ELA 1 st Semester Review

Rhetoric is… How writers or speakers use words to influence an audience Speaking or writing effectively Using words for a purpose; often this purpose to persuade or to inform Aristotle identified 3 main strategies in an argument (logos, ethos, pathos).

Rhetoric Cont… Logos: Logical argument that is based on facts and research, common sense information, precedents, etc. Pathos: Emotional appeal that is based on emotions, sympathy, sentimentality, etc. Pathos uses figurative language and imagery. Ethos: Ethical credibility that appeals to our sense of ethics, morals, values, etc. Ethos is used to establish the speaker/writer as a person of good character by citing other credible sources.

Character Archetypes Character archetypes are recurring characters that you have probably seen in different books and movies. Some examples: ◦ Hero ◦ Evil villain ◦ Mentor ◦ Damsel in distress

Character Archetypes Cont… Hero – character that must leave their usual life (world) to go on a journey where they will overcome challenges and face their fears in order to save the day. Evil villain – character capable of crime and wickedness that goes against the story’s hero. Mentor – character that is the wise or holy figure who guides the hero through their journey. Damsel in Distress – character that is the vulnerable female who needs to be rescued by the hero.

Figurative Language Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Types of figurative language: Imagery – Appeals to the 5 senses. Simile – Comparison using “like” or “as.” Ex. She is as quiet as a mouse. Metaphor – Comparison of two unlike things NOT using “like” or as.” Ex. Time is money. Alliteration – Repetition of the initial consonant sound. Ex. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Figurative Language Cont… Personification – Giving human like qualities to animals or inanimate objects. Ex. My computer hates me. Onomatopoeia – A word that imitates the source of the sound that it describes. Ex. Boo, pow, meow, crack, buzz... Hyperbole – Extreme exaggeration. Ex. He’s so stupid, he thought a quaterback was a refund. Idioms – An expression that means something other than the literal meaning of its individual words. Ex. “Kick the bucket.” This means someone has died. Oxymoron – A figure of speech that combines contradictory or unlike terms. Ex: The test made her break out into a cold sweat.

Point of View Point of view is the way the author allows the reader to “see” and “hear” what is going on in the story. Commonly used forms of point of view: 1 st Person: The narrator is a character in the story. The narrator uses the word “I.” 3 rd Person Limited: The narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of a single character. The narrator does not know the thoughts and feelings of the other characters in the story. 3 rd Person Omniscient: The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in the story.

Theme The message or central idea the author wants to convey to the reader. Theme often offers insight into life and the world around us. Usually, theme is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the theme may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing. Universal Theme: A fundamental ideal explored in a literary work that transcends boundaries of race, class, ethnicity, and gender.

Tone and Mood TONE: The way an author communicates a feeling or attitude toward the subject they are writing about. Tone in writing can be difficult to determine because you can't hear the author's words as they intended them to be read. Instead, you have to use context clues from the text. MOOD: The feeling a reader gets when reading a piece of literature. Ex. Happy, sad, peaceful, etc.

Informational/Argumentative Writing Informational Writing: used when the author’s purpose is to inform the reader about a particular subject by sharing information that is generally based in fact. Argumentative Writing: used when the author’s purpose is to not only give information, but also present an argument with PROS (supporting ideas) and CONS (opposing ideas) in order to persuade the reader to agree with their side of the argument.

Argumentative Writing Cont… In argumentative writing you must “back up” what you say with evidence. This evidence should be sound and help further the point you are trying to make. Be sure to properly cite your evidence. Arguments vs. Counter-arguments In argumentative writing the side you choose to agree with is the side you argue in favor of. You must provide evidence to support your argument throughout your writing. The opposite side is known as the counter-argument(s). The counter-argument is also supported by evidence and must be presented in argumentative writing in order to help you prove why your argument is correct or better than the other side.

Mythology Mythology is an ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, and heroes, which explains the view of a group of people. Myths: Contain heroes and heroines, supernatural elements, gods and goddesses, explain a natural phenomenon, and were originally told orally (spoken). Ancient people told myths to help explain the unexplainable, to explain natural phenomenon, to tell about their heroes, to explain human nature, and to teach morals and values.

Context Clues There are words or phrases around an unfamiliar word that can help you understand the meaning of a new word. These words and phrases are called context clues. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES: definition, restatement (synonym), contrast (antonym), comparison, example, list (series), cause and effect, and description or inference.

Formal and Informal Language Formal Language Even when spoken, is often associated with the conventions expected of written standard English. Does NOT use contractions Avoids personal pronouns such as: you, I, us, me, and we Uses complex, complete sentences Avoids colloquial or slang vocabulary Informal Language Uses simple grammatical structure Personal evaluation Uses contractions Uses colloquial or slang vocabulary - Examples: A lot, a lot, ain't, gonna, wanna, anyways, kinda, kind of, sorta, sort of, etc.

Formal and Informal Language Cont… Characteristics of formal and informal language. Formal serious, objective, impersonal, reasoned, controlled, and reserved Informal light, humorous, personal, casual, plainspoken, and simple When to use formal or informal language. Formal job interview, principal’s office visit, business letter, and class essay Informal text message, friendly letter, “locker” conversation, and journal-style writing