Blog #11 Writing Workshop

For the revision/extension essay, I chose to expand as well as revise the first essay we did in the class regarding an experience which seemed ordinary at the time of it happening but after looking back on it turns out to be of significance in some way. This essay was the one I received my lowest grade on so I hope by revising and extending this essay to achieve a better score and produce an overall improved work. Originally, I wrote this essay about the incident of me finding out that the tooth fairy was not real and at first being hurt but later understanding my mother's reasoning for keeping up this lie. My main critiques for this essay upon receiving it back were to change some redundant areas of the essay as well as to relate the theme back to some social issue. At first, I was uncertain about how exactly to relate this issue back to some form of a social issue without going off topic or stretching the ideas to the point where they do not fit within the essay, Additionally, I was not sure about how to incorporate texts from the anthology, as none of the essays seemed to  directly relate to my topic, let alone relate in any ways. However, discussing my essay with Ms. Thoeun helped guide me in the right direction regarding how I can extend this essay and connect it back to a global issue to ensure my essay is relatable for readers.

After speaking with Ms. Thoeun, I plan to maintain this same overall theme but extend the essay by linking my theme to contemporary parenting issues involving certain parenting styles in comparison to previous generations as well as pulling from outside sources such as online articles. These contemporary issues such as "tiger moms" or "helicopter parenting" will aid in connecting my essay topic to other individuals as there has been controversy regarding parenting which does not set children up for the actuality of the real world. This directly relates back to my topic as my mother lying to me about imaginative creature such as the "tooth fairy" could have set me up for failure by providing me with a false reality of what the world is truly like. I hope to achieve a well written and relatable essay by following these suggestions and incorporating further sources.

Chapter 14 Argumentation

In Chapter 14, the process of reasoning that asserts the soundness of a debatable position, belief, or conclusion, also known as argumentation, is discussed. Argumentation can be utilized to convince others on the  position or stance one has taken as well as refute a position. Although argumentation goes hand in hand with persuasion, they do not mean the same thing. While persuasion refers to how a writer influences an audience through appeals of pathos, ethos and logos, argumentation only applies to the appeal to reason. Argumentation, unlike persuasion, has the primary purpose of exhibiting the validity of the argument rather than convincing the audience to take action. When writing with argumentation, one can choose an appeal which primarily suits the audience and purpose and support that appeal with evidence while also including other examples of other appeals. Important factors to consider include being open minded which will aid in coming up with opposing arguments as well as the purpose of the argumentation essay such as how one wants readers to respond. Additionally, one should ensure that the thesis is debatable so that some can object to the statement, as ideas which are already facts are not arguments. Evidence plays a significant role in argumentation essays as they it is what supports the position and works to convince the audience that the argument being made is worth considering. It is important the evidence meets the following criteria: evidence must be relevant and pertinent to the argument in that it fully supports the argument without taking away from it; evidence should be representative of the topic that is being spoken of otherwise the argument will be weak and could make the author seen unreliable and uninformed, leaving the argument ineffective; lastly, the evidence should be sufficient with regards to the topic and the audience. Refutations are also essential to an argumentation essay as they strengthen the case by showing that the author is aware of opposing positions and can address these objections effectively. When writing argumentation essays, inductive and deductive arguments should be utilized to structure the essay and the author should be sure to avoid any fallacies which would weaken the argument such as sweeping generalizations, misleading statistics, or ad hominem.

For me, Chapter 14 had to be on of the most informative chapters I've read so far within the textbook.Of course I was aware of the argumentation essay and factors such as evidence and refutations but I had not realized all of the major errors of fallacies I was including in my writing. In addition, I wasn't aware of concepts such as Toulmin logic and Rogerian argument which I realized I also need to be careful of. Often when refuting any opposition arguments I can sometimes come off as confrontational or the "I'm right, you're wrong" type of approach. This chapter helped me to understand the deductive and inductive arguments a bit better but I still think I need further instruction regarding the difference between the two. Chapter 14 helped me to realize the mistakes I've been making in my argumentation essays such as equivocation fallacy or the You Also fallacy which I thought was an effective way to find a hole in the opponent's arguments prior to reading this chapter.

Chapter 12 Classification and Division

In Chapter 12, Classification and Division, Kirszner and Mandell examine the process of breaking a whole into individual parts, known as division, and the process of sorting individual items into categories, or classification. Classification and division are processes which can aid in putting a variety of ideas into a coherent and effective order. Through these processes, one can recognize relationships between parts as well as use these relationships to categorize them. Although the processes are related to one another and may require similar steps, they are two separate processes. Classifying items begins with individual parts and sorts them into categories based upon their attributes. The quality items have in common is known as the principle of classification and is decided based on the individual categorizing them. Contrastingly, division is the opposite of classifying that is division starts with a whole and breaks it into individual parts or categories. The principle of classification also plays a role in division because it is needed to identify how to assign the parts of the whole into separate categories. These processes can be used when brainstorming an essay as they can narrow down what to include in the essay or shape how the essay should be structured. When selecting what principle of classification to use, one must consider factors including the assignment, the purpose, the audience and other knowledge of writing.

This chapter was a bit surprising to me as I did not previously know that classification or division could be categorized as essay types. Although I had heard of the usual ones such as compare and contrast or cause and effect, this one was unfamiliar to me previous knowledge. For this reason, I was very interested in the sections including how to apply classification and division to my own writing. One part which stood out to me was the reminder in the checklist which stated that all categories should be at the same level. I never thought of the idea that categories could be viewed in terms of level and that this was a significant issue to consider. Also, I viewed these processes in a much more on the surface perspective and never considered that classifying and dividing items could be used to explain significance and relevance of these items. This chapter educated me of the importance of these processes as they can help recognize relationships between different ideas and they can also aid in structuring an essay.

Chapter 10 Cause and Effect

Chapter 10, Cause and Effect, discusses the factors, planning, structuring and revising of a cause and effect essay. Rather than describing how something happens such as in a process essay, cause and effect essays analyze why something happens and either examine causes, explain the effects or do both within the essay. When examining the situation in which is being examined, it is important to effectively distinguish between the correct causes and effects, as some situations include many causes or many effects. Identifying the causes can be difficult, as determining the main cause and the contributory causes is very important to the structure of the essay. Although the main cause is sometimes the obvious one, this is not always the case. In addition, one must understand the immediate and remote causes. Immediate causes follow closely before the effect while remote causes may take time to recognize due to the fact that they can happen much further back in the past. It is crucial when determining immediate and remote causes that one does not assume that the immediate cause is the most important or the main cause. When effects are also causes, this is called a causal chain. When causal chains occur, the result of one action is the cause of another, forming a link of chains. Another factor to consider is post hoc reasoning which should be avoided at all causes. Post hoc reasoning occurs when one event precedes another and is thought to cause the event simply because it came before. In post hoc reasoning, coincidence is mistaken for causality.

Although I had thought I had known all about the factors regarding a cause and effect essay, this chapter informed me of a lot of aspects I did not know about. For example, I never realized there could be so many different ways to structure a cause and effect essay such as through describing the less important causes to the most important or distinguishing between the immediate and remote causes. I also did not know previously that an important part of describing the effects in a cause and effect essay was predicting the outcome of certain effects. One critical part of this chapter for me was the grammar in context section which it discussed how to use affect and effect correctly because I realize that many people have a hard time with this problem. Additionally, I believe that an important tip of this chapter was to not just assume that the immediate cause is the main and most important cause because it can lead to misleading conclusions.

Blog #7 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian pp. 178-229

Throughout the last few chapters of Alexie's book, many significant events occur which move the plot of the story along and contribute to the prominent themes of the book. To start, Junior's basketball team at Reardan has yet another match against Wellpinit where Coach places Junior to guard Rowdy. Starting the game out Junior plots revenge, still angry about the prior concussion he received from Rowdy and possessing a fire for the need to prove himself. But after actually winning the game against his reservation's team, he has a change of heart realizing that Indian team members needed this win more than he did, as losing is likely going to result in a Rowdy's beating from his father. Due to his change of perspective of the meaning of this game, Junior begins to feel guilty and ashamed of himself as all the feelings come flooding in. In the next chapter, he apologizes to Rowdy and they have a conversational exchange which makes Junior feel better about the situation despite not being in the best place of their friendship. One event which plays a large role in the theme of alcoholism present throughout the story, is the death of Junior's sister Mary. Junior is so overwhelmed by the whole situation that he becomes hysterical. Later on in the chapter, Junior has a conversation with Rowdy in which Rowdy blames Junior for Mary's death claiming that her leaving the reservation was Junior's fault. The next chapter includes a grieving period for Junior in which he cries for everything bad that has ever happened to him and his tribe, as he comes to conclusion that regardless of all of the terrible things he is going to be okay because he has aspiring dreams and because he is going to learn from everything that has happened to him. At the end of the story, Junior and Rowdy play a basketball game together and Rowdy tells Junior that he is happy for him and tells him about a dream in which Junior was standing on the Great Wall of China.

Overall, the last few chapters of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian really capture the complexity of the story. The basketball game between Readrdan and Wellpinit seems to parallel the internal conflict within Junior regarding his life on the reservation and his education with the Whites of Wellpinit. Though he begins the game thinking only about himself, his perspective changes when he actually wins which is something I can relate to in that I often remind myself that I need to step back and take a look at the bigger picture when I'm mad about petty things. Although it is not the most important theme of the story, one which did stand out to me is Rowdy and Junior's friendship which changes frequently throughout the story. In the end, Rowdy and Junior's bond stays strong and it helps you see that they are able to see past the differences they have in terms of leaving the reservation because they know that their friendship is so much more than that and they can still support each other. Another idea which stood out to me is although Junior did move to Wellpinit, he never truly assimilated to their culture. He saw how different lifestyles and cultures were and although he did try to lie many times, he also stood up for his beliefs and to his own morals in not running back to the reservation to please others. In the end, I wholeheartedly can say this that this has to be my favorite book that I have had to read for school and maybe even one of my favorite books in general. Although Junior and I are completely different people, it is still so easy to find his character and his issues relatable because despite going through the struggles of the Indian community, he is just an awkward teenager going through life. I feel like this is one of those books where you can read it over and over again and always find something new to latch onto or some fresh perspective that changes how you view it. As I said in the beginning, Alexie's book pulled me in with its sarcastic nature and comedy and now finishing the book I can say that it was compelling from start to finish.

Blog #6 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian pp. 1-53

In pages 1 through 53 of Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, we are introduced to the character of Junior, a young Indian teenage boy growing up on a reservation dealing with the awkward stages of life as well as the difficulties of being an Indian. Junior begins the story explaining his birth defect and how that affected his childhood, causing him to have frequent seizures, a lisp, and a stutter. This lead to him becoming the class ridicule including name calling and regular beatings. Consequently, Junior became an introvert and an avid cartoonist making it his dream to become a rich artist. In these chapters, Junior also talks about how being poor has played a significant role in his life causing him to lose his best friend, his dog Oscar. Additionally, these chapters talks about Junior's best friend Rowdy who he also views as his protector due to Junior's scrawny size and constant bullying. Junior and Rowdy have a strong bond and many things in common such as their love for comics and cartoons. Junior also recalls an incident in which his frustration caused by an outdated textbook led him to throw the book at his teacher. Despite the trouble he made, the conversation with Mr. P following the incident opened Junior's eyes to how restricting the reservation was, particularly holding him back from his dreams because of the lack of proper education. Junior realized if he wanted to succeed he needed to get out of the harmful and constraining environment of the reservation which only resulted in bringing him pain and discouraging his sense of hope.

So far, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has been such an entertaining and fast read. It pulled me in from the very beginning with the sarcastic nature of the tone and the comical sketches placed throughout the chapters. I love that it is so different from typical books required for school reading in that it has themes present which are extremely relatable for students our age. The story has themes of hopes and dreams, friendships, family problems, and making difficult sacrifices which I think not only we as students but everyone can relate to. I also really enjoy the flow of the writing and how much of Junior's character and personality comes through Alexie's writing. In addition, I appreciate that despite the apparent struggles Junior is facing, the story is told through in a humorous way but it also doesn't lose focus of the serious problems it is trying to get across such as the discrimination against Indians and the inadequacy of education. Alexie also tells the story in a way where you can grow and face the experiences with Junior's character. Considering it is told in somewhat of a "diary" format, the experiences are told very vividly and all of Junior's first reactions and feelings are easy to connect with.

Chapter 8 Exemplification

In Chapter 8, Kirszner and Mandell define the process of exemplification which utilizes cases, or examples to illustrate and explain a general point or an abstract concept. Exemplification can be used in all situations and is an effective way of explaining and clarifying, adding interest, and persuading an audience but only when used appropriately. Examples used to explain should directly pertain to the topic and should clarify information which aids in understanding the essay. To add interest, examples should be specific and intriguing in that they pull the reader but not distract or confuse them from the purpose of the essay. When trying to persuade readers, examples should indicate reasons why they should consider the perspective and convince them of the credibility of the author to build a sense of trust. In addition, all examples should center around and support the thesis statement. These examples throughout the essay should work to reinforce the main topic and the point being made. Besides carefully choosing examples based on their relevance to the thesis, it is important to consider the number of examples included. Although there is not a set number, there should be enough examples to support the main idea but not so much that it takes away from the writing or fails to stay relevant to the topic. Furthermore, a good range of examples is necessary to persuade readers. It is not effective to provide only one example as readers cannot assume this can represent the outcome of all situations which is why it is necessary to provide an adequate amount of examples which properly develop the thesis. Likewise, it it necessary to consider the structure of an exemplification essay such as whether to arrange the essay chronologically, by order of increasing complexity, or by order of importance.

After reading Chapter 8, I felt that I had a better grasp of exemplification in regards to how to use in and what factors to consider when including examples. Although this chapter did provide further insight, I did have prior knowledge of the importance of examples as a way to get the main point across. When writing essays, I've found that examples are a highly effective way of convincing readers of your perspective as well as the credibility of yourself as an author. For example, if examples are used which lack development and do not support the topic properly, readers can assume the author has not done sufficient research and will be less likely to agree with the author's perspective. I found the tip of going back to revise the thesis, as stated on page 202 to be particularly helpful because I usually restrict myself to having to find examples which directly support the thesis and sometimes it's difficult to do this. This often leads me to include examples which do not precisely support the thesis, making it difficult for readers to see my perspective when I could simply go back and change my thesis. Additionally, the paragraph which talks about providing enough examples stood out to me because I've always used three as a rule of thumb and I've gotten used to this method of writing when three examples does not always apply to the situation and the essay might require just one example or five examples. In particular, I also found the revision and editing checklists to be useful and made a mental note to come back and use them because I usually do not know where to start when going back and reviewing my writing.