Rhetorical Analysis (4 PAGES)
Elton566
RespondingtoBaldwin102.pptxResponding to Baldwin:
Some tips and help organizing your essay
The Assignment:
Critically evaluate Baldwin’s rhetoric
Explore Baldwin’s theories of racial estrangement
Respond to his logic and reasoning
Develop your own theories explaining (a form of) estrangement in the world today
Where to Begin:
Read “Stranger in the Village”
Make note of key passages
Pay close attention to Baldwin’s emphasis on the role of history and cultural bias
Reflect and Respond
How do people today view and treat strangers? And, how can we update Baldwin’s theories and apply them?
3
Read
Annotate
Reflect
The Essay Map
Step by step breakdown of organization and structure
The strategic “hook” or lede
One of the challenges authors face is connecting with the reader; if one can do so effectively early in the essay/article/story/etc. then it becomes much easier to exert rhetorical influence and compel audience to accept claim.
Reread the first few paragraphs of Baldwin’s essay; this opening passage functions as his lede:
A lede is an imaginative opening that places the reader in the right mindset or perspective to consider the author’s position.
“From all available evidence…” Baldwin is placing readers in the village to help them imagine what his experience there was like.
Baldwin grounds the readers in space and time and presents the idea of being a stranger to a native population somewhere. Making the readers visualize this sensation is useful when Baldwin begins to lay out his arguments about American estrangement.
The Lede (continued)
Open your essay with a lede that presents a scenario of estrangement for your reader to visualize.
Your lede should focus on the particular form of estrangement you intend to explore as a part of your essay, so if it’s race, create a scenario of racial estrangement. If it’s class, wealth, appearance, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political affiliation, et al. make your scenario reflective of that.
Check out how the authors of the sample essays used a lede to open their essays.
The Introductory Paragraph
Once you’ve hooked your reader it’s time to build a solid introductory paragraph.
Introductions:
Are simply “thesis delivery vehicles”.
You must decide what information your readers need to consider or hear before you hit them with your main thesis claim.
Organize the flow of information so that it builds up to your thesis claim.
Intro’s (continued)
You may include some of the following in your introduction:
Historical context or background (what has happened)
Current trends or changes (what is happening or has changed up to now)
Future projections (what will happen)
This includes events, attitudes, and legislative movements
For this essay you will want to briefly identify Baldwin and his theory re. racial estrangement, and then shift gears to your focus on estrangement today.
Thesis Claims
Theses:
Provide focus and shape to an argument
Must be supported by expansion, analysis, and justification within the body of your essay
Look at Baldwin’s essay and find his thesis claim (refer to my essay notes for help locating the thesis)
Now, consider what Baldwin presents in support of his claim and how/if he does so effectively or not.
Your Thesis:
Identifies Baldwin’s central argument regarding estrangement and the ‘weight’ of history.
Reacts to and applies this theory to the world today.
i.e. “Despite many progressive policies and laws recently legislated, Baldwin’s theories regarding society’s view and treatment of minorities can still be applied today; especially when one discusses the plight of _insert particular estranged minority class here_.”
This is a very workmanlike thesis; it’s the Toyota Camry of theses—nothing flashy or cool, but it gets me where I need to go within my argument.
Now, you build one: elegant Bentley, flashy Lambo, or steady Nissan Sentra, it really doesn’t matter so long as your thesis effectively frames your issue and the sets up for expansion and support.
Body Paragraphs and More:
After your thesis is complete you now set about building your paper and defending your claim.
First, BRIEFLY summarize Baldwin’s entire essay. Think of it as a solid, developed paragraph detailing in broad strokes “Stranger in the Village”—what it says, what it means, and what Baldwin’s trying to prove.
Next, you identify Baldwin’s key arguments and supporting evidence he uses.
Look at each one separately:
Explain what Baldwin says or presents as his proof to support his theory
Analyze whether or not his argument is effectively demonstrated or supported and why/not
Find three or more main points or arguments from Baldwin to analyze and respond to
Transitions
After responding to Baldwin’s theories it’s time to shift gears.
The transition paragraph is where you move away from Baldwin’s ideas and begin to lay out your own theories.
You signal this shift in argument by writing a paragraph that pulls away from Baldwin and looks at the world today.
This can be accomplished with an acknowledgment or address towards progress or recent events.
i.e. “More than five decades have passed since Baldwin penned “Stranger in the Village” and in that time…So too, today the people of insert the “strangers” from your thesis here are struggling for recognition and acceptance. Understanding why and how these people are still considered strangers requires…”
Transition complete.
Defending your case
As you present your theories and definitions of the modern stranger you will need to build focused, argumentative paragraphs.
Each paragraph should present one main idea
Key example or specific piece of evidence (look to what you see or observe in the world, what’s in the news, or happening locally)
Analysis and justification (explain precisely how your evidence illustrates your main idea and what this means for the world/your theory)
Transition to your next main point
Seek to present four or so main points supporting your case
The Synthesis
Avoid traditional conclusions; “In conclusion…” sucks and is lame and I hate it and you should never ever ever end a paper this way
Instead, build a synthesis passage
A synthesis passage:
Assimilates your arguments and instead of rehashing them argues “so what” or “what next”
If your thesis is correct, then what and how should society respond?
What should happen in response to your ideas?
How should your ideas be used?
That’s It
Meet hipster Zooey Dogchanel, who is so over this PowerPoint. Zooey Dogchanel uses emaze*
*as seen in Pitchfork
