Essay Questions

Why do the narrator and his mother make very few friends?

In the first essay, Us and Them, the narrator presents how he and his mother moved around a lot. The narrator presents how his mother makes very few friends seeing as the family moved around rather regularly. In this way, making few friends will result in a reduction in their closeness to people which would subsequently translate into reduced heartfelt tears when the family finally moved away to a new location. The narrator also adopts his mother’s attitude viewing making friends as a choice when it was not in actuality, particularly, on his part. Making very few friends or none at all becomes the narrator and his mother’s way of reducing their closeness and attachment to people whom they would finally leave behind in their constant relocation escapades.

How is homosexuality as a theme brought out in Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim?

Homosexuality as well as the effects that follow a negative view of it are well presented in David Sedaris’s essays forming the book. In particular, the effect and the lack of acceptance of one’s sexuality are alluded to in “Hejira” where Sedaris is kicked out of his father’s house, following the knowledge that he is gay. On that day, when Sedaris is called to his father’s office, he presents how he felt after being told to get out: ”He was sitting very formally in a big, comfortable chair behind his desk, and I felt as though he were firing me from the job of being his son.” In this way, the writer explicitly presents the concept of homophobia even within the families of gay individuals. Elsewhere, Sedaris tackles criticisms related to homosexuality in “Chicken in the Henhouse.” Homosexuality in this way becomes one of the central themes tackled by the anthology.

Explore the character of David Sedaris as brought out in Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

One of the major character traits exhibited by the writer of this work is creativity. In this work, Sedaris who is also the narrator takes on excellent language and flawlessly presents aspects of his life in a memoir-like manner. He creatively presents the happenings of his life as well as the troubles that the family goes through. The anthology, in this way, thus becomes an exploration of the writer’s creativity. Additionally, the narrator is painted as bold following his responses to the critics of homosexuality in “Chicken in the Henhouse.” When he is thrown out of the house by his father for being gay, he exhibits hopefulness as he hopes to find a job and hold his lie together.