 1988. The essay’s time of creation is displayed by an introduction before the essay begins; without the introduction, it would be more difficult to distinguish a time period that it was written. The probable place of the essay’s creation is unknown because there are no details within the essay that would provide enough for a reasonable inference. Barry makes no reference to where he may be writing the piece.

               The time and place of the essay’s creation influence the essay by what men and women see as important to themselves. The women in the late 80’s, and still today, value the cleanliness of where their children play and bathe. Baseball was also more of a prominent sport in the late 80’s, thus the importance of a World Series game for a male.

Audience

               Dave Barry’s specific audience for Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out was most likely married, middle-aged men. The author’s target audience is exhibited by the sarcasm towards women and the male understanding of differences between the genders. The writes of the “look” his wife perfected when Barry had dressed his son for school. When he had cleaned the bathroom, he simply took what he referred to as Standard Male Cleaning Implements, which all males would be able to relate to, whereas women would most likely take an arsenal of cleaning supplies.

               Dave Barry’s general audience would be for both males and females who are able to relate to differences between the sexes. The author’s general audience is expressed by the he writes of both genders. Barry doesn’t expressly emphasis favor for one gender, but rather he explored both sides of the gender argument in a way that only points out differences between the genders.

Purpose

               Dave Barry’s purpose in Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out is to entertain the reader. Entertainment of the reader is illustrated by his light-hearted, sarcastic, satirical tone with “…we males could not focus our attention on the various suggested topics because we could actually feel the World Series television and radio broadcast rays zinging through the air...” This quote reflects the importance of the World Series through hyperbole and sarcasm.

Speaker

               Dave Barry, who has also written comedic novels, believes that even though men and women differ, a compromise can be made. This compromise is illustrated by how in the end, the men were able to watch the World Series. Compromises being able to be made between opposite sexes by his explanation of how the men were able to watch the World Series with “Soon all four of us [the males at the dinner party] were in there, watching the Annual Fall Classic, while the women prattled away about human relationships or something.” This quote shows that the men had sat and talked with the women, but soon moved on to more important matters, like watching baseball.

               Dave Barry’s use of irony is evident in the quote: “She is in there looking at the very walls I just Windexed, and she is seeing dirt! Everywhere!” This quote provides a sarcastic tone, as well as a dubious one, that would make the reader chuckle and somehow relate it back to their life. This ultimately would make the essay more enjoyable for the reader, thus more entertaining.

Tone

               Dave Barry shows sarcastic and light-hearted attitude about the differences between men and women in Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out. These attitudes are expressed by his use of italicized words, such as in the previous quote, that emphasis certain words created a sarcastic tone.  A light-hearted attitude is expressed when he writes of how the men of Pompeii supposedly didn’t notice that ash was covering the city until half of the children were covered. His tone is effective in the essay because this way he offends neither gender and it allows him to approach the subject less delicately.