Outside Reading (Editorial #2)

Post written November 14, 2010

Editorial written November 3, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/04/opinion/04thu4.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

In "Halloween's Afterlife," (no author named) the elusive writer recounts what happens, in his or her eyes, after Halloween has ended. Using a casual narrative voice and style, the writer not only presents an intriguing viewpoint into the shenanigans that occur in the days following Halloween, but also makes smaller, less noticeable political and social accusations.

The mysterious author's voice crafts a story that is both entertaining and convincing. Using definite phrases in the present tense, such as "But for another day or two this is still a block apparently preoccupied with irreverence toward death, which is much less frightening than death’s irreverence" make the reader believe the editorial in a sense of fact rather than opinion. The narrative style of the piece also leads to this belief, with the article structured as a story with a "beginning," "middle," and "end." Also, I appreciate how the author did not list his or her name with the article. I find that this just adds to the distant feel of the piece.

When the author writes, "the only remnant of Halloween will be the inflatable rat — 20 feet tall, paws raised, incisors exposed — sitting on its haunches in front of a building down the street, the site of a protest against nonunion labor" I wonder whether the author is trying to make a political point to their audience. Since the author later alludes to the rat, saying that the rat looks "less like an emblem of protest and more like the best decoration of all" and later that the rat "will be back to business," I am forced to believe that the author is trying to point out that this certain protest group will never stop trying to achieve their goals.

Oddly enough, I could picture this article as an AP essay. It exhibits a unique voice amongst its descriptive flow of language. If "Halloween's Afterlife" were to be an AP essay, however, I think that it would need to be a bit longer. The author might consider discussing more about the importance of the rat remaining in the day's after Halloween. Or they might elaborate on the sentence discussing the irreverence of and towards death. I'd also like the author to change the piece's last sentence, which, in my opinion, does not do the article justice.