Who's Who
Who narrates "A Plague of Tics"?
David Sedaris
Where does much of David’s childhood behavior in the essay take place?
At school/home.
What are “tics” in the context of the essay?
Repetitive behaviors/actions David feels compelled to perform.
Is the essay generally written in a serious or humorous voice?
Humorous, although it addresses serious/uncomfortable experiences.
Is “A Plague of Tics” fiction or a personal essay/memoir?
A personal essay memoir
Who is Miss Chestnut?
Who is Miss Chestnut?
What concerns Miss Chestnut about David?
His repetitive/unusual behaviors or tics.
Are David’s tics presented as completely voluntary?
No
What emotion might David experience when adults notice his tics?
Embarrassment/shame/self-consciousness.
What rhetorical strategy does Sedaris frequently use to make his experiences entertaining?
Pathos
Who does Miss Chestnut bring in to observe David’s behavior?
His mother
Why does Miss Chestnut want David’s mother to see him in class?
So she can witness the behaviors/tics herself.
What effect does being watched have on David?
It makes him more conscious/self-conscious about his behavior.
What does the essay show about being different as a child?
Differences can become especially painful when other people notice, judge, or ridicule them.
When Sedaris describes his own embarrassing behavior, what does that reveal about him to the audience?
Vulnerability/self-awareness; it can also help establish ethos.
How does David’s mother react after observing his tics?
She imitates/mocks his behavior.
What happens when David realizes other people notice his behaviors?
He becomes more aware/self-conscious about them.
What conflict do the tics create for David?
He knows others find them strange but still feels compelled to perform them.
Why might Sedaris make an uncomfortable childhood experience funny?
Humor helps him tell a painful/embarrassing story and shapes how the audience responds to it.
How can humor help Sedaris connect with his audience?
It makes an uncomfortable subject approachable and encourages readers to empathize with him.
Why is his mother’s reaction important to the essay?
It shows how other people perceive behaviors David himself has difficulty controlling
Does simply knowing that his behaviors look unusual allow David to stop them?
No
Why might the title “A Plague of Tics” be an exaggeration?
“Plague” exaggerates how numerous/overwhelming the tics feel.
How might adult David’s perspective affect the way he tells the story?
He can look back on his childhood with humor and reflection that he may not have had as a child.
Why does Sedaris include specific scenes with Miss Chestnut and his mother instead of simply telling us, “People noticed my tics”?
The scenes show the reactions of others and let readers experience his embarrassment rather than merely being told about it.