It’s true. If you want to buy a spring suit, the choice selection occurs in February: a bathing suit, March: back-to-school clothes, July: a fur coat, August. Did I tell you about the week I gave in to a mad-Mitty desire to buy a bathing suit in August?

Question

The clerk, swathed in a long-sleeved woolen dress which made her look for the world like Teddy Snowcrop, was aghast. “Surely, you are putting me on,” she said. “A bathing suit! In August!”

“That’s right,” I said firmly, “and I am not leaving this store until you show me one.”

She shrugged helplessly. “But surely you are aware of the fact that we haven’t had a bathing suit in stock since the first of June. Our – no offense – White Elephant sale was June third and we unload – rather, disposed of all of our suits at that time.”

— Erma Bombeck, At Wit’s End

Question 1 (1 point)
What is the attitude of the writer toward the subject matter?

Your answer:
Question 2 (1 point)
What diction and details does Bombeck use to express this attitude? In other words, what diction and details create the tone of the passage?

Your answer:
Question 3 (1 point)
Write down two words that describe the tone of this passage. Be prepared to share out with the class.

Your answer:

Answer 1

Question 1: What is the attitude of the writer toward the subject matter?

Your answer: The writer's attitude is humorous and slightly frustrated regarding the absurdity of seasonal buying trends and the challenges they present. She points out the ridiculousness of trying to purchase a bathing suit in August, capturing the contrast between her urgent desire to buy and the clerk's bewildered response to the out-of-season request.

Question 2: What diction and details does Bombeck use to express this attitude? In other words, what diction and details create the tone of the passage?

Your answer: Bombeck uses playful and exaggerated diction, such as "mad-Mitty desire" and comparing the clerk to "Teddy Snowcrop," to inject humor into the situation. The clerk's shocked response, "Surely, you are putting me on," emphasizes the absurdity of the scenario. The reference to the “White Elephant sale” and description of the store's inventory situation contribute to the whimsical and ironic tone, highlighting the disconnect between consumer desires and retail realities.

Question 3: Write down two words that describe the tone of this passage. Be prepared to share out with the class.

Your answer: Humorous, Irreverent.