FORM in Didion's essay

Agenda and schedule

PWR 399, Rhetoric

March 24, 2011

Dr. Franke

1) Role, housekeeping details, short response papers back.

2) Discussion of how the essay’s form supports its argument. 

Ø  Rhetoric as matching the response to the problem.

Ø  What is the personal situation? 

Ø  What is the rhetorical problem?  Why can’t she accept the normal definitions of things?

Ø  What are the essay’s formal aspects?

An analysis is simply this: explaining what something means by looking at what it does – the essay’s words (and sentences, paragraphs, and the like).  Everything the essay does is intentional.

Short assignment due Tuesday, March 29: Imitation of Didion’s essay morality, but using love as your topic (one page).  Use all the examples you can that Didion herself uses, and develop a thesis on love in a similar fashion.  You will attach this to your final paper, due Thursday.  You will also receive your second major papers back Tuesday.

Thursday: Rhetorical analysis due, March 31: “Didion has a huge rhetorical problem on her hands, and she feels it is very dangerous to make a mistake regarding this subject.  Explain her rhetorical problem and show how she solves it (or at least attempts to solve it).”  Four pages, minimum.  Short quoting is essential: you have to show what the essay is doing, not just summarize its ideas.  No bibliography is needed.   Tip: Don’t stretch the length with spacing and margins – it gives a paper a bad feeling.  Just write more than you need and revise down from there.  See me if you have trouble.