Here’s a telegram that I’ve projected onto a screen and asked students to close-read: Knowing nothing about Herman Mackiewicz, Ben Hecht, or telegraphic style, my students were able to accurately describe the sender, what he assumed about the recipient, and how he regarded other people. The imitation job offer, the use of “peanuts,” and the final sentence all point to the sender’s personality and facility with words. One simply
Competing with Idiots
Competing with Idiots
Competing with Idiots
Here’s a telegram that I’ve projected onto a screen and asked students to close-read: Knowing nothing about Herman Mackiewicz, Ben Hecht, or telegraphic style, my students were able to accurately describe the sender, what he assumed about the recipient, and how he regarded other people. The imitation job offer, the use of “peanuts,” and the final sentence all point to the sender’s personality and facility with words. One simply