TOW #4 IRB "Don't Get Too Comfortable" by David Rakoff

        In his novel, Don't Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never-Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World Problems, Rakoff writes in the style of several essays strung together by the common thread of the self-indulgence, a token of the American way of life. Although residing in New York for most of his life, originally coming to America as an immigrant, he has a refreshing outsiders take on the way of life that is thought of as common place. He admits to, while also picking fun at the idea of such excessive means of living in his autobiography. The tenth chapter in the book particularly caught my attention, as an exemplar of what, Don't Get Too Comfortable, is trying to achieve, as well as the rhetorical devices and strategies it utilizes in order to do so in such a meaningful way. 

       Humor is perhaps, the most important part of the book. Most of his audience participates in the lifestyle that he so adamantly mocks, so it is crucial for him to sugarcoat his criticisms with wit and sarcasm, in order to keep his audience entertained, rather than feeling attacked. After an encounter with the very rude Karl Lagerfeld on a trip to Paris, Rakoff describes, "His large doughy rump dominating the miniature piece of furniture, like a loose, flabby, ass flavored muffin overrisen from its pan, he resembles a Daumier caricature of some corpulent, inhumane oligarch drawn sitting on a commode, stuffing his greedy throat with the corpses of dead children," (Rakoff, pg. 143). Not only does he dazzle his audience with clever, yet vivid imagery and allusion, he also employs a humorously obscene vocabulary and diction. His disdain toward people such as the well-known designer could not be more obvious, yet in writing so wittily, he disguises his loathing in a matter that will cause readers to crack a smile at the very least. Although there is some disconnect caused by the fragmented manner in which the book is written, Rakoff is very successful in achieving his purpose, through the use of many rhetorical devices. 

The book's cover sets the tone for the clever, yet relatable, narrative that Rakoff's autobiography entails. The blade carving out a patch of the floor beneath the luxurious chair depicted prepares readers to be a bit uncomfortable, as the book addresses many things that are seldom included in American writing.