“Giving up smoking is the simplest thing in existence. I know because I have done it on numerous occasions,” Mark Twain famously stated. This quote resonates with David Sedaris as he authorizes an article entitled “Letting Go,” expressing his aversion to cigarettes during his youth and his subsequent addiction to them in later life. Sedaris, known for his humorous writing, showcases his comedic talent throughout the piece, making it evident to any reader.
Sedaris cleverly addresses the serious issue of cigarette addiction, employing his own sense of humor to mock himself and smokers in general. Despite the knowledge that smoking is detrimental to one’s health, individuals continue to engage in this habit. Through his use of sarcasm and wit, Sedaris accurately captures the conflicted mindset of smokers. While smoking is universally recognized as harmful, Sedaris presents his firsthand account of this unfavorable practice in a lighthearted and amusing manner.
In his essay, Sedaris recounts his fourth grade field trip to the American Tobacco plant near his childhood home. He mentions that his class observed the process of cigarette production and were even given complimentary packs to take home to their parents. Sedaris humorously points out, “I tell people this and they inquire about my age, presuming, I suppose, that I attended the world’s first elementary school where we wrote on cave walls and hunted our lunch with clubs” (Sedaris). This statement highlights the ridiculousness of assuming he grew up in primitive conditions when smoking was actually commonplace before the eighties. Nowadays, it is widely recognized that smoking cigarettes can be fatal. However, in the past, it was considered a normal part of everyday life.
Cigarettes were previously not known to cause physical decay, so Sedaris went on a field trip in fourth grade to observe their production. During his upbringing, smoking lounges were present in his high school and ashtrays could be found in movie theaters and grocery stores. Once he came of age, he even received offers to take a “puff.” Sedaris remembers poking holes in his mother’s cigarette pack and being punished for it. His mother struggled to breathe, proclaiming it as “not funny” while wheezing heavily. At that time, smokers were unaware of the harmful effects cigarettes had on their health.
Sedaris noted that the presence of smoke and ashtrays did not incite his desire to smoke, but instead had the opposite effect. He found it astonishing that people continued to do so, even after his initial experience smoking at the kitchen table with his mother. As he got older, Sedaris established a daily habit of smoking cigarettes. He described how a lit cigarette would attract others, likening it to jangling quarters on a street corner. These individuals who asked for a few puffs upon seeing or smelling the cigarette were labeled as “freeloaders,” which was undesirable. The addiction could be triggered simply by witnessing someone light a cigarette or catching a whiff from a short distance in pursuit of momentary satisfaction.
