- What is the author's main argument (thesis)?
- Who is his audience?
- What rhetorical devices does he employ in supporting his argument?
- Is he persuasive?
Here is an overview of things to keep in mind when rhetorically analyzing a text. (You might want to print this.Highlight the text, hit "Print," then select the "Selection" button under "Print Range" area before printing. This will prevent you from printing all the other blog stuff.):
T-DIDLS:
Tone- how a piece "feels" to the reader. Often used by an author to express his or her opinion of a particular topic. The rest of the acronym (the DIDLS part) often contributes to the tone.
Diction- the author's word choice; an author can make a short piece more meaningful than a longer one just by choosing cool words.
Imagery- written representation of a visual experience
Detail- aspect of a written piece devoted to a small aspect of a whole. Used by an author to draw his or her reader's attention to something.
Language- Can make a speaker seem closer to his or her audience (think ethos), but may also cause the speaker to seem like an "outsider," so pay close attention to the speaker/writer's language if it seems foreign or specific to one group.
Slang words make a piece more informal. This is rarely used in academic writing, as they can send the wrong impression.
Colloquialisms are tied to a geographical location. Use sparingly.
Jargon is tied to a group or organization. Computer jargon, engineer jargon, literature jargon, even rhetorical jargon can be confusing for those outside of the particular field. Can be confusing to "outsiders."
Syntax is how the words are combined in a piece. Pay attention to grammatical structure, as it contributes to the flow and pacing of what is being communicated.
In periodic sentences, the main idea is withheld until the end, creating tension and interest. (Neat Quick Note: A reader is more likely to remember the last thing they read in any given segment. This is why the thesis goes at the end of your first paragraph, and why a call to action is most effective at the end of an essay.)
Example: As long as we ignore our children and refuse to dedicate the necessary time and money to their care, we will fail to solve the problem of school violence.
In loose sentences, the main idea is presented at the beginning, allowing the reader to closely read the supporting ideas closely (which is why we put the thesis before the supporting argument).
Example: We will fail to solve the problem of school violence as long as we ignore our children and refuse to dedicate the necessary time and money to their care.
Simple sentences are punchy and can contribute to a fast pace communicating urgency.
Complex sentences provide a more relaxed pace.
Compound-complex sentences are reflective and distancing.
Syntactical variation is one of the most important skills a writer can learn. In order to hold interest and emphasize important points a writer must understand how a natural voice is replicated in text. There are two ways to do this: Read well and read often; write often and write well.
We will review how punctuation can clarify thoughts and improve communication another time.
PELIDS:
Pathos- appeal to the emotions and interests of an audience
Ethos- appeal through the speaker/writer's credibility
Logos- appeal through logic
Inductive reasoning- making a judgment or conclusion about a broad topic based on a few examples.
Biologists use this type of reasoning often in their work. They take a sample of a population and apply what is learned to the entire population. Opinion polls work on the same principle.
It is important to consider two things when dealing with inductive reasoning:
Is the sample sufficient?
Is the sample relevant?
Deductive reasoning- making a conclusion about one example based on many
This is often used in geometry. All triangles are closed figures with three straight sides and three angles that add to 180 degrees; this figure fulfills the requirements of the above premise; therefore, this figure is a triangle.
The validity of this type of reasoning (the above is a syllogism, a three-part statement utilizing two premises and a conclusion) is contingent upon the validity of the premises.
Syllogism- see above. The final three terms of this acronym (IDS) are the major aspects of logical reasoning. Use these in your arguments often, while keeping them in mind when analyzing another's argument. If you are able to solidly challenge a premise, the entire argument falls apart.
Read More......For this assignment you will be responding to the two attached photographs. Taking into consideration the composition and layout of the two pictures, answer the following prompt in a two-page argument:
Who is affected most profoundly in these two photographs? Using evidence from the photographs, defend your choice in a well-developed essay.
Because this is a argumentative essay, you must state an argument in your thesis then back it with evidence from the texts. This may seem difficult without words to cite, but take a few minutes to look over the images while you mark interesting parts. Some questions to help you get started:New York Times Image
How would you characterize the boy's clothing? Is this dress ironic?
How would you characterize the soldiers' dress? That is the most distinctive thing about the soldier with his back to the camera?
What are the soldiers looking for? Do they have a right to search the boy?
Time Image
What do the eyes in the photograph tell you?
Both
Why is it surprising that children are included in these photographs?
Discuss in the comments section if you are stuck. Remember, you are making an argument. Use your thesis statement to state the argument, then back it with your ideas supported by the text. You will be counted off if you write an opinion paper or stray too far from the photographs. Read More......
Also, we will be going over articles in class tomorrow, returning to our schedule of article discussion on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Read More......
After you decide how you would like to argue your point, begin writing your thesis. Here's an example: Although The Island was not a critical success, the movie's representation of popular culture (for better or worse) makes this movie important as a reflection of the contemporary zeitgeist.
We will work on this a bit on Wednesday, but come to class with an outline and be prepared to discuss. Read More......
Also, for those of you who are fairly proficient or fluent in Spanish, she is looking for some high school students who would be willing to read to them on Tuesdays or Thursdays. The kids love this, but often are not read to at home; many of the students who speak Spanish cannot read it. I can get the information to anyone interested in this.
Oh, speaking of volunteer work, how did the race go? Were any of you able to attend? I want stories when we get back.
We will be watching The Island on Monday and Tuesday. I did not realize how perfect this movie would be as a blend of our two very different books. It is by no means great cinema, but the ideas and concepts are there for us to discuss. If you miss class, rent the movie and watch it at home. It is PG-13, so watch it with your parents permission. I will be monitoring the unnecessary parts in class. Read More......
Write an organized, well-argued essay over one of the following topics. You do not need to answer every question under your chosen topic, but keep each in mind while writing your thesis.
1) Simulation and hyper-reality are prevalent in Don DeLillo's White Noise. Explain how these concepts reflect an aspect of current popular culture, using one of your articles [or one you find tonight] as evidence of this. What is DeLillo's argument? How does he present it? What does the Toxic Airborne Event have to do with simulation? SIMUVAC?
2) Human cloning is a very complex issue―one which involves moral choices and the direct application of manufacturing to human beings. What does Ishiguro's stance on the cloning issue in Never Let Me Go seem to be? How does he use pathos to argue this stance? During their time at Hailsham, the students are asked to create original art. Why is this? Is this part of Ishiguro's argument?
3) Both novels explore the theme of consumption versus creation in society. Using an article and one of the books -or- two chosen articles, discuss the arguments involved. How does consumption or reflection factor into a person's identity, according to the texts?
4) Death is a strong presence in White Noise. Why does DeLillo choose to include this in a commentary on contemporary culture? How does Murray’s supermarket thesis fit into this? The family’s consumption? Jack’s position? The “most photographed barn in America?
These essays require insights into the novels and the world around us and evidence from the texts to support your arguments. Do not write a personal editorial. This means no anecdotal evidence from your lives and no personal pronouns. Keep the tone formal; you have good ideas so do not hesitate to state them without qualifiers.
This reading is just for those interested. This is in no way required for a grade, and is not even required for in-class discussion purposes. Some of you showed some interest in this, and I am obliging.
This essay is on par with Hume's ideas on identity, as both writers are materialists (they believe that mental processes can be reduced to physical phenomena), but in this essay Hegel moves away from typical materialist thinking in that he recognizes the subjective quality of experience. Since we don't know what it is "like to be a bat," since we don't know how our friend interprets the taste of ice cream, there must be a degree of subjectivity involved.
Here is a link to a translation of Descartes' Meditations. The translation is okay, though I prefer the Cambridge University Press edition, published in 1984. This is the seminal text on Cartesian dualism. If you are interested, read the first, second, and sixth meditations, which cover the basis of his mind/body interaction theory. (Try to ignore the fact that he claims that the "pineal gland" is the connection between mind and body. He has important ideas, whether or not they are absolutely accurate. Read More......
"You Are What You Own" from Guardian Unlimited
Where is the thesis of this article? What is the main point?
Who is the author writing for? How does he establish common ground with this audience?
Is this article persuasive? Can you find a more persuasive article?
"Would Orwell have Been a Blogger?" again, Guardian Unlimited
This is just for memorablename.
"The first time I used 'weblog', in a magazine story about Arnold Schwarzenegger in September 2003, The Observer had to place the meaning of this exotic term in square brackets. Six months later, 'blogging' was common. By 2005, some 60 new blogs were being launched every minute."
This is interesting. I can't remember where I read it, but someone commenting on a news story noted that communication technologies are becoming obsolete at an exponential rate: Movies lasted 100 years, video tapes around 50, DVDs around 15... How long will Blu-ray last?
Is the same thing is happening to our language?
"French Told to Try Smiling for Once" once more, from Guardian Unlimited
This just troubles me.
"Area Man Likes to Compare Circle of Friends to Cast of Lost" from The Onion
I know, not real news, but Klosterman does a whole essay on this phenomenon through The Real World. This is life imitating art. How does this fit with White Noise?
And finally, "Snips, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails" from Slate.com
Agree? Disagree? Does your opinion have more than anecdotal evidence? See if you can find more information on this if you agree/disagree.
[Edit: Okay, one more. "We're no Slaves to Our Senses" from Spiked-online.com] Read More......
I want to know how your readings are coming. For those of you wishing to read both books, I would suggest planning to finish one by Tuesday and reading the other at your leisure another time. We will discuss both, but it is really important that you have detailed reading journals for your book. This will make writing essays that much faster/easier, and when we begin to incorporate articles and such into one paper, it will be better to glance over notes rather than flipping through pages when going for synthesis.
Regarding Karen's comment about the Circle: If anyone wants to see a movie there then bring back a synopsis for the class and thoughts on the movie itself, I'd be happy to send some extra credit his or her way, provided the comments pertain to what we are discussing in class. I'm just sayin'.
One final thought on the reading journals:
If you are reading Never Let Me Go, look for references to duplication, creation, originality, cloning, and what it means to be human. These are all over the book, and will help you significantly with your essay next week.
If you are reading White Noise, look for references to pop culture (not passing references, but overt "college studies" references), consumerism, class systems, cliques, simulations, jargon, reality, hyper-reality, simulacra, and social images. These too, are all over the book and will help you next week.
Any questions? Post them here. Read More......
