darnell

Young Darnell sums up everything that I myself have thought of the Mayor over the past few months. Darnell, however, unlike myself, does not just think, What would Sweeny (Todd) Do?, he logically states his opinion through his own personal suffering and the suffering of those around him that has been prolonged due to Kwami's antics.

One of the reoccurring themes and strategies Darnell uses throughout his essay is personification. He takes the city of Detroit and gives it the human quality of death. "I have seen every aspect of Detroit decay,". This sentence applies that previously, that the city was mearly dying. Now it is dead and cold, completely falling apart. Just as it takes a human body time to decompose, it takes a city time as well. Certain parts of a human body decompose faster than others, like the eyes, as certain neighborhoods of Detroit had fallen apart more quickly then others. A human body left unattended will be infested first by harmless fly larva and eggs, then more damaging bugs like maggots take over and eat the flesh until their is nothing left to eat. In the same way, a city may start out with a few drug dealers, which leads to gangs, which leads to the devastating violence that Detroit now faces. Darnell says the city ""crumbles" just as bones left under extreme heat crackle and break into small fragments. Darnell finishes his personification by saying that the mayor has, "Dug the grave" for the broken and decrepit body of the city to lay in, to be forgotten and left to finish it's rotting.

Darnell also uses imagery to convey his message. In one of his opening paragraphs, Darnell claims that his "words are drenched in tears". He admits clearly how upset and disgusted he is with the mayor who took an oath to protect and uphold the reputation city. Darnell warns the mayor in his letter that he isn't just angry but saddened by how far the mayor went with his little scam, and that this letter isn't just a liberals opinion, but that of an actually concerned citizen.

He also uses irony in questioning, "the mayor is clearly a sharp man; can he not see the ramifications of his actions", which is really reminiscent of Kym Worthy, who said that kindergartners know the civil expectations of right and wrong, and they know the consequences. If Kwami can honestly say that it isn't his fault that he had an affair and it cost the city $8 million, then he should go back to kindergarten and try learning the basic, 'you play, you pay' principal.

Darnell has an extensive vocabulary that makes him sound wise beyond his years. His selection of diction throughout the essay was impressive, words such as "dilapidated" show that he is passionate about his topic and well informed of it as well. His choice in "massive mess" makes Kilpatrick look more foolish than he already does and by saying that "he has embarrassed this city long enough," shows he is serious and isn't just complaining about a matter of money, but a matter of respect, honor and ethics.