Prompt Writing - Need in 16 Hours

Promoting a Culture of Abandonment

Wagner Page 245-247

Pre-Reading : The Rhetorical Triangle

Author Audience

Larger Conversation

New Vocabulary:

Anesthesiologists (n) : people who specialize in insensitivity to pain, especially as artificially induced by the administration of gases or the injection of drugs before surgical operations. (painkillers)

Analgesic (adj) : acting to relieve pain

Proponents (n) : a person who advocates or supports a theory, proposal, or project.

Latter (adj.) : denoting the second or second mentioned of two people or things.

Purpose

Promoting a Culture of Abandonment

Wagner Page 245-247 Reading Questions - Guided Annotation

Paragraph 1 What happened in Oregon that caused Wagner to write this article?

What does Wagner expect will happen?

What do you think is her position on the topic?

Paragraph 2-4 What is the first “policy reason” Wagner believes is proof that assisted suicide is wrong?

How will supporters of assisted suicide ensure no abuse in the process?

Why does Wagner believe it is impossible to avoid abuse? Hint: there are multiple reasons.

What is the ‘latter group’?

Paragraph 5-7

“Similarly, the confinement of this right to the terminally ill is impossible”

Underline the subject in this sentence. What is impossible?

What is “this right” referring to?

In your own words, explain the second reason Wagner gives to persuade readers to oppose assisted suicide:

Promoting a Culture of Abandonment

Wagner Page 245-247 Why is ‘terminal’ a problematic word? There are at least two reasons.

Paragraph 8-9

Wagner argues that we have the ability to end pain and suffering. Why does she suggest we don’t use these other options?

Paragraph 10

What is the most important reason to oppose assisted suicide?

Wagner argues that it is a problem that we only offer the ‘new right’ to people who are sick and not to everyone. She questions why we only offer it to people who are sick. What are the two possible reasons that we only offer the ‘new right’ to people who are sick?

What does this say about her opinion?

Paragraph 11

What are two examples Wagner gives to support her idea that we are a culture of abandonment?

Paragraph 12-14

What does Wagner suggest we do?

Wagner uses parentheses in paragraph 13. What is she ‘doing’ in those parentheses?

What are the two cultures that Wagner suggests we have a choice from?

Promoting a Culture of Abandonment

Wagner Page 245-247 Charting the Text

What does the author SAY? What does the author DO?

1

2

3

4

5

6 / 7

8

9

10

11

12 / 13

14

Promoting a Culture of Abandonment

Wagner Page 245-247 Argument Breakdown : The Web

Introduction: Summarize Wagner’s introduction in your own words.

Claim: What is Wagner’s claim/thesis/position?

Conclusion: What conclusion does Wagner come to in this paragraph? paragraph 11

Call to Action: What does Wagner want us to do? paragraphs 12

Comparisons: Wagner makes many interesting comparisons in her conclusion. Which comparisons interest you? paragraphs 11-14

Promoting a Culture of Abandonment

Wagner Page 245-247

Personal Response:

1) What do you think about Wagner’s argument? Do you agree/disagree? Why?

2) Which (if any) of her points are most compelling?

3) Do you think her argument is effective overall? Why or why not?

Wagner argues that …

Because …

She supports her argument with …