While "Me Talk Pretty One Day" has many metaphors that touch on the main idea of David Sedaris feeling out of place while trying to learn French, one of the clearest metaphors occurs in the second paragraph. In this paragraph's last sentence, Sedaris writes:
"As an added discomfort, [the other students] were all young, attractive, and well-dressed, causing me to feel not unlike Pa Kettle trapped backstage after a fashion show."
While this metaphor might not mention language, that comes later, the term "Pa Kettle" refers to a 1940s hillbilly character that moves into a modern home after winning a prize. It refers to the feelings of being out of place. This idea of being out of place is the central idea in "Me Talk Pretty One Day."
While the verbally abusive French teacher provides much of the comedy in this essay, she is just the embodiment of how Sedaris feels in this class. In fact, he makes clear that this is how he feels anywhere in France where he might have to speak. He says his "fear and discomfort" accompanied him beyond the classroom room and "out onto the wide boulevards."
According to this essay, speaking a foreign language in a foreign land is frightening. This is why the Pa Kettle metaphor is relevant. Sedaris feels like he's been transplanted from a place where he feels comfortable, learning French in America, to a place where he feels completely out of place, learning French in France.
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