For Monday, October 6

Begin drafting your rhetorical analysis of Mark Twain's speech "I rise to protest."

On Monday, October 6, 2014, I want to see a rough draft that demonstrates your thought and effort.  You do not have to have a completed draft as long as I can see your valid attempts to conquer the assignment.  (For example:  maybe you bring in two solid body paragraphs that you feel are complete.  That way, I can check them to make sure you are on the right track.)  A good rule:  spend an hour and a half (1 ½) to two (2) hours on English this weekend.

We will organize this analysis by articulating the shifts in Twain’s tone throughout the speech. 

1^st movement-mocking humor/light (1 paragraph)

2^nd movement-acerbic language and biting satire (2 to 3 paragraphs – your choice) starting at rhetorical questions that close paragraph 1.

            Indians

            Quakers

            Others

3^rd movement-starting at O my friends,…(1 paragraph)

Introduction Material~possibilities: Background audience.  Background Mark Twain.  Twain’s reputation as a speaker or authority on the subject.

Thesis Sentence template:

In Twain’s speech given at the first annual Plymouth Rock and Pilgrims’ Society dinner, he _______________ the actions of the original pilgrims and ______________________ the sons of the Puritans _____________________________.

(This sentence should speak to Twain’s purpose.  In class we used the verbs:  attacks and dissuades.  Feel free to use your own vivid verb.  Look at “Intention in Speaking” section of your handout.)

Conclusion:  Wrap up: speaker’s success in accomplishing his purpose in light of the evidence you have provided.  How 

For Tuesday, September 30

Finish annotating Mark Twain's speech "I Rise to Protest."  

If on the first two paragraphs you missed labeling the strategy...make sure you do that this time.  If you needed to explain how the strategy works within the essay, make sure to expland those explanations this time.

Consider the structure of the essay and its effectiveness.  He starts out poking fun, making his audience laugh.  He becomes increasingly caustic (vocabulary word) in paragraphs 2,3,4.  Paragraphs 5 and 5 return to a more casual and less excoriating (vocabulary word) tone.

Read Chapters 26 and 27 in Huck Finn.

As time permits, you may want to peruse this document.  I will have a handout for you on Tuesday.

Basic Questions for Rhetorical Analysis

What is the rhetorical situation?

• What occasion gives rise to the need or opportunity for persuasion?
• What is the historical occasion that would give rise to the composition of this text?

Who is the author/speaker?

• How does he or she establish ethos (personal credibility)?
• Does he/she come across as knowledgeable? fair?
• Does the speaker's reputation convey a certain authority?

What is his/her intention in speaking?

• To attack or defend?
• To exhort or dissuade from certain action?
• To praise or blame?
• To teach, to delight, or to persuade?

Who make up the audience?

• Who is the intended audience?
• What values does the audience hold that the author or speaker appeals to?
• Who have been or might be secondary audiences?
• If this is a work of fiction, what is the nature of the audience within the fiction?

What is the content of the message?

• Can you summarize the main idea?
• What are the principal lines of reasoning or kinds of arguments used?
• What topics of invention are employed?
• How does the author or speaker appeal to reason? to emotion?

What is the form in which it is conveyed?

• What is the structure of the communication; how is it arranged?
• What oral or literary genre is it following?
• What figures of speech (schemes and tropes) are used?
• What kind of style and tone is used and for what purpose?

How do form and content correspond?

• Does the form complement the content?
• What effect could the form have, and does this aid or hinder the author's intention?

Does the message/speech/text succeed in fulfilling the author's or speaker's intentions?

• For whom?
• Does the author/speaker effectively fit his/her message to the circumstances, times, and audience?
• Can you identify the responses of historical or contemporary audiences?

What does the nature of the communication reveal about the culture that produced it?

• What kinds of values or customs would the people have that would produce this?
• How do the allusions, historical references, or kinds of words used place this in a certain time and location?

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Gideon O. Burton, Brigham Young University
Please cite "Silva Rhetoricae" (rhetoric.byu.edu) 

Make sure you have an easy to read rhetorical context chart for Mark Twain's speech "I Rise to Protest."  This will look like the one I had on the board in class on Wednesday, Sept. 24.  Next, annotate the strategies Mark Twain incorporates into his speech (Paragraphs 1 and 2).  If you highlight a metaphor...make sure to write in the margins noting the metaphor's effect on the audience....same thing for each device.

In general, Twain utlizes humor to connect with his audience; however, he also counts on humor to soften his blow.  Remember, satire and irony are considered "high comedy."  Satire could be comedy that bites/hurts/convicts.  I would say satire, irony, paradox are Twain's primary tools, and he is a master with his words.  I also notice quite a bit of repetition, analogies, hyperbole, understatement.

I will look at your annotations carefully because I want to make sure you are prepared to write this next rhetorical analysis.  This essay will be a Major Grade X 2.

Read Chapter 25.

For Wednesday, September 24

Read Chapters 21-24 in Huckleberry Finn.  Continue to look for Twain's social commentary.  Specifically, notice Jim's increasingly bad treatment.  Mob Mentality.  Huck's joy at the circus.  Comment on providence.

For Monday, September 22

1. Read Chapters 19 and 20 in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
2. You might want to review the essay "Corn Pone Opinions" before class on Monday.
3. Look at the following five (5) pieces of social commentary.  For each artist, identify his/her purpose.  
4. Find a piece of social commentary to share with class:  this can be a cartoon, a painting, a billboard, an essay, a video clip, etc.

For Thursday, September 18

DO NOT FORGET THAT YOUR RECITATION IS TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, 9-17

Read Huck Finn Chapters 16-18.

Think about or annotate:

• Look for Huck's anxiety in Chapter 16.  Think about God's law and man's law.
• Notice Twain's satirization of the feud between the Shepherdsons and the Grangerfords.
• What else does Twain mock?
• Pay particular attention to Col.Grangerford's description
• Last paragraph of 18-enjoy the freedom of the raft!  Where do you find freedom?

Bring to Class:
Literary Analysis Worksheet (for reference)
Voice Lessons-handouts detail, diction, diction
"Corn Pone Opinions" by Mark Twain

For Tuesday, September 16

Read Huckleberry Finn through Chapter 15. Pay particular attention to Huck's various attitudes toward Jim.  When do his attitudes seem to be authentically his; when do they seem to represent a social norm.  Huck and Jim's developing relationship is key to these chapters.

Also, notice Huck's ability or inability to lie and his ingenuity.  The superstitions held by various characters also indicate something about the era.  Look for things you would consider ironic or satirical.

Weekend Blessings!  I love being your teacher; it IS my life calling.

For Friday, September 12

Read Chapters 5-8 of Huckleberry Finn.  Plot development.  Huck's character development.  Jim's character development.  Pap's characterization. Imagery.  Focus your reading on these elements of the story.

Important Notice:  Sometime in the next week, you must come and read aloud (in private with me) the second to last paragraph of Chapter 4.  Practice before you come.  I will grade for fluency and vocal variation.  It is essential when you read for the AP exam to hear the language of your selection in your head in a way that makes the reading more accessible for interpretation.  This is a key skill we will work on this year.

A German experiment reveals that reciting poetry is good for your heart. It was a small test group--seven people walked around a room reciting traditional poetry and breathing in time to the poem's beat. The result: their heat rate dropped and their heart's ability to rest and recuperate from stress increased. 

The researcher, Dietrich von Bonin said, "Recitation links body and soul--mind, breath, and body--in a unique way."

The generation before mine was taught to recite poetry, mine was just asked to read it--today, is it still part of the curriculum? Maybe we can bring back the practice--we could use a poetry App on our iPhone and recite as we walk to the store or while commuting. It would be more entertaining than hearing someone braying, "I'm on the train! I'll be home in twenty minutes!" If you take a hat, you could even make some money...

http://timetowrite.blogs.com/weblog/2010/06/in-case-you-need-an-excuse-for-poetry.html

For Wednesday, September 10

Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been the American novel most frequently banned from high school reading lists and libraries across our nation.  One synthesis activity we will tackle during this unit will require us to research the arguments made for and against this novel.  We will, then, finish our discussion of the text and begin debating the literary merits of Twain's work.

In year's past, I have held a trial wherein the prosecution accuses Mr. Twain of racism and prejudicial indoctrination of young minds.  Students adopt the roles of lawyers, witnesses, and jurors.  My intention this year will be to continue this tradition.  Therefore, equip yourself with the tools of rhetoric and argumentation as you read the novel.  You need to read in support of both sides of the issue.  Impossible?  Maybe, but I urge you to keep it in mind.

Do you realize that a version of this novel has been produced without the "N" word?  What are your thoughts on that?  Think about it.

Before starting Chapter 1 of this great/horrible novel, make sure to read the NOTICE and the EXPLANATORY notes from the author.  Both can be found on the pages before the table of contents in your hard copy or kindle edition.

SO...read Chapters 1-4 and expect a quick reading quiz on Wednesday.  Quiz will be multiple choice and one short essay response (paragraph).
 

For Monday, September 8

First, I want you to peruse the devotional at this link:  http://www.keyway.ca/htm2011/20110211.htm

Now, imagine that you are the leper or the blind person who Jesus touched.  After considering how important touch is to the human being, read and annotate the following article.  See if you agree with the assertions Kearney makes.

This link should put you on the NY Times Opinion Page.  The title of the article is "Losing Our Touch" by Richard Kearney.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/30/losing-our-touch/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A6%22%7D

Print the article out and annotate.

Which rhetorical appeals does Kearney use and to what effect?  Consider:  diction, imagery, irony, allusion.  Label the rhetorical appeals-to emotion, to character, to logic.  Most importantly-As you highlight an example of a particular strategy...label the strategy and then describe the effect on the reader. 

Your annotations should lend themselves to your argument as to HOW Kearney persuades his readers to his point of view. 

For Thursday, September 4

Using your close reading strategies, annotate the excerpt from Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass which I have entitled "Slave Songs."

Mark examples of diction, irony, imagery, rhetorical appeals.  Think about the ways these Douglass utilizes these tools of the written language.  What effect do each of the strategies have within the text? 

I will make sure you have annotations for a homework grade on Thursday.  You will work for the majority of the class on a Team Discussion Page over this excerpt. 

Come prepared to be a part of your team's discussion!