Exercise 1

Repetition and grim imagery in Lynda Barry's Cruddy establishes a pessimistic tone that characterizes the narrator's aggravated state of mind. Rather than simply stating that her life in general is cruddy, the narrator continuously repeats the word "cruddy" when describing nearly every aspect of her life, including her neighborhood, home, and family. Even though the word "cruddy" is stated over and over again, the dismal portrayal of setting provides descriptive yet dreary imagery of her run down town. However, the narrator also seems to bitterly embellish the miserable conditions of her home. Because the source of her harsh words may merely stem from her being grounded for a long time, her exaggeration of mildly bleak circumstances characterizes her as young and immature.