Elwyn Brooks White Essay, Research Paper

Elwyn Brooks White was an American author. He wrote to influence people?s lives. Everyone

who was lucky enough to pick up one of his writings never walked away without benefiting from

it. They gained from his aspects of style, humor and seriousness.

White?s style of writing was unique. Nigel Dennis states that ?he omits needless words

and avoids a succession of loose sentences? (Dennis, 531). This means that White does not use

words that are not needed in a sentence. He also kept his writing strong, so those who read it

could understand it easily. He had a good style format which represented himself. ?White?s

style… developed freely as an expression of himself? (Sampson, 530). Sampson says in this

statement that White?s writing skills got better as he developed more as an author. White wrote

differently from most authors. ?White writes by ear, and writes superlatively well? (Hasley, 528).

White wrote what he was feeling or thinking at that moment, whatever he decided to keep usually

ended up to be an excellent piece of work. Most people who read White?s work benefited from

his unique styles of writing. Other authors tried out White?s techniques and used them in their

own books.

Humor was used in many of Whie?s writings. He loved to electrify his readers by

laughter, and ?it was as a humorist that he first attracted much attention? (Sampson, 529). White

?made humor America?s best ambassador? (Dennis, 531). Dennis states that White made humor

one of America?s most popular kinds of writings. White?s writings were different than that of

other authors, ?his humorous ones often have an ironic twist or comment that gives them a

serious tone? (Sampson, 529). This means that most of White?s writings have a top layer of

humor, but deep down they have a serious side. ?Apart from his own unfaltering sophistication,

White as critic of our national life can be seen as a logical descendant of a whole line of nineteenth

century American humorists? (Hasley, 526). Hasley sees White as a descendant of the humorous

writers before White?s own time. Even though most of White?s writings were filled with humor

quite a few of them have a serious side to them, but ?he never lost his humorous touch?

(Sampson, 529). His humor affect many peoples lives. It gave them inspiration and made people

feel special. Humor is what attracts people to his books. People like books that joke about

serious topics, but still get to the point.

Seriousness played an important role in White?s writings. Even though most of White?s

writings were based upon humor, ?His eye and his intelligence see what lies beneath the surface?

(Hasley, 527). White could always build up a serious tone behind all of his humorous writings.

Deep beneath the surface there were always thoughts of seriousness running through the mind of

White. ?Serious themes emerge and humor becomes more and more a means to an end, not an

end in itself? (Sampson, 529). As White develops as an author more serious topics break through

and the humor is saved for a funny ending or is not used at all. When this happens you can really

see White maturing and becoming a better writer. He didn?t just write to be funny, but he wrote

funny to make a point. With this ?White shows that American humorists have accepted their

secondary place in the scale of seriousness for many years? (Dennis, 531). Dennis states that

White knew his writings weren?t the most serious he could make them, but most people pay more

attention to a point with a little humor than one that just states certain facts and is boring. I think

White did this on purpose. He gave the serious point a little humor to catch a readers attention,

but after it was read the serious point was made and the reader understood it. Most people take

these serious points and apply them to their everyday life. They believe in these and pass them

down to their children and their children?s children, making it so White?s seriousness influences

everyone.

Many people gained from his style, humor and his seriousness. These three things have

influenced peoples lives and helped them throughout their lifetime

Dennis, Nigel. ?White, E(lwyn) B(rooks) 1899,? Contemporary Literary Criticism: Excerpts of

Criticism of the Works or Today?s Novelists, Poets, Playwrights, and Other Creative

Writers. ed., Dedria Bryfonski, Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1979, X, 526-531.

Hasley, Louis. CLC. X.

Sampson, Edward C.. CLC. X.