What follows is an explanation of each of these patterns with examples from real magazine articles to illustrate the explanations.
1 Historical review: Some topics are better understood if a brief historical review of the topic is presented to lead into the discussion of the moment. Such topics might include "a biographical sketch of a war hero," "an upcoming execution of a convicted criminal," or "drugs and the younger generation." Obviously there are many, many more topics that could be introduced by reviewing the history of the topic before the writer gets down to the nitty gritty of his paper. It is important that the historical review be brief so that it does not take over the paper.
from "Integration Turns 40" by Juan Williams in Modern Maturity, April/May, 1994. The victory brought pure elation and joy. It was May 1954, just days after the Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. At NAACP headquarters in New York the mood was euphoric. Telegrams of congratulations poured in from around the world; reporters and well-wishers crowded the halls.
[After reaching back forty years ago to bring up the landmark Supreme Court decision that started school desegregation, this article discusses school segregation in the present time.]
ASSIGNMENT:
Read & annotate "You Can Find Love Now" by Ramona Ausubel. Respond to the short story in writing as Informal Writing #3.
Focus on one or more of the following questions. Do not attempt to answer them all. Include direct reference to the story. Find an APA citation for the story below. But, don't just CITE, ALSO ATTRIBUTE. Consider using a better method for introduction. Be aware of a thesis statement. Allow the questions you are answering to drive your thesis:
1. What was your "horizon of expectation?" How did it affect your enjoyment, understanding, 2. What is the story's exemplary moment? Why? How did you know? How did it drive the story's overall purpose? 3. What rhetorical devices does the author use? How do they accentuate the story. If you read The Odyssey in high school, how did this story accentuate or otherwise widen your view of the original piece? 4. Did the format of the piece (the back and forth between the voice of the Cyclops and the voice of the computer program) accentuate how you related to the theme? If so, how specifically?
READ article, "How to Mark a Book" by Mortimer Adler WRITE:
Writing a Personal Narrative
A narrative is a story. In writing a narrative essay, you share with the reader some personal experience of your own in order to make a point or convey a larger message. A great narrative, for example might be how your grandfather influenced your desire to become an orthodontist, or perhaps you’ll relate the story of the time you didn’t make the cut for the basketball team. Whatever the story, a good narrative relays a higher purpose or meaning.
Narrative effect is the main point of your story—the moral, the message, the insight you offer. Without a specific narrative effect, your essay is merely a series of unconnected events. If you are unsure what your main point is, you might ask yourself, “Why am I telling this story? Why should someone else be interested in reading about my experience?” In addition, you must decide whether to reveal your point explicitly (stated directly) or implicitly (suggested but not stated).
Reading Quiz #1: Discuss the three things Ray loves (as outlined and illustrated in Chapter One). Number them, and write at least three sentences for each one you mention describing how and why you know of Ray's love. You have ten minutes.
OPENING ACTIVITY: The 5 minute personality test, Get into your group, discuss relevance.
Be prepared to share with the group 5 specific, concrete examples of how 5 different (if possible) members of your group evince the traits common to your species of animal.
LESSON:
Reading Quiz
The three levels of reading/analyzing
When I pulled the trigger I did not hear the bang or feel the kick–one never does when a shot goes home–but I heard the devilish roar of glee that went up from the crowd. In that instant, in too short a time, one would have thought, even for the bullet to get there, a mysterious, terrible change had come over the
elephant. He neither stirred nor fell, but every line of his body had altered. He looked suddenly stricken, shrunken, immensely old, as though the frightful impact of the bullet had paralysed him without knocking him down. At last, after what seemed a long time–it might have been five seconds, I dare say–he sagged flabbily to his knees. His mouth slobbered. An enormous senility seemed to have settled upon him. One could have imagined him thousands of years old. I fired again into the same spot. At the second shot he did not collapse but climbed with desperate slowness to his feet and stood weakly upright, with legs sagging and head drooping. I fired a third time. That was the shot that did for him. You could see the agony of it jolt his whole body and knock the last remnant of strength from his legs. But in falling he seemed for a moment to rise, for as his hind legs collapsed beneath him he seemed to tower upward like a huge rock toppling, his trunk reaching skyward like a tree. He trumpeted, for the first and only time. And then down he came, his belly towards me, with a crash that seemed to shake the ground even where I lay.
Points to Remember: 1. SHOW, don't TELL (specific & concrete details, avoid abstraction) 2. Word choice: strong writing = strong verbs 3. The power of three 4. Start at the last possible moment
ASSIGNMENTS:
READ another great resource to use while writing a narrative (it's coming)!
READ this New Yorkerarticle by James Stewart re-printed to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of 9/1
WRITE: Informal Essay #1: Attempt a level 3 analysis of this article. First identify the theme and purpose of the piece. Consider the title and time-period it is written in. Then, discuss the unconventional methods the author uses to convey these themes through this article (all informal essays are 1.5 types pages, double spaced, times new roman font 12)
READ this narrative by David Sedaris (listen to the author read the narrative below). As you read, consider the discussion we had in class today. Be prepared for Wednesday, to further discuss the quality of this piece and "how" it evinces the tenets of good narrative. EDIT out to be from Formal Essay #1.
Great teachers are not necessarily systematic thinkers. The very act of teaching is against us - Theodore Roethke Do not forget to hand-in formal writing #1. In Class Activity #1: INTRODUCTIONS
1. Exchange and read one another's questionnaires. No speaking. No discussion. No qualifying. (3 MINS)
2. Star your six favorite, most interesting answers. Again, no discussing or qualifying (this is important) from your partner's questionnaire (5 MIN).
3. Now, discuss the answers you chose (5 MIN)
3. From those, choose three of the most interesting things about your partner to introduce to the class.
4. Add your partner's name (duh), hometown and major. Then switch (5 MIN).
1. Post my blog in your favorites. Subscribe to follow, so you get e-mail notifications when I post. Follow me on Twitter. Some assignments will be done on Twitter. See me with issues/concerns.
@joecostal (If Twitter, no problem, we'll discuss later).
You don't need to, but if you sign up for the blog you can communicate with our class through the comments section.
2. Download and thoroughly read your syllabus. This is an extremely important document. Read it, but like, for real.
3. Complete this questionnaire. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper, and make sure you bring the completed questionnaire to class with you on Monday.
WRITE: Formal Writing #1: The New York Times has a "Room For Debate" section of their paper.
In the section, four writers argue their perception of a given topic.
