Stylistic Essay

In preparation for writing the stylistic essay, please write a paragraph or two in which you identify the essay you plan to write on, that essay's thesis, your own thesis, and the ways and extent to which style or stylistic devices function in the essay. Below the essay assignment, I've included a close-reading annotated checklist, which I would like you to fill out in order to help you write this paragraph or paragraphs and your essay overall. Please feel free to write me with questions.

The Stylistic Essay:
Due November 5th

In this unit you have read a number of highly stylized essays and poems, and we have discussed different stylistic devices. In a four – five page response paper, I would like you to pick one or two of the following essays to write on: “The Knife,” “Why Do I Fast,” “He and I,” or “Meatless Days,” and do a close reading of it, discussing what stylistic elements are used and how they contribute to the essay’s overall meaning. In this response you must identify the essay’s thesis, or general message, and then, after identifying that thesis, you must clearly supply your own regarding the ways in which you believe the stylistic elements we’ve discussed enhance or detract from the piece you are discussing. If you choose to discuss two pieces, you must discuss how they are similar and or different, and how these comparisons enhance or detract from your overall thesis.

In your response you may want to address some if not all of these questions: what was the author’s intention and what is the thesis? How is the thesis supported and specifically, what evidence is supplied? Make sure to give examples and quote passages. What stylistic devices are used? How do they enhance or detract from the meaning? Did you have an emotional reaction to the essay? Did your reaction change with analysis?

Please include a close-reading annotated checklist, and again this response should be four – five pages long and in 12 point Times New Roman Font. Good luck and work hard.


Close-Reading Annotated Checklist:

Essay Title:

Author:

Introduction:


How does the author introduce his or her subject?

Why?

Is the introduction effective? Why?

Is the thesis introduced? If so, what is it?


Body Paragraphs and Evidence:


What is the thesis?

How is the thesis supported and what evidence is supplied?

List examples of supporting evidence:


Construction:


Where in the essay do examples of supporting evidence occur?

Where is the thesis stated?

Does the thesis evolve? If so, how?



Conclusion:


How does the essay conclude? Why?

What new insights are gained in the conclusion?

"He and I" or "Why do I fast"

Dear all,

Please post a paragraph or two on either of these essays, paying attention especially to how you believe style is part of and influencing content. I look forward to reading your thoughts on these difficult, dense, and lovely essays.

Best and see you tomorrow,

Laura

Blog Entry for Wednesday October 15th

Please respond to Richard Selzer's "The Knife," paying especially close attention to the stylistic devices that we discussed in class. I will give you all a handout of those devices tomorrow as well as a new copy of the syllabus. Feel free to email me with questions.

Enjoy Selzer's lovely lyrical essay!

New and (hopefully) final Syllabus Revision

Week 1

Wednesday August 27 Introduction


Week 2

Monday September 1 No Class


Wednesday September 3 Introduction – pp. xxiii - liv



Week 3

Monday September 8 No Class due to emergency



Wednesday September 10 Charles Lamb – “A Chapter on Ears” –
p. 165
Montaigne – “On Some Verses of Virgil” – p. 58
Blog


Week 4

Monday September 15 Annie Dillard – “Seeing” – pp. 693-706
Blog

Wednesday September 17 No Class


Week 5

Monday September 22 Junichiro Tanizaki – “In Praise of Shadows” –
pp. 335- 361


Wednesday September 24 Blog: paragraphs detailing analytic essay
plan

Week 6

Monday September 29 No Class - First Draft of Analytic Essay Due by
Email

Wednesday October 1 No Class


Week 7

Monday October 6 Peer Review


Wednesday October 8 No Class

Week 8

Tuesday October 14 Stylistic Devices – (handout)


Wednesday October 15 Richard Selzer – “The Knife” – pp. 707-714
Blog


Week 9

Monday October 20 “Why Do I Fast” – pp. 422-430
Blog

Wednesday October 22 Second Draft of Analytic Essay Due
“He and I” – pp. 453-457
Blog

Week 10

Monday October 27 – “Meatless Days” – pp. 458 – 475
Blog


Wednesday October 29 First Draft of Stylistic Essay Due
Peer Review




Week 11

Monday November 3 Conferences




Wednesday November 5 Louise Gluck - “On Impoverishment
(handout)



Week 12

Monday November 10 F. Scott Fitzgerald – “The Crack-Up”
Blog

Wednesday November 12 E. B. White – “Ring of Time” – pp. 538-539
Second Draft of Stylistic Essay Due


Week 13

Monday November 17 Virginia Woolf – “A Room of One’s Own” (handout)

Wednesday November 19 Edward Hoagland – “The Courage of
Turtles”
Blog


Week 14

Monday November 24 Jorge Luis Borges – “Blindness”

Wednesday November 26 Outline for Personal Essay Due
Personal Essay Conferences


Week 15

Monday December 1 First Draft of Personal Essay Due
Peer Review
Blog

Wednesday December 10 Second Draft of Personal Essay Due included in Final Portfolio

Week 16

Monday December 15 Portfolio Conferences
Final Portfolio Due

Peer Review!!!

Hello everyone,

Hope you are well. Sorry this wasn't posted earlier. But if you get this in time, we will be doing peer review tomorrow, and can you please bring five copies of your essay to class as well as a copy for me. Thank you and see you tomorrow bright and early!

Best,
Laura