Mrs. Garrard
EN35
Puritan Era
Personal Jeremiad:
A Chance to Rant
Now that we have finished reading “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and “How Soccer is Ruining
America: a Jeremiad” it is your turn to venture into persuasive writing. This personal jeremiad will be a
persuasive piece in which you will focus on identifying a fault in society and provide a path to
redemption. Your jeremiad must include each of the following elements regardless of which prompt you
choose.
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500-750 words
Incorporation of at least three examples of figurative language
Incorporation of imagery
Incorporation of at least two rhetorical questions
A tone shift from urgent/critical/condemning to hopeful/imploring
Adherence to the basic structure
1. Present a biblical or spiritual (or personal) ideal for behavior
2. Describe the ways individuals or communities have fallen short
3. Provide a vision for the ideal life that would result from a return to the standard
Requirements by Model Text
Model #1: Edwards’s fire and brimstone
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Spend 60 to 75 percent of your piece on the condemnation and impending doom of society’s fall
from standards.
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Rely heavily on the figurative language to establish a dire picture of the future.
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Use rhetorical questions in the positive call to redemption
Model #2: Webb’s playful satire
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About a fourth of the way through your piece begin to hint at the playful/sarcastic nature of your
writing.
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Implement a structure that uses the 4 bullet point analysis – No, you are not limited to 4. 3 or 5
would also be ok. 
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Use figurative language to create comic effect and reference popular culture.
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Use rhetorical questions in the examination of the fall from grace; build momentum with multiple
NO questions in a row.