How_to_Write_a_Letter_-_Garrison_Keillor

Preservation of a Letter As technology has become more common, writing a letter has become an act of the past. The essay “How to Write a Letter”, by author Garrison Keillor, is trying to portray to a younger audience that taking the time out of one’s day to write out a letter to a dear friend would mean a lot to him or her. Keillor uses many strategies to persuade the reader that letters are still a practical and possibly more personal way to communicate. Keillor is merely situating the idea of writing a letter in our heads to make sure we do not bypass our typical lazy thought process, which directly links us to instant messaging, emails, or a simple phone call. Keillor writes out genuinely friendly notes on paper so the reader can visually identify what he depicts as an informal letter. With his playful examples of an unconventional letter, he is trying to captivate a younger, more technologically advanced, generation. Through the essay, it is evident an extraordinary effort is focused to separate this new young generation away from modern technology and to show them another, more compassionate way to communicate with another person regardless of to whom they may be writing to. In addition, Keillor explains how writing should not be an obligatory event. Moreover, writing a letter for pleasure does not require extensive planning. specifically to write to them deeply touches that person. Keillor reasons with the reader that writing an approximate fifty-word letter can depict much more than one phone call. Keillor is trying to encourage a younger, more modern generation to preserve their past through the process of writing letters. The extent to which the author goes to explain his stance on writing letters gives the reader the inspiration explained through the essay. Realistically, writing a letter does not take much time out of one’s day. Letters do not need to be elaborate; however, if you are in a creative mood, a letter can express your own individuality to the receiver. One can always decorate the letter, as Keillor says, “It’s not a term paper” (Keillor 314), therefore, if it brings you content to decorate the letter by coloring, drawing or even painting it, go for it. Ultimately, one can include or exclude as many details as they want in the outgoing envelope. Works Cited Keillor, Garrison. “How to Write a Letter.” The Norton Reader: An Anthology of Nonfiction. Ed. Linda H. Peterson and John C. Brereton: Shorter 12th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2004. 312-316.