SOAPSTone: Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out by Dave Barry

S- The subject of this essay is the roles/attractions of both the sexes. In the first part of the essay, Barry identifies that women are attracted to cleaning. He mentions the idea of women being able to see individual molecules of dirt. On the other hand, Barry points out that men are more attracted to sports. He particularly highlights a party in which all of the men ends up watching the World Series away from their wives in a separate room.

O- The occasion for the essay was the changing roles of men and women throughout history. The norm in historical precedents usually follows a constant system. Women run the house while the men are away. The men are the bread earners and do minimal cleaning. However, Barry mentions that the civilization in Pompeii actually had men as the house cleaners.

A- The audience is indeed members of both genders. However, it is more specific than that. The audience is people who think the opposing gender's way of life is primitive. For example, women typically don't have a high place in their heart for sports. Men, on the other hand, frown upon microscopic cleaning. Barry's audience is truly divided.

P- The purpose of the essay is simple. It is to show the opposite members of each sex that the other sex thinks their way of life is primitive, even though they think the same way towards them. Men think life revolves around sports and that cleaning is for the birds. Women don't usually care about sports, but take a sense of pride in having a clean living environment. There are two sides to every story.

S- The speaker is author Dave Barry. He has written multiple humorous essays. Many of them poke fun at certain aspects of life. These include the overuse of facts and American politics. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for "distinguished commentary".

Tone- Barry's tone has two parts. On one hand, Barry writes humorously about he and his other male acquaintances tried to get out of a group conversation with their wives so that they could see the World Series on TV. This act was both desparate and hilarious. On the other hand, Barry shows a feeling of sensibility in his essay. He pokes fun at himself by showcasing his lack of deatil in cleaning the bathroom and how he complains about doing it. However, he realizes the other side of the argument. Women take a sense of pride in cleaning, and that must be respected.