Rend Smith Article - Diary of a Creep

Rend Smith, in his article the “Diary of a Creep”, very subtly introduces himself as an unwanted and scary human being. He describes himself and his lifestyle as that of any other man, normal and satisfying and then suddenly and bluntly, Rend spits out that he is a creep. His way of separating that sentence from all other text creates focus and emphasis on the word “creep”. Then he begins telling the story of how he received the title and who gave him the name. He revolts the audience that calls him creep in a very subtle fashion, as if he is still confused as to why he has been called a creep and what qualifies him for that ridiculous title. He begins telling the reader his bodily attributes and then mentions a disease that has struck him, which he comes to conclude is the reason for him being a creep. Still not satisfied with the reason, he further explores what has caused him to be a creep in the eyes of the people. He mentions the look people give him when they sit down with him. He illustrates a particular detail, which reflects an essential element of human nature; he says that, “teenagers who otherwise are comfortable enough sitting near me” are ill-stricken and call him various names such as “yuck” and “gross”, when they look at him. In this case, teenagers are comfortable sitting with Rend as long as they do not see him and because his looks are so deceiving that upon seeing him those same teenagers become uncomfortable and scared. This shows that humans tend to judge other humans often on their looks, even if it may have nothing to do with their behavior or habits.

Then he asks the audience some rhetorical questions, as if he were pleading to a jury for his crime, thinking that audience would understand him and favor him. After making the audience feel bad for him, he tells the audience what they are doing wrong by labeling people creeps. He says that by labeling someone with the title of a creep we are “victimizing” that person before he does something to us that make us the “victim”; all in all, we are creating creepy and scary people by labeling them, even though they may be perfectly normal like you and I.

Rend takes it a step further by comparing the labeling of the word “creep” to slavery. By doing this comparison, he establishes the level and the height at which it has reached. Then he brings in the race issue in this matter, saying that race is big part of this “creep” campaign that everyone seems to be joining. He mentions that “white people” have only come to accept only those black men that have risen in stature and that are good looking, other than that all other “black people” are “creeps” to white people. To end on a light note, he brings this issue back down to himself, maybe so that the reader does not feel too offended. He then ends with the line that predicts more upcoming articles that will become part of this “diary of a creep”. In my opinion, this