1. Give two examples from the text where Wallace, in his writing, highlights a duality. For each one, tell what that duality is and how he is communicating it through his writing.

• “Bloomington's aren’t unfriendly but do tend to be reserved… but now there's something to talk about that outweighs all reserve.” This duality is regarding the people and shows how in normal times the citizens have nothing to talk about, but in times like 911 everyone is talking to everyone because of the utter shock they are all in.
• “There isn’t much public community” versus “Everybody has flags out. Homes, businesses.” There's also a duality of complete unity versus little cliques. The author gives this effect by showing instances of unity and those without any unity.

2. Write a brief, one paragraph description of your town in the style of the following passage from the essay, and then comment on the questions below:

Bloomington is a city of 65,000 in the central part of a state that is extremely flat, so that you can see the town's salients from very far away. Three major interstates converge here, and several rail lines. The town's almost exactly halfway between Chicago and St. Louis, and its origins involve being a big train depot. It has a smaller twin city, Normal, that's built around a university and a slightly different story. Both towns together are like 110,000.

• Whittier is a city with many inhabitants and rich in history. This city is in Los angeles county, bordering orange county, and is surrounded by cities such as Pico Rivera, La Habra, and La Mirada. It is known to be the hometown of both  President Richard Nixon and First lady Lou Henry Hoover. It also has historical ties to the migrating quakers.

What are the key things here that you're describing? I am describing the history of the town and neighboring cities.

How are you describing them? I am describing them by discussing their history

What type of information are you including? I am including information about the inhabitants, neighboring cities, and history.

What is your tone? My tone is informative.

What kinds of figurative language are you using, if any? none

3. Write a brief, one paragraph description of your town in the style of the following passage from the essay, and then comment on the questions below:

Winter here is a pitiless bitch, but in the warm months, Bloomington's a little like a seaside community except the ocean here is corn, which grows steroid ically and stretches to the earth's curve in all directions. The town itself in summer is intensely green--streets bathed in tree-shade and homes' explosive gardens and area-code-size parks and golf courses you almost need eye-protection to look at, and row upon row of broad weedless fertilized lawns all lined up flush to the sidewalk with special edging tools. (People here are deeply into lawn-care; my neighbors tend to mow about as often as they have.) To be honest, it can be a little creepy, especially in high summer when nobody's out and all that green just sits in the heat and seethes.

• Regardless of what time of the year it is, you can pretty much count on it being warm and sunny. To get away from this consistency, many go to big bear to take a much needed break. The surrounding area is consumed with hills, but on lucky days you are able to see the ocean and disneyland in the distance. Surrounding my home there are a few unkept houses with grass as high as your ankles and higher. It bugs all the neighbors, but no ones seems to do anything . Although they claim they will. During a few months in the spring and winter, we get a few months of cold wet bliss. Nevertheless before you know it the sun comes waltzing in again and steals the show.

What are the key things here that you're describing? I am describing the weather and the area around my home.

How are you describing them? I am describing them by using real world examples.

What type of information are you including? I am including information about the heat rain, and surrounding areas.

What is your tone? Hopeful and cheery

What kinds of figurative language are you using, if any? simile