Reading Assignment #2
Yost
9/2/13
Tropic of Cancer by Christopher Hitchens
Summary: Hitchens is a sixty-one year man in New York to be on The Daily Show with John Stewart and make a few public appearances when he suddenly feels as if he is dying. An emergency crew of medical workers rush and care for him. The night before he again felt very ill but kept his appointments and made two appearances. Hitchens threw up violently before both but managed to carry himself through the night without notice of ill being from those attending. He comments on the fact that this land is strange with an odd language and there appears to be no racism but there is no talk of sex and the food is bad. It is then revealed that Hitchens has cancer in his clavicle, esophagus, lungs, and lymph nodes. His father died of esophagus cancer when he was seventy-nine and thus begins analyzation of his current state. Hitchens discusses his dealing with his cancer by using the 5 stages of mourning as the outline. Hitchens states he has been in denial for quite some time, refuses to deal with the prospect of death. Then showcases chemo-therapy as bargaining, a way to stick around by trading your taste buds, hair, etc. He denies self pity or wallowing for a few paragraphs and how he wishes death would just come to him. The essay concludes with Hitchens stating he "hopes to write next time if he is spared".
Credibility: Wrote for Evening Standard and Daily Express while living in London. After relocating to Washington D.C he wrote a column called "Minority Report" for The Nation. During this period, he also wrote the books Cyprus (1984) and The Elgin Marbles: Should They Be Returned to Greece? (1987). Also the author of many controversial works on things such as religion and politics. A well known atheist, famous and thought provoking writer.
Credibility: Wrote for Evening Standard and Daily Express while living in London. After relocating to Washington D.C he wrote a column called "Minority Report" for The Nation. During this period, he also wrote the books Cyprus (1984) and The Elgin Marbles: Should They Be Returned to Greece? (1987). Also the author of many controversial works on things such as religion and politics. A well known atheist, famous and thought provoking writer.
Context: The essay is focused entirely on his cancer and the imminent presence of lingering death.
Purpose: A look at mortality through the eyes of a dying man.
Audience: Hitchens' fans or those familiar of his works.
Rhetorical Devices: The mood of this work is very dark as it is focused on the mortality of a dying man.
Opinion: The mood very successfully accomplishes Hitchens purpose of seeing through the eyes of a dying man. The eerie unsettling mood set is one set by death itself.
Christopher Hitchens Courtesy of http://www.biography.com/people/christopher-hitchens--20845987
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