Informal Essay Questions
Effective Persuasion:
1. Why is this an example of an informal (section) of an essay?
2. How does Aristotle speak to the concept of "truth" in this section of his essay?
3. How is a statement persuasive?
4. What are the three kinds of persuasion by the "spoken word"?
5. Outline Aristotle's explanation of each of his three arguments or ideas.
6. What are the three means of effecting persuasion?
7. How can this essay relate to your own essay writing skill development?
Singing School:
1. What is the thesis of this essay?
2. Where does all literature come from?
3. What does Frye mean by, "every form of literature has a pedigree"?
4. What word does Frye use to describe how stories are all recycled? Provide some examples from the
essay and outline them as he does.
5. Explain Frye's "baby" analogy.
6. What four categories can conventional stories be divided into? What three ways are the stories
conventional?
7. "Literature is till does the same job that mythology did earlier, but fillling in its huge cloudy shapes
with sharper lights and deeper shadows". What does Frye mean by this?
Why I Write:
1. This essay is organized chronologically.
a) Prepare a timeline of Orwell's life based on the information provided in the essay. Include events from
both Orwell's personal life and contemporary historical events.
b) What other organizations patterns does Orwell use? Outline major elements of an argumentative essay
such as thesis, lead, arguments, and conclusion.
c) Assess the effectiveness of his essay structure. What do you notice about what you have outlined in
your deconstruction of his essay?
2. Why do writers write, according to Orwell?
3. There has always been a great debate between the value of science and the value of art in the quest to
deliver truth. How does Orwell speak to this debate?
4. What does Orwell say about the comparison of stories over time?
5. What are the motives for writing? Explain them.
6. According to Orwell, what makes a work persuasive?
Portrait of the Essay as a Warm Body:
1. Before reading this essay, consider what you think makes a "good" essay. What elements of it makes it
effective? What makes it persuasive? What affect does an essay have on you after reading it?
2. Do some research on the title. What allusion does Ozick use in creating her title? Why do you think
she chose this particular reference?
3. How does Ozick describe our tendency to be persuaded by a good essay?
4. "When I am with Hazlitt, I know no greater companion than nature. When I am with Emerson, I know
no greater solitude than nature". Explain what she means by this. Think of an example in your own life
when this has happened to you ( your answer can relate to literature, movies, music....).
5. What does Ozick say about the structure of an essay and the essayist's job in making it an affective or
"coherent" piece of writing?
6. What affect did this essay have on you? Compare your response to question number one to your
response to this question? Are they the same? Why or why not?