AP English Language Self Evaluation
Lippman, “Indispensable Opposition”
Directions: For each element listed in the topic sentence outline, rate yourself on the following scale of
comprehension:
1. I nailed it!
2. I understand it, but didn’t explain it well
3. Totally missed that one
Subject: society’s lack of conviction when it comes to defending the right of free speech to our opponents
Tone: pejorative
Thesis: Lippman stresses that we cannot merely tolerate our opponents’ opinions; we must protect them, as they
actually “[improve] our own opinions.”
Audience: Those who “tolerate” their opponents’ free speech or those who believe they uphold the first amendment
Purpose: to recognize our opponents’ opinions as relevant and critical to our own
Strategy
Definition of “political
freedom”
Quotes Voltaire
Purpose
 reveals a truth about the American
conception of the freedom of
opinion
 puts forth major assumption
underlying his thesis


Repetition of “tolerate”


Gives true reasons for
protecting freedom of
speech

Analogy (freedom of
opponents to a
“howling baby” and
“blasts from our
neighbor’s radio”


Effect
Logos—defines the problem
reveals popular opinion as agreeing
with Voltaire
subverts this to show that we fail
this “noble ideal”
takes issue with the use of this
word
associates tolerating opinions with
“luxury”, being “timid”, “lazy,” and
having an “empty mind”—shows
pejorative attitude towards
feigning protection of free speech
provides a contrast from the
abstract (noble ideal) to the
realistic (“we must hear what they
have to say”)
pathos—characterizes the American citizen as
slightly hypocritical for not being willing to
fight for the rights of people with whom we
disagree just because they disagree
pathos—reduces our behavior and thought
process to something that is embarrassing
connects our behavior in political
debate to neighbors who are too
nice or too scared to actually do
anything about getting our
intentions across
explains WHY tolerating opinions is
not enough
Logos—suggests that we don’t fight opinions
with opinions; we just ignore. This shows that
merely tolerating an opponent’s opinion
deadens our own involvement in opposition.
Logos—reveals that freedom of speech—
listening to other people’s opinions improves
our own and is “necessary for a civilized
society”
Pathos—invites us to fight back against our
opponents by engaging in political opposition
as opposed to just letting our opponents talk
without really listening to them.