Introduction

Narrative essays are a form of writing that involves storytelling. These types of essays give the writer a chance to write about personal life experiences. The audience plays a vital role in narrative essays as they influence the literary devices used in the storytelling process. Similarly, authors Scott Sander, Under the Influence, and E.B. White, Once More to the Lake, share personal childhood experiences in their essays. Likewise, their audiences have imparted their use of literary devices in their narratives. This essay seeks to compare the different literary devices that Sanders and White used to connect to their respective audiences.

In his essay, Under the Influence, essayist Scott Sanders navigates childhood memories and experiences growing up with an alcoholic father, from how he experienced his father's addiction in his childhood to how it affects him in his present life as an adult.  Sanders's audience is the mature audience as he addresses a topic that unfortunately affects many people, more so families; alcoholism. Considering that his audience is mature, the issue of alcoholism is relatable to them. This story is personable, allowing Sanders' audience to get to know both his child and adult version and thus feel connected to him because of his vulnerability.

On the other hand, E.B.White brings his audience along with him to one of the most memorable places in his childhood, a camping site on the shores of a lake in Maine. He lets in his audience on how he feels about replacing his father as his son takes his initial spot. White's audience can either be children as he relates to them in a "when I was your age" story or adults as he relates to them by bringing them back to the old forgotten childhood memories. Therefore, White's story is relatable to both children and adults.

The form of a piece of writing is simply its structure, how it is constructed and organized (Literary Forms & Genres: How They Affect Meaning, 2015). Both writers use nonfiction prose as their literary form for their essays to convey information and persuade their readers. To convince their readers, the authors chose to use nonfiction prose (facts or opinions about reality) to connect with their audience. Sanders' audience, which comprises a mature audience, determines his form of writing as his essay on alcoholism is real (nonfiction). On the other hand, White's audience, both children and adults, can also relate to his writing that touches on childhood experiences.

The form used by the writers also imparts their style. Style is the manner of expressing thought in literature. Since the authors intended to convey information to their readers, they had to take a narrative style approach in their essays. Sanders narrates how his father's alcoholism affected his childhood and adult life to appeal to his mature audience altogether, while White describes his most memorable childhood experience to appeal to both his younger and mature audiences.

A writer's audience also affects the diction used in their writing. Diction is the choice and use of words in writing. When starting his story, Sanders uses the word "drunk," but as his narrative progresses, he replaces the word drunk with different terms such as tipsy, pickled, plowed, juiced, and looped. The use of the other words by Sanders is to bring out a sense of irony even though the matter he is addressing is a severe issue. He uses diction to create irony, which makes in turn creates a sense of remorse for the people who suffered the way Sanders suffered growing up. His audience influences his diction as he uses different words for drunk to evoke a sense of humor in his audience even though he is addressing a serious issue.

White uses diction that is relatable to his older audience.  The word choices such as ‘dizzy’ and 'memory' reinforce the idea that this essay is an emotional reflection on the passage of time. From the setting of the Lake to its relation to his childhood, White demonstrates the undeniability of his own mortality. He uses diction to appeal to his older audience, who might sympathize with him in the getting old aspect. In as much as the diction appeals to his older audience, the choice of words is also understandable by children.

Writers have different ways in which they present an argument. Sanders presents his argument on alcoholism in chronological order in Under the Influence.  He starts off his narrative as his younger self when he didn't understand alcoholism. He then transitions to his current life, where he is an adult. Even as a mature adult, he is unable to even touch a can of beer. By using chronological order, he can show that you may not understand alcoholism as a child, but as you get older, you have a moral choice to choose right from wrong.

However, on the other hand, White presents his argument on the cycle of life in a non­ chronological way in Once More into the Lake.  White weaves in and out of the past and present, following the flow of his mental process. He integrates both his childhood experiences as well as his recent experiences of the camp in Maine intertwiningly. By the end of his narrative essay, White has come to a full circle by accepting his mortality. He no longer sees himself in his son's image. He understands and comes to peace with the fact that his son is getting older which is a sign that his death is near.

Imagery is a literary device used by writers to paint clear images in the mind of their audience. Sanders uses imagery to create a typical scene of his childhood home when his father was drunk. 'Left alone, our father prowls the house, thumping into furniture, rummaging in the kitchen, slamming doors' (Sanders, 1989). Sanders uses this imagery to explain the situation in their house when they went to bed and left their father alone in the living room. Through this vivid imagery, his audience can empathize with him as he gives a clear picture of how his father's alcoholism disrupted their whole household.

Sanders uses personification to describe a bedtime moment of his childhood. He explains, "Then we curl in our fearful sheets, listening." (Sanders, 1989) It is evident that sheets cannot express the emotion of fear. But sanders uses personification to show his audience the fear that he, his mother, and his siblings felt around bedtime with their alcoholic father around. White similarly uses personification to describe motorboats as domestic pets. He stated that the old two-cylinder motors "purred and purred" (White, 1941) to heighten the irritation caused by their sound. Another instance where White uses personification is when he gives the Lake a human character of being trustworthy. He states, "this constant and trustworthy body of water." to describe the Lake's consistency and unchanging nature. Through personification, the respective audiences can get into the mind of the author.