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Analysis: Panda Story

     How does the language used in the Panda story build up suspense before the ending?

Significance:

     How is this piece of language being used to make certain things significant or not and in what ways?

    Since, we are gathering information from text, we would have to account for the actions that are taking place within the story.

     In the beginning of the story, the jokester reveals that a Panda has escaped a zoo in New York.  Of course the people of New York would be on alert, wondering where this wild animal has gone to.  However, the jokester then reveals that the Panda has entered a restaurant, seated himself, and ordered food.  Through the maitre 'd's assessment of his surrounding the Panda's actions and whereabouts calms the situation.  In essence, the Panda is acting like a patron at the restaurant.

     After the Panda eats, he "calmly pulls out a gun...and blows away several customers and a couple of the waiters."  Murder, especially in today's society, is significant.  However, the jokester follows that sentence with the Panda turning around and heading for the door.  The Panda's action isn't rushed after he wastes a handful of people.  He's not trying to make a quick get away.  Because the joke teller doesn't express the Panda's haste to exit the restaurant, we see a down-play on significance.

Relationships:

     What sort of relationship or relationships is this piece of language seeking to enact with others (present or not)?

     The jokester is trying to relate with someone who understands the English language.

      -The Panda tells the maitre d' to look up the word Panda-->it's common for people to look up words in the dictionary and other sources to find a meaning.

      -The chief detective sends a rookie out to get an encyclopedia-->relates to the previous statement.

      -The kicker: "Giant Panda, lives in China, eats shoots and leaves."-->the ending of the story plays on punctuation.  "Eats shoots and leaves" refers to the animal eating a plant.  On the other hand, "Eats, shoots, and leaves" is what occurred in the story.

Connections:

     How does this piece of language connect or disconnect things; how does it make one thing relevant or irrelevant to another?

      -Connection(s): The Panda, which escaped a zoo, now has human characteristics and is sitting and ordering food at a nice restaurant.  The maitre d' doesn't think anything of it because New York is strange.  Although the idea is absurd, it works within the context of the story and the knowledge readers know about New York and its denizens.

This also shows a stereotype to New York, they showed that New York is a tough and rough placed and the maitre d' said he was used to stranger things then a giant Panda.  

Language (tool):

     The story is written in a "matter-of-fact" tone, which makes the joke very casual.

How does the language used in the Panda story build up suspense before the ending?   

     After analyzing the significance, relationship, and connection found within the Panda story, we noticed that the language used within the text had a roller-coaster effect, which ended with a "one-two"play on punch-uation. Also this shows that this joke relates to English teachers or people who knows grammar well. It will be hard to understand this joke if you were trying to tell it to someone rather then having them read it.