Introduction to Assignment For this assignment, you will choose one text that we read as a class (Wideman or Tan) and analyze how the authors of the text employ rhetorical strategies to accomplish their goals. First Steps of Assignment Choose one of the following texts to analyze: The Seat Not Taken,” John Edgar Wideman (pages 234–235) Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” (pages 590-595) Analyze the text. You will answer the following questions during class time. In order to effectively answer these questions, you will need to reread your text multiple times. 1) Who is the author? How may the author’s identity relate to the text they created? 2)What is the author’s central idea? 3)What is the rhetorical situation that the author is responding to? What do you think caused them to compose the text? 4)Who is the audience or audiences? What makes you think that? 5)What do you think the author’s intentions are? (e.g. attack, teach, defend, praise, etc.) 6)What logical schema were used to develop the author’s ideas? Do they describe, tell a story, compare and contrast, show cause and effect, bring in evidence (such as facts, statistics, etc.)? 7)How did the author organize the text? Think about the beginning, middle, and end. What effect does this organization have? 8)What style and tone does the author use and why? What diction (word choice) does the author use? What does that tell you about the author and situation? Writing Your Cause and Effect Essay Selecting one text (Wideman or Tan) and using the above analysis (#2 of First Steps), you will write a cause and effect essay on the rhetorical choices the author makes and their effects. Your analysis will be no less than four double-spaced, typed pages. You should use 3 main points of analysis: rhetorical strategies that you want to analyze (for example, use of visuals, organization, diction). Introduction: You will want to start your analysis by introducing your text—briefly summarize what the text is about. Next, state what rhetorical strategies of the text you have analyzed, and state what you set out to find by analyzing them. Body: Organize your body paragraphs by rhetorical strategies that the author uses. You may also use subheadings. Your body paragraphs must contain both desсrіption and analysis. You must bring in specific evidence and examples from the text and then discuss how this evidence shows a rhetorical purpose. Discussion/Conclusion: Take time to summarize specifics of your findings. Why do you think the author chose to present the ideas and information in such a manner? Then address an omission of the text. What other rhetorical strategy does the author leave out/not engage with? What is the effect of that omission?
