Zeitoun Socratic Seminar

If you missed class today, you missed our Zeitoun Socratic Seminar. As a reward for your excellent discussions and thoughtful observations, there was no homework tonight. However, you do, of course, have a Friday reading due this week, so you might want to get a jump start on that assignment this evening.

The Rhetoric of the Declaration of Independence

Today in class, we read Thomas Jefferson's original draft of The Delcaration of Independence as well as the final copy used by out government today. Think how interesting it would have been if the founders of the country has gone with Jefferson's first draft. Do you think slavery would have still existed? Why do you think so many of the founders (especially those from the South) wanted Jefferson to change some of his wording? This just goes to show you how powerful words truly can be. After reading, answer questions #1, #2, and #3.

Homework:
1. Read Elizabeth Cady Stanton's "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions" on page 878 of the Norton Reader. TAP it and answer questions 1 - 3 on page 880.
2. Be prepared for tomorrow's Socratic Seminar discussion of Zeitoun. Yes, we will have food!

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

My apologies for being absent, but I have a sick child to tend to. Because I am not at school, I do not have access to the abridged version of Thoreau's essay.
If you were in school today, then you have a copy of the assignment and are aware of the work:

1. What is the TAP? (Were you expecting something else?)
2. Does Thoreau present a convincing argument for acting on one’s principles? Why or why not?
3. Does Thoreau fulfill the role of a conscientious objector? (One who advocates civil disobedience—the deliberate and public refusal to obey laws that violate one’s personal principles).
4. What does Thoreau stand for philosophically? What about practically?
5. In the essay, Thoreau describes government as a “wooden gun.” Evaluate the effectiveness of this metaphor.
6. List THREE rhetorical strategies Thoreau uses to achieve his purpose. Name the strategy, list the example, and explain why it is effective.


Thoreau's language is challenging, but do your best not to become overwhelmed. He is rather verbose, but his points are quite clear.

Machiavelli lays it down for the Monarchy

I am sorry for my absence today.
Today, we read and analyzed Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Morals of the Prince." As you read, think about the advice Machiavelli gives to princes and if that advice is applicable to all leaders.  On page 870, answer questions # 1 - # 4. Also, don't forget to analyze the tone, audience and purpose of the essay.

Remember to continue reading Zeitoun and working on your analysis questions.

Zeitoun, Final Questions

ZEITOUN
Part IV and Part V Questions
Due: Wednesday, November 10

Topics for Discussion (For this week’s Friday reading (due Friday, Nov. 12), you need to find an opinion article or editorial AND an editorial cartoon that conveys the same perspective. You only need to analyze the article, but you should also include an explanation of how the cartoon relates to the editorial).
• Please note that page numbers listed are from the hardcover edition.
1. Make a list of TEN rhetorical strategies Eggers uses in Parts IV and V. For each strategy, identify it by name, provide the definition, and analyze its effectiveness in conveying Eggers’ purpose. Your analysis should include what your perceive the purpose to be. Since you are analyzing throughout the last parts of the book, the purpose will not be the same for each strategy.
2. Part IV (203–90) tells the story of Zeitoun’s imprisonment. Here we learn in great detail how Zeitoun is denied the right to call Kathy, how his injured foot is not attended to, how the other men are beaten, stripped, and starved, how he prays constantly, yet loses hope. What is the impact, as you read, of this narrative?
3. “Zeitoun is a more powerful indictment of America’s dystopia in the Bush era than any number of well-written polemics” (Timothy Egan, New York Times, August 13, 2009). Would you agree with this statement? How does Zeitoun serve as a contribution to the history of hurricane Katrina and the failure of government to handle the disaster effectively?
4. Analyze Eggers’ presentation of Kathy’s situation, and her actions once she learns where Zeitoun is. The aftermath is more difficult, and she still suffers from physical and psychological problems that seem to be the result of post-traumatic stress. What was the most traumatic part of her experience, and why (319)?
5. Given that the other men who were imprisoned with Zeitoun were held much longer than he was, and that Nasser lost his life savings, is it surprising that these men were not compensated in any way for their time in prison (320–21)?
6. What is Zeitoun’s feeling now about what happened? How does he move forward into the future, as expressed in the book’s closing pages (322-25)?

George W. Bush and the Rhetoric of 9/11

Today in class we read George W. Bush's address to the nation the night of September 11, 2001. You need to analyze the speech for tone, audience, purpose and effective examples of rhetoric. Please be prepared to discuss the effectiveness of the strategies in class tomorrow. Also, think about the similarities and differences in TAP and rhetoric in comparison to Bush's speech and Leonard Pitts, Jr.'s "We'll Go Forward From This Moment."

We also began the documentary film, 9/11.

Remember to work on Friday reading!

Ronald Reagan and the Challenger Explosion

Those of you that were absent today will need to make up the analysis essay of Nixon's "Checkers" speech ASAP.

Today in class we read and analyzed Ronald Reagan's address to the nation following the Challenger tragedy. Your homework is to analyze the tone, audience and purpose as well as the most effective rhetorical strategy per paragraph (ten total). This work is due Wednesday, since tomorrow is a student holiday. (If you're 18...don't forget to vote!) The school internet system is still full of kinks, so the link for the Reagan address is to a website rather than the Google doc. Send me an email if you're still having problems.

Since this is a rather detailed assignment, you just might have a Quickwrite assignment Wednesday.