EAPIB: Teaching a Stone to Talk Essay Feedback (2015)

Prompt (1) Read the passages carefully. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze the specific stylistic and rhetorical differences between the two descriptions.

Breaking Down the Prompt The prompt asks you to analyze the stylistic and rhetorical differences between the two passages. To analyze style, you will need to discuss the literary and rhetorical devices each writer uses to convey meaning, with an emphasis on those devices that are different from those in the other passage Style = literary devices Rhetoric = elements of persuasion and author’s purpose

Passage 1 Sounds like a journal entry from a botanist visiting the islands Stylistic elements to consider: First person Diction Imagery Syntax Comparison Simile (only one) Tone (disappointed; perhaps even surprised by the desolation; the author was expecting more vegetation)

Passage 2 A clearly literary passage characterized by heavy use of figurative language, including: Metaphor Personification Hyperbole Imagery Diction Allusion Tone (on the surface, it may sound negative, but it’s actually sympathetic)

Prevalent Weaknesses Thesis statements must clearly address all elements of the prompt Sloppy errors in grammar, logic, word choice, and syntax Misreading the prompt and/or misreading tone Superficial or inaccurate analysis; failure to demonstrate an effective understanding of the passages Body paragraphs that don’t make sense (in terms of structure, use of quoted support, logic, or all three)

Scoring Class average: 74.5 (68.9%) Essay #2 (Ethan Frome): 71 (71.7%) Essay #1 (Summer Reading): 64 (71%)