Henry David Thoreau

Overview: This second essay asks you to produce an analysis of either Henry David Thoreau’s text (from Walden), Shirley Geok-Lin Lim essays (“Boiled Chicken Feet and Hundred-Year-Old Eggs”), or Samin Nosrat’s text (Introduction to Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat) that we have read for class, in terms of how the author writes her/his text in order to achieve a purpose/s with respect to her/his readers.

Organization: Your essay should begin with an introduction paragraph that clearly sets up key elements of this type of analysis, as we discussed in class (such as the audience, and/or purpose of your chosen text).  You should end your introduction paragraph with a thesis statement about the author/s key argument/s and her/his use of strategies to advance those arguments persuasively.

Then, to develop your analysis, you must include the following body paragraphs; (write at least one developed paragraph on each, with relevant supporting evidence and interpretive explanation).  (But, you do not necessarily need to follow this order exactly.)

A paragraph on how one writing strategy is used by the author to attempt to achieve a purpose.

A paragraph on how a second writing strategy is used by the author to attempt to achieve a purpose.

A paragraph on how a third writing strategy is used by the author to attempt to achieve a purpose.

A paragraph comparing (and/or contrasting) your chosen text’s use of writing strategies with the writing strategies in at least one of the other texts we have read. 

A paragraph in which you discuss whether or not you believe the author was ultimately persuasive in her/his text and explain why. 

A conclusion paragraph that refers back to your original thesis while also presenting your reader with your thoughts about how writers make choices in their writing to attempt to persuade their audiences

A successful essay will do the following (in addition to all the elements of writing we have been working on thus far this semester):

Analyze various writing elements/choices/strategies in the text appropriately.

Punctuate all quotations properly, and use and explain quotations effectively.

Coherently keep the reader on track by means of clear paragraphing and transitions.

Develop an effective thesis that evolves out of your work in this type of analysis. For more information on Henry David Thoreau check on this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau