Reading Response 1: The American Men at Age Ten

The American Man at Age Ten, is a very good example of an essay that was written through interview and a very detailed observation since there were no bibliography or work cited attached. He is a handsome kid. He has broad forehead, dark eyes with dense lashes, and a sharp, dimply smile (Orlean 255). By reading those few lines, made you feel that you have seen this boy called Colin before. I think that the writer did a very good job in describing every single detail during that specific time and place, where Susan made you see the world through a very odd 10 year old boy eyes and sometimes even made you feel how it was to be a kid again, where everything was so simple. But at ten he is still convinced that the best thing about being married will be that he will be allowed to sleep in his clothes (Orlean 256). That is as simple as it could get.

Although this essay is more like a biography of Colin, but because of the in depth descriptions of his everyday life, made it more interesting more like an adventure, not only do you know his every characteristics, likes and dislikes or even what he thinks about girls at his age, the writer made you get to know Colin not by his facts but by his everyday life experience, which I think is a very good approach. For example, "It happen to be Colin's first day in fifth grade. Before class began there was a lot of horsing around.." (Orlean 257).

At first I was a little puzzled by the title, but after reading a few paragraphs it all came clearly, Colin was not your average ten year old kid, although he still has some of a kid characteristics, he views things very differently in terms of subject matter. "The best magazine are Nintendo Power, because they tell you how to do the secret moves in video games, and also Mad Magazine and Money Guide-I really like that one" (Orlean 262). It is obvious that he is still a kid but what 10 year old reads Money Guide? That would be a first for me.

However, I felt that the writer did not properly conclude the essay, in such a way that I was asking myself, "Was that the ending?" or trying to flip the page looking for more. It was a very odd way to end the essay, also after reading the essay a few times, it seems that the essay did not progress into another stage or it was like a only a single note was played.