Sept. 10-11 Assignment

The Geoff Peck short story: Gradation is a gut wrenching look at the use of meth-amphetamines.  He focuses on the disgusting aspect of meth.  He walks along the highway with the author slowly unfolding why he's there.  He, " knew truck drivers used meth to stay awake...many of them would piss in a bottle and throw it out the window.  Recycled meth wasn't as pure a dose...urine still got him five hours once."  In the next paragraph he describes his scabs, and sores all over his body.  The details of this piece make it very effective in displaying the incredible effects of meth.  The images conjured up when describing his appearance and surroundings add to the dismal feeling of "Gradation".  For example the protagonist is: "...a man in dirty jeans and a soiled gray sweatshirt", and he's walking on, "...an early November morning, the sun just becoming visible in the East, and he rubbed his hands togethor in an attempt to alleviate the chill in his bones.  At the end of the piece, the author hints that the protagonist will consume a bottle of urine to get high.  Using effective diction he writes, "He twisted the cap off and brought the bottle to his nose, wishing there was some way to know if it contained meth.  He didn't think there was".  This ending is very frank and matter-of-factly describing his desperate situation, meaning that he's become apathetic.