The Death of Benny Paret

In "The Death of Benny Paret," Norman Mailer gives an eyewitness account that explains

the vulgar fight that ended in the death of Benny Paret onMarch 24, 1962. Mailer describes the

viciousness of the fight by comparing the opponent, Griffith's, punches to (" a baseball bat

demolishing a pumpkin"), the way that Griffth (" Was like a cat ready to rip the life out of

[Paret]") and how Paret ("Went down like a large ship.") He relates these parts of the fight in

order to place the reader into the ring side seat next to him so they to can witness the horrific

events.

Norman Mailer opens the article with a brief description of Paret as a "Welterweight

champion." With saying that he was able to "take three punches," Mailer tries to give the reader

an image of Paret being an unstoppable force. Paret had "[taken] some bad maulings" before,

making it appear as though another bad fight could not harm or hurt him. Really that quote was

foreshadowing his death, explaining how his fights had gotten progressively worse as well as his

fighting style.

Mailer sets up and prolongs for the duration of the second paragraph with comparisons of

Griffith and Paret to many objects, each more revealing to Paret's slow decline. By Saying "Paret

began to wilt" he compares him to a dieing flower, once so beautiful and strong, now facing

Earth readying itself to go beneath it. Later in the paragraph many animal similes are used, for

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example "Griffith was a cat" while Paret was " A huge boxed rat," meaning Griffth was ready

"to rip the life out of" Paret. Lastly another gruesome simile is used comparing Griffith's hits to

Paret's head as "a Baseball bat demolishing a pumpkin." With strong and vivid comparisons the

fight sits clearly in the mind of an educated reader and those who were not at the fight.

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