Rhetorical Analysis Essay Writing

One of the three essays on the AP Lang exam is a RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAY.

We will be studying the approach, construction, and evaluation process for this essay this week.

First, we will begin with close reading of the text.

Next, we planned out the essay.  Planning involves writing an opening paragraph, sentence-by-sentence, then focusing on two rhetorical elements to discuss the author's use of in the essay, and ending with a focus on why the author wrote this, his main purpose.

Then, we drafted the essay in a timed writing (40 minutes) and used the plan and reading passage to guide writing choices.

Next, we will be analyzing the Q2 rhetorical analysis essay & taking notes for improvement as well as editing the essays.

Using the process outlined in this presentation, use these student sample examples to examine strong writing for these points.  Then, take the time to adapt and edit your own essay.

End responses to memoir reading

Written response:  Please complete THIS FORMAL ESSAY in response to your reading of your memoir book, due by Tuesday, 10/22.

Discussions:  We will hold discussions over the next two class periods for you to share about the memoir you read and learn more about the memoirs that others read.  

On Wednesday, we will hold three small group discussions, centered around:

1. Exigence and Purpose-- What are some of the main aspects to this person's story and how it unfolds in the book? Why do you believe this person’s story was an important one for him/her to tell?  What motivated him/her to share this personal story with the reading audience?

 2. “Snapshot” book talk with time to read from books to one another-- What specific part (“snapshot”) of his/her story do you think you will remember long past this reading?  Why will this part stick with you? What qualities of his/her writing style (diction, details, imagery, figurative language, syntax, etc.) stand out to you from this section of the book?--nominate a “snapshot” you appreciated deeply at the end of this discussion

3. Audience-to-Writer connections--In what ways did this author influence your views of the world/humanity?

On Thursday, we will hold a full-class discussion, using elements from THIS PRESENTATION in our discussion.

*If you are absent during either of these discussions, I will have you make them up with others who were also absent next week.

Welcome to class!

In my absence, please work on the following:

1.  Work on your creative exigence, imagery and symbolism activity (described in the posting below).  This is due by Friday.

2.  Work on the appeals assignment which is due on Thursday, 9/26.

3.  Read in your memoir book and complete response #3.

Exigence, Imagery & Symbolism In-Class Work

Create a pictorial representing your exigence in a particular part of your life.
Choose something you are passionate about.
Consider what it is that prompts and drives you to do this--even when it is hard, heartbreaking, exhausting, etc.
Now, think about a symbolic representation for this exigence.
Next, draw this exigence symbolically and add in a favorite quote about this exigence or create your own six word memoir.
Finally, on the back, personally explain your pictorial and how it is symbolic of a personal exigence, and why that exigence motivates you.  Think "big picture" as you write this!

I will post finished products on the whiteboards for display, so please do your best.  My example is posted here. (I did not draw this myself...)

Generative writing and mentor text study

Generative writing: Pick a famous quotation about patriotism and write in response to it 

Mentor Text: “A Nation’s Strength” poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson linked here

This week's schedule

Mentor Text Study for today

This week, we will be using September 11, 2001 memoir pieces, including Lisa Beamer's memory of that morning from Let's Roll and Rose Arce’s "Teaching My Child about the 9/11 Attacks"

To learn more about Todd Beamer's moments on the plane, please read this memoriam article about his heroic acts.

Here is this week's schedule as well.

Agenda and Syllabus

Here is the course syllabus for your reference.
Please read this over to be clear on the content, grading procedures, and classroom policies for this school year.

Additionally, here is the agenda for the next two weeks.

The assignment "How to Read like a Writer" is due Tuesday, 9/10.