From the outset of the essay, David’s perceived struggles with communication (or more accurately, the inability to communicate in the expected manner) are evident. Sedaris reflects on the pressure he felt as a young child to conform to his school’s linguistic expectations. David’s experiences with speech therapy added to the pressure because he felt chastised for being unable to properly pronounce an “s” sound. However, he’d always been able to communicate and be easily understood, so instead of trying to change (or “be cured” of his sibilant lisp), he changed his entire vocabulary to avoid using any words with the “s” sound.

Although David received praise for his superior vocabulary, the idea of changing his ingrained speech patterns to evade confrontation or criticism shows the extent of his desire to not be called out or pressured to fit in. He sought any means possible to avoid saying the letter “s.” The question was how he could truly express himself through this new way of speaking. If communication is the key to self-expression, then Sedaris is highlighting the impact of communication on self-identification and personal identity. The new David used large words and expanded his lexicon, but this wasn’t the real David.