Bryce Courtenay, The Power of One

You've read the first chapter of Bryce Courtenay's novel about growing up in South Africa. What is the point of telling his readers a story about bed wetting? (Hint: It might have something to do with the title of the novel, "The Power of One.") What voice does Courtenay write in and why? What types of writing devices does he employ? Where and how does he use dialog? Name some rich details from his story...ie what details do you find memorable in this story and why?

Nancy Mairs, On Loving Men

In your opinion, what is a main point of Nancy Mairs' personal narrative, "On Loving Men?" What audience is she writing to? Where does she use an emotional appeal (pathos) to her readers? What resources does Mairs draw on to describe her teenage self? What other writing devices does she employ? Where and how does she use dialogue? Where and how does she use anecdotes to tell her story?

Assignment 1, personal narrative

Assignment #1: Personal Narrative (or Memoir)

Purpose

Recall, retell, and analyze a significant experience in your life. Carefully choose a sequence of events that 1) supports a specific thesis and 2) helps you fulfill your rhetorical purpose regarding a specific audience.

Invention

Keep in mind as you brainstorm/draft:

Ø     Scope: You cannot explain your entire high school experience or history as a baseball player in one brief essay. Choose one particular memory as a starting point.

Ø     You will want to be especially strategic in deciding which features of the experience (which details, characters, settings, and dialogue) you want to emphasize and which ones you should ignore if you are to achieve your desired purpose. 

Ø     You may want to conduct some naturalistic research (e.g., interviewing a friend or family member about a specific memory, observing a particular environment, etc.). This research will allow you to understand a moment from someone else’s perspective or look more closely at a space or behavior.

Ø     You should have a purpose in mind as you write your own memoir: to argue a point, to create a mood (maybe entertain), to instruct, inform, explain, or to provide cultural or philosophical commentary, blame, praise, and so forth.

Ø     Your memoir should be tailored for a specific audience—think about who could learn something from your experience.

Expectations

A successful personal narrative will:

1.     Focus on a significant experience;

2.     Use ample sensory details;

3.     Include dialogue that reveals information about your characters;

4.     Employ transitions that will help your reader follow your narrative and/or logic;

5.     Showcase a personal narrative voice (e.g., use a variety of sentence patterns and lengths, don’t sound like you come from the bureau of statistics, and so on); and

6.     Provide reflection and analysis in order to help your audience understand the significance of the experience.

Length: 3-4 pages (double-spaced)

Rough Draft Due: September 8, 2010

Final Assignment Portfolio Due: September 13, 2010

Resources: “Checking over a Memoir” on page 124 of The Harbrace Guide to Writing.

Defining The Rhetorical Situation

Respond to one of the two following prompts. Remember the definition of rhetoric from your textbook. According to Aristotle, "rhetoric is the faculty of observing in any given situation the available means of persuasion." 

Responses are due by class time on Wednesday.

Kanye West from the New Yorker

Kanye West, "I Don't Read"


Describe the rhetorical situation in David Cowen's response to Kanye West. What do you think is the exigence, or the catalyst, that caused Cowen to write this story? What observations has Cowen made about his audience?

Frontline, "Digital Nation"

Frontline - Digital Nation

How has technology changed the rhetorical situation in our society? What sorts of observations do you make before sending text messages, e-mails or communicating with others online? Do you think multi-tasking is degrading the quality of rhetoric in our society?