Spychalla 1

Jamie P. Spychalla
Mrs. Gallenberg
AP Language-6th Hour
8 December 2014
The Death of Benny Paret Analysis
Death is often depicted as a lanky figure covered from head to toe in a black robe
carrying a scythe. This character at some point visits every human being. Some people know that
Death will soon come knocking on their door and embrace Death like an old friend. Other people
feel that their time has not yet come. They try to resist Death. Death may take a few punches,
but in the end Death always wins. Norman Mailers essay The Death of Benny Paret illustrates
how one young man fell into the hands of Death. The syntax and diction are arranged in such a
way that facts are logically presented. However towards the end of the essay, emotion is evoked
in the reader. The way fact and feeling are intertwined can be seen when examining excerpts
from the essay.
Paret was a Cuban, a proud club fighter who had become welterweight champion
because of his unusual ability to take a punch. His style of fighting was to take three punches to
the head in order to give back two. These two statements give the reader an immense amount of
background knowledge on Paret. Logically, the reader expects that in the fight against Griffith,
Paret will employ this tactic.
Then Paret began to wilt. Although this short sentence appears to be a statement of
fact, it is also the first time emotion was truly utilized in the essay. In reading this simple
statement, the reader feels an immense amount of sympathy towards Paret. This statement
confirms that Parets winning tactic has failed him.

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Griffith was in like a cat ready to rip the life out of a huge boxed rat. This simile
vividly describes how the fight has transitioned. The reader pictures Paret trapped in the corner
of the ring with no solution in sight. The boxing match has turned into a fight for survival since
Griffith seems to be prepared to rip the life out of Paret. By reading this statement the amount
of sympathy and empathy the reader has for Paret builds.
The feelings of sympathy and empathy continue to build until the essay reaches its
climax. Mailer writes, Paret died on his feet. As he took those eighteen punches something
happened to everyone who was in the psychic range of the event. Some part of his death reached
out to us. One felt it hover in the air. Mailer describes the death as if it were hovering in the air.
The word choice in this statement paints an image of how the audience suffocated on reality. The
audience realized that someday they will die as well. A depressed tone resonates in the readers
mind. Some part of Parets death reaches out to the reader.
Throughout this essay the reader slowly begins to realize that every human being has a
tipping or breaking point before he or she falls apart. In life there are only a certain amount of
punches that one can take. No one is invincible or immortal, not even the strongest among us can
beat Death.