Broadway Gang Response

            The Broadway Gang by Jon Raymond seemed more like a thoughtful narrative than an inquiry. There were rich descriptions of the settings, encounters, and history of the area, but a clear defined question was not altogether noticeable. The main idea of the story is the Portland riots and the eventual clash between the police and the protestors. The overall idea of a riot or protest seems out of place with the status quo of a city, which drives this writing seemingly to make a point. The author never really does state a point, but rather banks on the gut reactions of the readers to feel that the riots are askew. If someone reading this writing is a protestor who happens to think riots are alright, then the writer has no chance at selling a deeper thought to them and did not write effectively enough. This strategy is not effective because the author does not provide a question that readers can reflect upon. I do not think that I will use this strategy in my own writing because I want to firmly address the question I am writing about and leave a lasting thought with my audience. In terms of Huxley’s main points, I think that the author succeeds in a personal, authoritative tone. He tells the story with numerous connections back to his family at home and he includes personal reflection on whether he wants to continue to be involved in protesting anymore. I think his argument would be much more effective in the dinner conversation format rather than the three directions because he does not effectively grasp the other directions besides personal. His writing was not very universal or poetic as a whole. The conversation may have his family, the protestor he interviewed, the police, and the middle class.