Week 4- Reading Response #1

Q. #3
The most successful cartoon is by Roz Chast, An Excerpt from Men Are from Belgium, Women Are from New Brunswick. Maybe it's because instead of implying the difference it makes it clear by writing it. A lot of times it is hard for both genders to understand each other when it is sugar coded "nice" and isn't a kind truth. In most cases the "nice words" makes the situation worse, I think that's why I like reading the translation on the Chast cartoon on the right hand side. You, as the reader, are able to see the anger and annoyance building with each word said, reacting with the other persons words. Reading it as a woman, I can feel how aggravated I get and it is personable to my husband and myself. Especially dating back to the first year of marriage when I didn't know how to cook a thing. Also how just a simple statement in the wrong tone, can make things evolve into a big ugly mess. The least successful cartoon in my opinion was Peter Steiner, And do you, Deborah Tannen, think they know what they're talking about? Without knowing who Deborah Tannen is, this cartoon doesn't make any sense. If you know that Deborah is a sociolinguist, then the cartoon makes complete sense. But in its current context it leaves the reader confused as to who this person is in the middle and why they are in the wedding ceremony. No one takes that much time to research the comics, they should make sense without having to think too far into it, or know every famous persons job and life by name.