Grant McCloskey Week #6

“A man may drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks”- Orwell Politics and the English Language

I find this expert powerful not only in its structure but also in its meaning. Orwell in the first part before the comma addresses why the man drinks, he drinks because he does in fact feel like he is a failure. He then goes on to say that he will all the more fail because he does drink. I really like this quote. The comma however makes this quote.

The purpose of a comma is to give a brief pause in a sentence to separate two ideas. In this case it is a cause and effect separated by the comma. He gave the cause of why the man drinks, then he stated the repercussions if he were to continue to drink. The quote would lose its power and flow if it were being split into two sentences. For starters the second part would not be able to stand on its own as a sentence without some rewording. The comma allows it to say together as keep its power.

I feel that a comma in writing is a very useful tool, but it should also be used in moderation. Keep together what cannot be left by itself, and separate into new sentences, which will help the reader comprehend better. Short sentences like Orwell’s above are perfect of the comma, but it is the long-winded sentences that tend to lose the readers attention.

This expert is not only powerful in the words, but also its punctuation. This sentence would not be what it is without the use of the comma. Remember to use in moderation however.  

“A man may sit back and reflect on his accomplishments, but in doing that he is giving his peers all the time in the world to pass him by”- Grant McCloskey