Consider the Lobster response
This piece intrigues me because it is not entirely a positive review of the Maine Lobster Festival. David Foster Wallace openly mocks American people, the very tourists who are fueling this event. He explains certain pitiful aspects of the MLF, like the cheap styrofoam plates and crowds of children, as a nuisance. Apparently, local people don’t even attend the MLF, although there is certainly a lot of pride held in it. Instead of ‘lying’ and only fluffing the MLF up, Wallace gives extensive technical knowledge about lobster, animal cruelty, his cab driver, etc. This gives the article an authentic feel, because he is providing full descriptions of certain important aspects of the festival- including the scientific explanation of lobsters, the stars of the show. His meticulous descriptions offer the reader tactical knowledge, making us feel as if we are extremely well informed about all aspects of this culture.
It seems that Wallace has combined analysis, research and narrative in this piece. He describes his experiences in a narrative fashion, painting specific pictures and describing typical travelers woes like losing his bags. Yet he has come to this festival to do research for this query, and thus his tale is pointed and informative. Finally, he analyzes little details like the lobster information pamphlet, giving the reader a truly unique insight into the implications of this festival. This was a very strange query / depiction of an event that I expected to be polished and shallow, but I was pleasantly surprised. I would also like to note yet again that Wallace’s footnotes serve as a special, enjoyable break from the article’s topic, providing analytical insight into his thought process/humor. I would like to continue to read his work.