Essay Unit
English 1201
Name:
TERMS
The ESSAY is a moderately brief prose discussion of a restricted topic. This topic is otherwise
known as the SUBJECT.
Every essay will have a PURPOSE, which is the central concern or reason behind the writing.
The THESIS STATEMENT will indicate the main idea behind the essay, revealing its purpose. The
thesis statement will usually be found at the beginning or end of paragraph one.
Every individual paragraph will have a main point, revealed by the TOPIC SENTENCE of the
paragraph.
An essay will also have an intended AUDIENCE, those people that the writer is intending to
speak to specifically. Sometimes an audience may be a very general group.
TONE is a term that refers to the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience. An
essay may have a tone that is: formal, informal, intimate, solemn, somber, playful, serious,
ironic, condescending, and so on. Tone may be aided by diction, sentence structure, repetition,
imagery, alliteration, assonance, consonance, and so on.
An essay’s PLAN is the ordered arrangement of the ideas in an essay. It is also known as an
outline.
A writer’s STYLE is the arrangement of words in a manner best expressing the individuality of
the author and the idea and intent in the author’s mind. Style involves the way a writer uses
language – how s/he handles words, phrases, sentences, non-sentences, and paragraphs.
 Long or short sentences and paragraphs?
 Personal feeling? Philosophy?
 Wide vocabulary?
 Appealing to the senses?
 Denotation/connotation?
Sometimes an essay may use SATIRE, when a serious subject is treated in a humorous way,
exaggerated, ridiculed, so that on the surface it becomes a laughing matter.
Sometimes ANALOGY is used, whereby a relationship, or likeness, or parallelism is used for
explaining something: “This course is like a long hike. If you have the right provisions, and you
follow the right path, you’ll make great discoveries and enjoy the journey with your
companions. But you shouldn’t fall behind.”
Bias – prejudice
Cliché – a worn out phrase
Closing by return – ending an essay with a reference to the same anecdote or personal
experience that was used to open the essay
Colon – (:) this punctuation signals a list or an explanation
Conventions – accepted usage of language, capital letters, punctuation, etc…i.e. A convention
of letter writing would be the inside address.
Connotation – ideas and images associated with words that go beyond dictionary meaning, i.e.
New Orleans
Denotation – dictionary meaning of a word
Ellipsis – (…) this punctuation indicates that something has been left out; it is often used for
implication, i.e. “If I told you once, …”
Figurative meaning is not literal, i.e. crawling the walls (very bored); literal meaning, on the
other hand, would involve doing a wall at Walnuts.
Paradox – a statement that seems to be absurd or self-contradictory, but it is really founded on
truth (i.e. “More haste, less speed.)
Punctuation – the system of separating the written word (sentences, clauses) by the use of
punctuation marks; we will review the uses of each in class (capitalization, colon, dash,
exclamation mark, hyphen, italics, period, quotation marks, semicolon)
Rhetorical question – statement in the form of a question to which no answer is expected
Syntax – rules governing sentence construction
Voice – the personality of the speaker or creator that is revealed in a literary work through such
elements as style, tone, diction, etc.
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SOME THOUGHTS ON STYLE
Style - the arrangement of words in a manner best expressing the individuality of the author
and the intent in the author’s mind; adaptation of one’s language to one’s ideas
Points to consider:
1. arrangement of ideas
 sentence variety (short? long? simple? compound? complex?) paragraphs (long?
short?)
2. diction (word choice)
a. standard diction - words found in the dictionary  formal writing style
b. colloquialism - conversational, informal language  informal writing style
c. journalese - newspaper writing
d. slang - language of a particular place or age group
e. repetition creates emphasis by focusing the reader’s attention on a word, idea or
line over and over
3. Coherence - logical order; showing the relationship between ideas
(i) Transitional Terms - are words or phrases which help to achieve carry-over within
sentences, between sentences, and between paragraphs. Many good examples of
transitional terms are listed in the table on page 87. (Review the sample sentences
in your notes.)
(ii) Pronoun Reference - is the use of a pronoun in one sentence or clause to refer to a
noun in a preceding sentence or clause.
Examples
(a) The men who put together the sealing video did a great disservice to
our province. __________ should be punished.
(b) Hemingway and Orwell are famous writers. __________ book is entitled A
Farewell To Arms ?
(iii) Repetition of a Key Word or its Synonym - Sometimes repeating a word can lend
coherence to your writing, emphasizing your ideas.
Examples
(a)“We shall fight on the land .
We shall fight in the air.
We shall fight and we shall never give up.” - Martin Luther King, text - p. 107
(b)Violence is becoming prevalent in our school yards. ___________ has become an
issue for teachers at every level. ___________ has, in some cases, led to broken bones.
(iv) Parallel Structure - Parallel structure requires that all ideas presented in a series or list have
the same grammatical form.
Example
Going to school, listening to teachers, and ____________________ are not my idea of a
good time.
How to have parallel structure:
Conjunctions (and, but, or, both...and, either...or, neither...nor) should connect like
grammatical elements:
-two nouns i.e. He loves __________ and __________.
-two verbs i.e. She loves __________ and __________.
-two adjectives i.e. The kittens are neither __________ nor __________.
-two adverbs i.e. They ran __________ but __________.
-two prepositional phrases i.e. The school group will travel _______________ and
_______________.
-two participial phrases i.e. Jake likes the girl _________________________. Bill likes
the girl ________________________.
(v) Organization – spatial, chronological, or logical order
4. Figurative language
a. imagery - words and phrases which appeal to any of the five senses; a writer uses
imagery to make us see what s/he sees, i.e. the sunset was a mixture of varying
hues of red, orange, and the most magnificent purple
b. simile - a comparison of two unlike things, using like or as, i.e. beginning each day
with a smile is as easy as falling off a log
c. metaphor - a comparison of two unlike things, i.e. the cat’s eyes were two green
emeralds (...and yes, I am referring to a living creature)
5. Purpose - the reason(s) for writing
6. Tone - the writer’s attitude toward subject and audience
7. The use of dialogue and/or dialect
Here are some words which may be used to describe a writer’s style. This list is by no means
all-inclusive; however, it will give you an idea of how to talk about someone’s style.
-poetic
-journalistic
-humorous
-straightforward (explicit)
-dull
-sophisticated
-scientific
-vivid
-exaggerated
-descriptive
-dramatic
-subtle (implicit)
SOME COMMON TYPES OF ESSAYS
The argumentative essay is one in which a side is taken on an issue of importance. An
argumentative essay could be written on the controversial issue of CBC picketing the Terry Fox
Run, for example.
Eulogy – a speech or writing in praise of an individual, especially praising a dead person
A persuasive essay is an argumentative essay taken one step further, with a call to action being
made. i.e. “Write to CBC to complain about their interference in an important national
fundraiser.” This form will often use more passionate emotional appeals to stir up the reader
to feel the same way about the issue. In argumentation and persuasion, often emphatic
devices make the most appearances as well: repetition, bold and italicized fonts, short
sentences, strong punctuation.
A letter to the editor is a popular method of voicing opinions in a public forum.
Descriptive essays and narrative essays are defined below, under their methods of
development.
METHODS OF DEVELOPING AN ESSAY
Exposition is writing which explains.
The subcategories include:
 Cause and effect - i.e. This happened because… OR A result of this was…
 Classification and division - i.e. Every society can be broken down into these groups…
 Comparison and contrast - i.e. A morning person vs. a night owl
 Example and illustration - i.e. One example of Newfoundland’s uniqueness …
 Definition - i.e. A good student is one who…
 Process Analysis – i.e. How to [make, be, obtain]…
Description is writing which describes a person, place, or object. Its main purpose is to create a
dominant impression (main feeling) about that which is being described. Use spatial order and
numerous adjectives.
Narration is writing which tells a story, but in a narrative essay the story is a means by which
the writer can make a point, rather than a narrative shared more for entertainment purposes.
There will be a thesis statement.
The Expository Essay
Exposition refers to a method of writing whose purpose is very different from that of
the narrative. Story is the fundamental to narrative writing. If ideas-are expressed,
developed or analyzed, they are most often examined-in the essence of plot development,
characterization, and description. An idea does not take precedence over these narrative
elements. For exposition, an idea, a process, or a discussion forms the basis of expository
writing. What is more, it -is not enough to simply present ideas, as might be done in narrative
writing. Logic is used in developing these ideas and facts are used to support them. Logic and
facts,, as opposed to emotion and opinion, make exposition a distinct form of writing.
Persuasive writing is a subcategory of exposition. It refers to writing that attempts to
convince the audience to adopt a certain point of view or to act in a certain way.
Methods of Development for Expository Essays
The five common formats used in supporting facts presented in expository writing:
i)
Example & Illustration are used to support an idea, reinforce contention or clarify some
topic.
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Examples are in all forms of writing, and are rarely used by themselves.
Specific details are important in illustration.
Examples are specific are and make more general ideas clear and
understandable.
Concrete examples are used to support and develop abstract ideas.
Examples are used to clarify, explain, illustrate, compare and contrast.
Pictures, maps, diagrams, and charts can also be used to illustrate.
ii)
Cause & Effect are interdependent relationships. They attempt to answer the why and
what of a situation. The cause is considered the reason behind the situation,' and the
effect is what happens because of the cause. Incidents or events which occur in life are
the direct result of some initial situation or cause. That is, a thing cannot happen unless
caused to happen. This relationship between an effect and its cause is known as a
cause/effect relationship or more specifically in expository writing as causal analysis.
Cause and effect relationships can operate in either direction. They are interdependent
and attempt to answer the "why" and "what" of a situation and event.
iii)
Process Analysis gives directions and/or simply provides information about how to
perform a particular task, how something works or happened.
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Process analysis presents information and gives direction.
Process refers to the way something is done or how it happens.
Analysis of a process explains rather than specifically shows how.
How to do a process details specific steps.
A writer should look at the individual aspects of the process and their relationships.
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All the required information must be presented in a logical order. Chronological
order is important in the how-to process.
Limit your analysis to the essential aspects.
Effective transitions help achieve coherence in exploring a process.
Clear detailed diction is essential. Sentence structure should be varied but avoid
very long complicated sentences.
The colon is frequently used in the process writing.
iv)
Classification and division:
Classification is a means whereby items, ideas, topics or indeed any entity are
sorted and arranged into meaningful categories. This arrangement attempts to deal with
the complexity of a subject by separating it into smaller individual units. Each unit refers to
a previous less specific one and all can be included under the general topic. Classifying,
then, allows you to organize by following a hierarchical or graded arrangement, from the
general to the specific. It allows us to deal with one item at a time. (Music, country, rock,
bluegrass) These two or more items are arranged in classes or groups on the basis of similar
qualities or features. It makes order and sense of what we do.
Division deals with one item which is analyzed according to it's parts or sections.
It may be considered an extension of classification. (Different country singers
v)
Comparison & Contrast uses similarities and differences, or a combination of the two,
to illustrate and discuss an idea.Comparison and Contrast is often used to analyze and
evaluate ideas and to help develop an essay's thesis. Comparing looks at likenesses and
differences. Contrasting discusses how things are different. To compare is to examine
two or more items by looking at both their similarities and differences. To contrast is to
examine differences only between items.
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Block-method:
ideas are blocked into categories and paragraphs. Here a
writer discusses everything that needs to be said about Topic A in one, or a
series of paragraphs. Then the following exposition the essay continues with a
similar complete discussion of topic B. This method is more often used for
relatively short and simple essays.
Side by Side method: Lends itself to more complex and lengthy essays. Here,
the writer places points side by side, discussing only one division of the topic and
showing both comparisons and differences for both Topics A & B. The writer will
then continue with the second division of the topic, placing points side by side
until all divisions chosen are fully discussed and analyzed.
Definition is a type of expository writing which concentrates on detailing the
characteristics of a particular thing. It may extend beyond the basic definition by dealing with a
topic’s qualities, purpose, and history and so on. Definition is at home with process analysis,
where unfamiliar terms must be explained
Kabul's kids master the flip tricks as skateboarding invades the streets
Australians offer free classes to reach out to young people in the city
Declan Walsh in Kabul , The Guardian, Saturday 28 June 2008
1Haroon, 12, teaches his two -year-old sister Baher to skateboard during a session organised
by Skateistan. Photograph: Declan Walsh
Waheed Ullah, a scruffy Kabul shoeshine boy, had never heard of skateboarding, let alone tried
it. Then one evening he put down his tin of polish, perched his gangly body on a battered
skateboard and pushed off.
"Hey, I like it!" said the 14-year-old, coasting across an empty water fountain. Then he tumbled
over, picked himself up and started again.
Skateboarding is the latest teen craze to hit Kabul. It was started by three Australians who see
the street sport as a way to help young Afghans and redefine the way rich foreigners interact
with them.
"They're born naturals," said Oliver Percovich, watching a dozen kids whiz around the fountain
outside an upmarket restaurant. "They've got more balance than western kids, mainly because
they're not scared to fall and get up again."
That could be the story of childhood in Afghanistan, which has the world's highest percentage
of school-age children but some of the toughest conditions. Despite progress since 2001,
illiteracy is rife, beggars swarm the streets of Kabul and there are 600,000 child drug addicts.
Just 1% of students make it to university.
Skateistan, as the project is called, started 18 months ago with 10 secondhand skateboards that
Percovich, 34, scrounged from friends in Melbourne. It is a departure from the macho image of
sport in a country where the national pastime, Buzkashi, features two teams of horsemen
fighting over a calf carcass. Dog fighting and cock fighting are also popular.
Skating is non-competitive, creative and urban. The organisers hope the sport will come to
define fun in the post-9/11 era, just as the bestseller The Kite Runner symbolised childhood in
1970s Kabul.
For the Australians it also offers a new way of dealing with Afghans. After following his
girlfriend to Kabul 18 months ago, Percovich quickly came to understand Afghans'
disillusionment with the insular expatriate lifestyle.
"I found it quite strange that other foreigners didn't actually get out of the four-wheel drives,"
he said. "After three weeks I was telling people who had been here for two years what the city
was like."
While conceding that security restrictions have penned many foreigners behind security
barriers, Percovich remains critical. "A lot of them are the best graduates from Harvard or
Oxford. They're 22 or 23 and on massive salaries. And, quite frankly, they're pretty hopeless at
their jobs," he said.
Skateistan tried to be different. It started small, offering free skateboarding classes in public
spaces, with virtually no budget.
The strategy took the Australians to some unusual venues, including the Russian pool, an empty
pool overlooking the city frequented by hash smokers and used for Friday night dog fights.
Under Taliban rule it was used for public executions.
Curious novices
The impromptu classes are attracting a swarm of curious novices. A local slang is developing.
Children call the sport "sikii" because it resembles skiing without the snow. And some of the
first generation of Afghan skateboarders have become volunteers, passing their tricks on to
others.
"To me, skateboarding is like a brotherhood," said Hamid Shahram Shahimy, a 22-year-old with
a trimmed beard who skates while listening to hip-hop on his iPhone.
Most kids want to give it a go. Haroon Bacha, a polite 12-year-old wearing a brown shalwar
kameez, started skating after seeing the classes from the window of his first-floor apartment.
Days later he brought his two-year-old sister, Baher, for a lesson.
Girls are encouraged. Nahroo, an exuberant nine-year-old in a green dress, complained that the
boys tried to push her off her skateboard. "I won't let them," she declared.
Sharna Nolan, an Australian woman, said they were trying to reach out to parents to ensure no
misunderstandings in a society that prizes the honour of females.
Street toughies are also welcome, although they can be difficult. One boy was asked to leave
last week after he assaulted Shahimy, a trainer, with a rock in the face. Yesterday he was having
a stitch removed from his cheek. "They're exactly the kids we need to work with, they don't
know any other way to solve problems," said Percovich.
After a fragile infancy, expansion is on the cards. A skateboarding company has donated 40
boards, shoes and safety pads, which are waiting to be shipped out.
Percovich and his partners have plans to build the city's first skate park. But for funding they
have had to apply to the development agencies they profess to despise. "It's something we
grappled with," said Percovich. "In the end, we decided it's better we get the money than
someone else."
If the skate park is built, it will be passed into Afghan ownership within 12 months, he said,
promising that, unlike many aid projects, it would not collapse. "The relationship between
Afghans and foreigners is getting more distant," he said. "At least we're not pointing guns at
them."
1. What are two methods of development used in this essay?
Method of Development One: ________________________________________
Explanation:
___________________________________________________________________________
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Method of Development Two: ________________________________________
Explanation:
___________________________________________________________________________
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1. What is the author’s tone? Explain by elaborating on (and giving examples for) the
following points:
Tone:
______________________________________________________________________________
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1. Arrangement of ideas :
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Diction:
______________________________________________________________________________
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3. Coherence:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Figurative language:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Purpose:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Use of dialogue and/or dialect
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Identify a thesis statement for this essay. Where is it located?
The thesis statement is:__________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
It is located in paragraph: ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Is it restated at the end? _________________________________________________________
3. Why is this classified as an expository essay?
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Persuasive Essay
Letter: Be the Community’s Voice, Speak Up for a Skatepark
Jasmine Smith, Dana Point, June 11, 2014
“The Parks Division of the Community Services & Parks Department is responsible for the
maintenance of 23 beautiful parks that provide safe, clean and attractive facilities for the
citizens of Dana Point. There are 82 acres of developed park land with approximately 3,000
trees, six outdoor restroom buildings, 10 playgrounds, five dog fun zones and 18 parks with
security lighting.”
When I read this on the city of Dana Point’s website I was taken aback. The city won’t entertain
the idea of a skate park because there is nowhere to put it? You can have five “dog fun zones”
and 82 acres of parks, but you can’t find one spot to build a skate park for our kids and teens?
How our elected City Council has written off something that has garnered so much support
from our residents is baffling. We elected you to be the voice of our community. The
community wants this.
It seems all City Council cares about is Town Center and what flags and signs they will install,
putting in more hotels, making our hotels bigger and refurbishing the Harbor. But what are you
doing for our youth? What are you doing for our families?
By denying a skate park in Dana Point, the council is overlooking many of the positive
characteristics we put so much value on. Skateparks foster a strong sense of community, build
camaraderie among kids and families and help keep our children active and healthy in a safe,
secure environment.
City Council’s dismissal of this recent “Skatepark of Dana Point” movement, combined with the
fact that skateboarding is banned in all city parks, is extremely disappointing. And now Marco
Forster Middle School has even banned kids from riding their skateboards to school, citing
complaints from area businesses. Seriously? These are children we are talking about here.
Skateboarding benefits our youth in so many ways that it should be encouraged rather than
ignored and banned. It is a means for them to get around and to expend their energy in a
positive way. It provides an opportunity for our kids to get outside, stay active and be athletic
while engaging in a positive alternative to typical team sports.
Why is the city trying to criminalize something that is so good for our kids both physically and
mentally? Are our leaders truly representing the community that elected them? The support
behind this movement is hard to ignore.
Let’s get a skatepark in Dana Point. It’s time to give back to today’s youth.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Jasmine Smith is senior designer of the Dana Point Times, San Clemente Times
and The Capistrano Dispatch. The opinions expressed are entirely those of the letter writer and
do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media.
1. What is the author trying to do with her letter?
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2. What methods has the author used to help persuade the reader of the importance of
her words and to convince the reader to see her side?
Method One: ________________________________________
Explanation:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Method Two: ________________________________________
Explanation:
___________________________________________________________________________
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3. How has the author achieved coherence in her writing? Give examples from the essay.
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4. What is the purpose of this essay? Who is the intended audience?
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Narrative:
Narratives in their simplest form refer to the telling of a story. It is possibly the most
prevalent type of human communication, and the oldest. Its purpose may be to illustrate a
point, to entertain or to describe an experience. Pure narratives exist only to tell a story.
Narrative essays are when an author attempts to communicate a point, or to show a complete
process. In this sense, the narrative becomes expository, and the narrative essay may be
defined.
Notes on narrative
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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10.
11.
The 5Ws must be-considered when writing a narrative.
A traditional narrative-has a beginning, middle and end.
Narration is found under all kinds of writing. There is always a storyteller.
The narrative essay is more than telling a story, is has a purpose.
Events are often arranged in chronological order with use of temporal reference points
to aid coherence.
Tone refers to the emotions and attitudes communicated to the reader.
Decide on the point of view.
Identify your details that develop your idea, limit them to those that are necessary.
Dialogue can be used to tell a story, depict character or to add to description.
Flashback can be used as an effective device.
Narratives may be employed in more than one method simultaneously, no one method
is usually used in isolation.
The Day They Invented The Skateboard by Bob Schmidt
You may remember the 70's. But I was 9 years old in 1961, and I was there the day they
invented the skateboard, at least in my neighborhood.
We took an old metal roller skate and strapped it to a short piece of 2x4, hopped on top and
took off. It was wobblier than hell, moved way too fast and vibrated on the asphalt enough to
jar every bone in your body and loosen every tooth. It was more like getting electrocuted than
anything else. We're not talking any hundred dollar baby here. Maybe more like a buck ninetyfive. Figure maybe $5 bucks today for inflation. These were the days when we had hula hoops
and Schwinn bicycles. We had Frisbees and yo-yo's and whiffle balls. But we would have traded
in any of 'em for our skateboards.
We had a big old hill on Hatherleigh Rd. in the Stoneleigh community between Baltimore and
Towson, Maryland. We all took turns trying it out on that hill. Only a couple of us lived to tell
about it. The rest, well, they belong in the skateboard hall of fame. There was me, and Bob
Filer, and Hammond Brown, and Barry and Buddy French, Jack Tuttle, and Mike McClellan.
Every one of us fell and broke at least three bones every year. A leg, an arm, a wrist, a couple of
fingers. You couldn't help it. From top to bottom it was a block and a half long. It started out
easy, then started curving over until it got a good deal steeper -- cars can't get up that hill in the
winter after a snow, that's how steep it is.
You had to start down that hill sitting down. Everybody started by sitting on it. There was no
way you could go all the way down the first time, even sitting down. You had to get good
enough to ride down all the way on your seat, lying flat, trying to keep your feet from hitting
the ground. Then starting at the bottom standing up, working your way up a couple of feet at a
time, getting your nerve up. It took at least a good two weeks to get it right cause you'd have to
heal up for a couple of days every time you tried. After a while, there was always somebody
walking around with a cast hobbling on crutches and as soon as you saw them you knew it was
the Hill.
When you went down the steep section, you got to feeling like you were flying. Then you'd hit a
little bump. It wasn't anything you'd even notice on a bike or just walking down, but, man, on a
board, look out! If you made it over that bump you'd fly up and just about everybody crashed
right there. But once you learned how to twist a little to get past it, well the rest of it was pretty
easy. Unless a car was turning into you just as you got down to the bottom. Then you'd have to
veer over the curb, bailing out at just the right time so you could run it off onto somebody's
lawn.
That hill became the Challenge. You had to beat the Hill. Then you had to beat it three times in
a row. And then, well, by then, if you were still alive, you didn't have to do anything. You were
ok. And that's all there was. We didn't jump over curbs. You couldn't anyway, with just a skate
underneath. About the only tricks we ever tried was hanging ten off the side or going down on
one foot. One guy tried standing on his hands but he fell over and get really messed up by the
time he rolled the rest of the way down. A couple of guys tried to be pulled down behind a bike,
but they could never do it. Oh, there was a hot dog who tried it every which way, trying to sit
on his hands, go down on his belly and stuff, but nobody was impressed.
We were determined to make a faster skateboard you could stay on. We spent months
tinkering, smashing down the metal heel at the back of the skate, pulling apart the wheels and
mounting them here and there until we got a better balance front to back. We tried every piece
of wood we could find. Everybody who was anybody had one of their own they had made.
Every one was different. We tried painting them, then we found out the girls liked 'em that
way, so we decided that was for sissies and we soaked off the paint and left them plain. But the
girls got mad mostly because it was usually one of their skates we were using!
We strapped 'em together. We glued 'em. We nailed 'em. We screwed 'em together. We tried
everything. Nothing would hold more than a few times without breaking or coming loose.
Wheels? That was whatever came on a roller skate. Strictly metal. And they only went so fast.
Going down the Hill, at some points gravity would be pulling you faster than the wheels could
go and half your body would be falling over and that's when you'd get all banged up. Once a
wheel was shot, you had to start over. Just about the time you'd get good, you'd have to put
another skate on and start all over. And a spare skate wasn't always available. It's not like you
could just run up to the store and get one roller skate.
Bearings? What the heck are those? We heard about 'em from somebody's father who was an
engineer. But they were kind of sealed into the wheel and you couldn't get at 'em without
totally destroying it. But sand and dirt had no problem getting in, and any that did and you
were a gonner for sure. You'd lock up and go flying at the worst possible time, usually just when
you were trying to avoid the handlebars of a bike or a parked car. And we didn't have no truck
with trucks. The roller skate was its own truck. You were stuck with it. They never wore out, but
they didn't have any cushioning in them either.
Half pipes? What's this wood crap? When we found a half pipe, it wasn't a half pipe at all. It was
a giant size concrete sewer pipe, about 8 to 10 feet in diameter. And when you fell onto that,
you knew it. They were hard to come by and we hardly ever got to try one. Even then it would
only be for a few days or maybe a week during construction.
There was no such thing as a skateboard park. And it was so new, the parents and neighbors
didn't even know what to make of it. But they sure knew we were there. Those wheels made a
hell of a racket, especially when they needed oil!
And we didn't have any helmets or knee pads, though we probably would have worn 'em if we
had 'em. The only padding we had was our own skin and bones.
Yeah, like I tell my son, you can argue about when it was invented, and you can so it ain't so,
but I was there the day they invented the skateboard, at least in my neighborhood.
Identify each of the 5Ws in this essay:
a. Who: __________________________________________________________
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b. What: __________________________________________________________
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c. When: ___________________________________________________________
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d. Where: ___________________________________________________________
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e. Why: _____________________________________________________________
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2. What is the point of view of this essay?
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3.
What is the purpose of this essay?
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4.
How does the author organize this essay?
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5.
Is this essay coherent? Why or why not?
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6. Identify and describe the tone. Explain your answer.
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Description:
Description is as much a part of life as eating. Every description provides an opportunity
for a wide range of communicating methods, from words and gestures to facial expressions,
and grunts and groans. People use their sensory perceptions - the five senses. Words can be
used figuratively or literally.
Used literally, a word takes on a distinctive dictionary meaning. Black is a color. Used
figuratively it can stand for many meanings. Black, then, is not only a color, but might
represent death, night, evil and so on. Try to find a happy medium between literal and
figurative writing.
Notes on Description:
-We use the sensory perceptions of our five senses to describe.
-Descriptive writing may combine both literal and figurative language.
-Concrete and abstract words and images are use in description.
-Writers should include only the details needed to create a dominant impression.
-Spatial order is important in developing in description. (Direction, sequential, area of
importance)
-Though description may be done in Isolation, it is often an integral part of all forms of
writing
-Objective writing is unbiased.
-Subjective writing is biased/impressionistic of the author.
-The point of view is the vantage-point from which a writer will describe.
Skateboard Heaven
I come around the corner, and a smile comes across my face. I love it when there isn't a crowd.
Only two other people braved the chill, and had the will, to get up this early. Upon arrival, my
view is enhanced.
Though I've seen it enough to burn an image into my subconscious, each visit brings new
wonder. I climb onto the lower platform, and quickly scale the small wall to the upper. I nod at
the other already standing there.
I've seen him before, but I don't need to know his name. A silent friendship binds us that rarely
needs words. An occasional cheer or wince says more than the daily chat most are forced to
endure. The sound of the second person rolls softly in my ears. His image creeps into the
corner of my eye while I inspect my shoes. I scrub the soles back and forth on the pavement,
out of habit, to insure a dry surface. I don't bother to watch him. I can hear him rolling
smoothly down low. His slow, relaxed warm up run tells me he probably arrived short time
ago. He makes his way up the back wall and his wheels go silent. The other one puts his foot
on his tail and effortlessly rolls his truck over the coping. I watch him quickly drop away and
coast to the hip. He glides past it, and I start to notice the entire view before me as he blends
into a larger picture.
I see grey. Every shade of grey, in all its variety blends and curves from the lightest near whites,
to a deepness rivaling black. The darkness overhead drones with the sound of a thousand
automobile tires humming on the top of the bridge. Though designed for another purpose, it
serves well as protection from the rain and weather. The sun and light, as well as the wind,
come from the sides. The wind blows softly this morn, yet it nips at exposed skin. I know I will
soon appreciate its soothing aspects as I warm up, so I try not to be bitter about it chilling my
already cool body.
I hear the familiar pop of an ollie and my eyes automatically track its source. I turn in time to
see him land on the transition. He landed the maneuver perfectly on the six foot ramp across
from me. I whistle softly in appreciation. I follow his course and become interested in his
choice of direction. He obviously knows the park well, and uses the knowledge to his
advantage. So many others fall into the trap of using only a select few of the ramps, but he
goes off the beaten path, and rides a side bowl and over the small spine in the corner. He
conquers most the obstacles with a fluid speed that belies the difficulty of his task. He goes in
directions I don't expect, and it turns my mind toward thoughts of where I might ride soon
enough.
The choices are nearly endless. Though only a couple hundred feet squared, not a large area, it
is chock full of concrete delights. Formations of liquid rock, hardened into a myriad of varying
surfaces that angle, bend, curve, and spill into the floor, from towering heights, to enormous
pits. A vast array of shapes masterfully crafted to blend beautifully into an ever flowing form.
I scan over the park, ahead lies the upper bowl. A square pit elevated by transitional walls that
make a six foot hip where they intersect at a right angle. The bowl sits next to, and is attached
to, the back wall. It goes up twenty feet, and is rideable to the top. From there, I can choose
to go left or right into the side bowls and banks, or turn and come back to my starting location
of an eight foot transition that bends at a right angle and makes a pocket. Between here and
there is an endless assortment of smaller terrain to make it different each time. I begin to
devise a route, yet I know I will soon stray.
I cannot ride this place like a machine, for it was never planned or mapped out like a structure,
but slowly created over time, shape by shape. It evolved from nothing to a living form that has
its own energy. My course must change as I ride, because I do not work the terrain, but rather
follow the energy of this concrete beast living under the Burnside bridge. Started as a project
by a few who were dedicated, it has become much more than its name implies. My ears lose
the roll of the other skaters wheels as he stops across the way. I put my foot on the tail of
my skateboard, and effortlessly roll my truck over the coping.
1. To which senses does this essay appeal? Explain, giving examples of at least three
senses:
Sense
Example from Essay
2. How has the author used figurative language to describe his experiences?
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3. Is this essay objective or subjective? Why?
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4. What is the author describing?
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5. What is the dominant impression or idea from this essay?
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6. Who is the intended audience for this essay?
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Visual Component:
1. Describe this visual.
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2. What type of visual is this?
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3. Who is the intended audience for this visual?
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4. What is the focal point (point where your eye is drawn) in this visual?
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5. Where might you find this picture?
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6. Choose one of the essays above and complete the following chart:
Essay chosen: _________________________________________________________
Topic
Message
Intended Audience
Dominant impression
Language and/or layout
choice
Overall takeaway as a
reader/viewer
Essay
Image