7.11 Homework

Over the weekend, I am asking each of you to complete two tasks. The first, I would like you to read the introduction to Gothic in Contemporary Popular Culture by Catherine Spooner. You can find the link to it here.

Then, I ask each of you to choose one text to read from the list below. Each one of these texts is describing a specific idea and classifying that idea into a larger category. Remember, definition arguments must always complete two tasks: 1) establish the boundaries of a category, and 2) match a certain item within or outside of the limitations of those boundaries.

For example, you might argue that forcing students to read a text from a teacher-generated list is a heinous act because it violates personal liberties. You must then establish the boundaries of "heinous." So, what criteria would you determine could be defined as "heinous?" Given your argument, you might say "heinous" is any behavior which limits an individual's personal freedom, requires force, and functions successfully from power binaries. Then, you would determine whether or not "forcing students to read a text from a teacher-generated list" is a behavior which limits an individual's personal freedom, requires force, and functions successfully from power binaries. Thereafter, you would provide examples which explain why "forcing students to read a text from a teacher-generated list" is, in fact, a "heinous act against personal liberties."


SO, with all that said, please choose one of the following texts below. As your writing exercise, please do the following and bring your a hard copy of your notes to class on Monday:

• Summarize the argument. In other words, what do you think the thesis is? (hint: these are all definition arguments, so their theses will all be definitional claims, such as analogy, operational, categorical, extended, precedent, etc.!)
• Identify whether or not you believe the author is effectively persuading you, the reader, into believing what they believe. Then, explain why you believe this by using specific examples from the text and identifying their respective rhetorical devices (e.g. anecdotal information - pathos, ethos).

1. Judith Ortiz Cofer - The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria
2. Robert Warshow - The Gangster as Tragic Hero
3. Douglas Kellner - Sports, Media Culture, and Race - Some Reflections on Michael Jordan
4. Paul Theroux - Being a Man


For more information on how to define, take a look at this document.