Reading Questions on “A Plague of Tics” by David Sedaris
“A Plague of Tics,” by David Sedaris
1. Sedaris chooses to satirize what can only be regarded as a serious medical condition—
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—a disorder that “plagued” him from childhood
until college. Is this choice (to satirize) something that you find offensive? If not, what
is it about this essay that allows you to sympathize with the author?
2. What would you say is the SUBJECT of this piece? What is the DOMINANT IDEA, or
THEME? Are they the same or different?
3. What is the PURPOSE of this essay? (one sentence)
4. How does Sedaris’s mother become a sympathetic character? How does she humanize
the essay? (consider “pathos”, or appeal to emotion)
5. Sedaris uses humor to great effect. What are three funny moments in this essay? What
do you think Sedaris was trying to do with humor in each of these instances?
6. Comment on the language choices that Sedaris makes, including choice of diction and
syntax. Is he formal or informal? What kind of audience is he trying to reach through
his word choice?
7. Sedaris chooses a “chronological” organizational pattern, starting with his young years
and ending with his college years. Does this choice of organizational pattern suit his
purpose?