Work on 1st draft today.  You may listen to music while you write.

Homework: Please bring in one printed copy of your draft tomorrow. Even though it is a first draft, try to have close to three pages completed.  

Below is a copy of the writing assignmnet:

IV AP: Rhetoric of Language and Composition

Orwell 1984 Essay Assignment

Wesley Fall 2015

125 points

Length: 3-4 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman

Due Date: November 12-16, 2015

1.       WTH?! Why should I still care about 1984 in 2015?!  Choose one or more issues addressed by Orwell in 1984 and write an essay which persuades your audience of the continued relevance of Orwell’s writing as it relates to that/those issue(s) today.

·         In writing your essay, keep in mind that it is not necessary you prove every detail of Orwell’s portrayal of a particular issue has come true, but rather, you should strive to convince your audience that the spirit of his warnings were accurate and that we might do well to listen to them today. 

·         Use evidence from the book as well as your own observations and reasoning to demonstrate to your audience that Orwell’s warnings remain relevant today. Where appropriate, supporting your argument with quotes/information from credible sources outside of the novel (e.g., New York Times, PBS Frontline, CNN, etc) is encouraged, but not required.  Rhetorical decisions are always situational, and therefore they differ from paper to paper.  Consider whether your argument needs, or would be strengthened by, the inclusion of outside sources.

·         Some issues Orwell addresses which you might wish to consider include but are not limited to the following:  politics, warfare, extreme patriotism/nationalism/propaganda, torture, loss of individuality, groupthink, personal relationships, limits on free speech, the degradation of language, bread and circuses (e.g., formulaic literature and music, sports, pornographic and violent movies/television, the lottery) as a means of dumbing down and distracting the masses, technology/surveillance and privacy issues, etc.  Wherever possible, focus on the impact of these issues they relate to the United States, as it is often too easy to point out the problems of others and be blind to our own.

2.       Who will save your soul?   “George Orwell’s 1984 is the expression of a mood and it is a warning. The mood it expresses is that of near despair about the future of man, and the warning is that unless the course of history changes, men all over the world will become soulless automatons, and will not even be aware of it.”  - Eric Fromm, Author and Literary Critic

Using 1984 as a springboard for your argument, write an essay which argues that some current trends may threaten and slowly erode the essence of who we are as humans, or, in Eric Fromm’s words, turn us into “soulless automatons”.  You might wish to especially consider those trends that have the potential to gradually erode our most uniquely human tendencies (thinking, loving, creating art, expressing ourselves, etc.) if we fail to notice and pay attention to these threats. What must we do to guard against these threats to our souls/humanity? Convince your argument that you have a valid concern, and are not overreacting or being dramatic because you thought that would be an easy way to write this paper. 

3.       You make a good point, George… (a.k.a., The Rhetorical Analysis Prompt)  Pick what you consider to be an important passage of two or more pages in length and explain how Orwell shapes the language of that passage to achieve meaningful effects and purpose(s).  In addition to articulating what you perceive to be Orwell’s purpose in the passage, make sure to discuss that passage’s role/relationship to Orwell’s overall purposes in the novel, and, of course, explain how Orwell uses rhetorical strategies/devices in this passage to achieve certain goals. Make sure to choose a passage that is complex enough to allow you write a strong paper (and get it approved by me first) that convinces your audience of the significance of the passage and the power of Orwell’s writing.

Wait, who is my audience?

For all of these papers, consider your audience to be your teacher, classmates, and parents/guardians. In addition to me, at least two other people read and comment on your paper, including what they felt your strongest points were. One person should be an adult and one should be another LT student.  You can obtain written (a paragraph) or video-recorded comments (30-60 seconds) from them. If you obtain video comments, record them on a phone or other device and show them to me during class or before or after school.

Other Reminders

You will need to write a claim/thesis and this claim will need to address the “so what” question. A claim is your argument.

Close Attention to Paragraph Structure: Please remember that paragraphs have a structure. You will need topic sentences, transitions from one idea to the next, a conscious attention to how you order your information. What information do you want to include in one paragraph? What should you then include in a different paragraph and how should you make your move or transition to the next paragraph? Use transition words to make this move easily.

Integrate quotations from the text as evidence for your claim. Do not simply drop in the citations; rather, nestle the quotations into your sentence and reveal a fusion: you and Orwell. You should show how you are using the citation to prove your point. You should have a minimum of 8 citations worked fully and thoughtfully into your paper.

If you are writing the rhetorical analysis essay, make reference to devices of rhetoric as they relate to and support the meaning of the text/further your argument. It makes no sense to highlight a simile or showcase repetitions or parallel structure. But, it does make quite a bit of difference to say that Orwell relies upon a series of animal images or similes to show that man is dehumanized and reduced under a regime, under a boot that stamps down on his individual and unique nature. It makes complete sense to discuss the way in which Orwell uses symbols of paperweights or antique stores to show that nostalgia is meaningful, to show that history matters, to show that we cannot wipe out history and pretend that it did not happen.

Sentence Structure: Be attentive to variety in your sentences. Do you have complex sentences? Are you comparing and contrasting ideas in the text? Use compare/contrast words, words that begin a complex sentence: When, Although, Because etc.

Sometimes, you’ll want a simple sentence for effect. Or a question. At this stage in your writing you should know how to use a semicolon correctly. Look to see what sentence errors have been indicated on feedback from summer essay, college essay, and close readings. Try to make some changes for this essay.

Style: You’ve been looking at the style of others, their rhetorical devices. But try some of your own. You too can use metaphors, use parallel structure, use imagery, use rhetorical questions, etc. What is your voice? What do you do to achieve your own style? Just some things to think about.