The Best of Me Analysis

 Like Irby David Sedaris believes his work isn’t worth praise but realized that everyone is going to complain no matter what you do. While Irby believed the internet is a positive advancement, David believes the invention of the internet allows people to not consider what they say before they say it (Introduction). 

One of the topics David Sedaris discusses through humor is how people with disabilities are not being listened to because no one makes a genuine effort to accommodate them on their terms, which makes them invisible (Introduction).  Inc fact, he recounts situations where him and Peg use her disability to get free things or steal by evoking sympathy in others or using people’s ignorance to their advantage. This depicts a belief that an individual with disabilities should use it as a tool to gain from the world because people love to “too good” just to look good (reputation) instead of putting effort into understanding a person, how the disability affects them, or how they manage it (The Incomplete Quad).

Amid the humor there are serious moments. For example, when his mood deteriorated because he had to care for Peg. People don’t realize how much of a responsibility it’s to take care of someone, especially at varying degrees of need. Yet, he is self aware of his negative qualities, and he admits he had them (The Incomplete Quad). Like Irby he is setting a boundary be letting us know these qualities; he let us into his life and story on his own term.

Additionally, the difference between the East and West coast is depicted through their (Peg and David) interactions with strangers: friendly v. unfriendly (The Incomplete Quad). Although the East coast is depicted as unfriendly, people tend to do small acts of kindness, that would go unnoticed if you aren’t at the receiving end. The main reason why the East is seen as unfriendly because survival. For example, in NY people quickly learn to look straight ahead and don’t interact with anyone while you’re on a train or bus. During those rides, if someone is in need people would silently help: giving up their seat, giving money, helping a mother had enough seats for her young children, pressing the request button when it’s out of reach, notifying the bus driver: holding the train door open as someone is rushing towards it, etc. Therefore, when he states, “people aren’t foolish as much as they are kind.” (The Incomplete Quad), it’s a reminder that People aren’t as foolish as others perceive, but it’s their level of compassion that allows them to turn a blind eye when they receive certain I’ll-treatments (people being mocked for being ignorant and kind). 

The relationship between his father and brother- The Rooster. People have this idea of what parent-child relationships should look like, that they are quick to judge any other kind as disrespectful and dysfunction. The reality is that parents would use techniques and communication style that best works for them and their child (You Can’t Kill the Rooster). This reminds me of the controversy and stigma around gentle parenting. There are people who believe that gentle parenting is useless and that it allows space for disrespect and a troubled child; rather gentle parenting is acknowledging that the child is a human being who has emotions and breakdowns and will mess up because they are a kid. The best example of this is on tiktok, a child wanted help his mother make coffee in the morning. So, she allowed him to pour the milk, but he constantly spilled it. Although frustrated, the mother didn’t yell, rather she cleaned it up, explained why the milk spilled, and showed him the correct way to pour. A couple of attempts later, the boy was able to pour drinks with no spills. People in the comments responded to the previous accidents, saying the mother should have yelled or grounded him. This was a child who was at the age where they learn to improve their motor skills, so spills are expected. Critics seem to view children as something they can control or live through rather than human beings.