English 1301: Composition I
Professor Drake
Essay Two Assignment: The Point by Point Method of Comparison and Contrast
Your assignment is to write an essay in which you compare and contrast, in the point by point method, the use of
logos, ethos and pathos in the essays, “Once More to the Lake” by E.B. White (163) and “Where I Lived and What I
Lived For” by Henry David Thoreau (594). Consider one example for each point, answering the questions supplied
below and/or utilizing the handout on the Rhetorical Triangle to help you identify key features. The structure of your
paper is:
I.
II.
Introduction
A. Give the titles of the essays, the names of the authors, and the publishing information.
B. To help you flesh out the background information, consider the following questions:
1. Were these works part of larger ones?
2. When were they written?
3. What important information should we know about the works and the authors?
C. Thesis Statement (1 or 2 sentences)
1. What works are you comparing?
2. What key features are you comparing for ethos, pathos and logos?
3. Does the statement give the main purpose of your essay?
4. Does the statement make sense when read out of context of the paragraph?
5. Does the thesis statement transition as well as correlate to the body paragraphs?
Body
A. Ethos
1. How is ethos evident in each of these works?
2. Where is it used in the first essay? Supply a quote and source it using MLA.
3. Analyze the quote; explain what the quote means and how you recognize ethos in this quote.
4. Where is it used in the second essay? Compare/contrast the quote from the first essay to the
second essay, using MLA again to source the quote.
5. Within your comparison/contrast discuss the following:
a. How have the writers connected themselves to the topic being discussed?
b. Do the writers use a tone that is suitable for the audience/purpose? Is the diction (word
choice) used appropriately for the audience/purpose?
c. Are the essays presented in a polished and professional manner?
B. Logos
1. How is logos evident in each of these works?
2. Where is it used in the first essay? Supply a quote and source it using MLA.
3. Analyze the quote; explain what the quote means and how you recognize logos in this quote.
4. Where is it used in the second essay? Compare/contrast the quote from the first essay to the
second essay, using MLA again to source the quote.
5. Within your comparison/contrast discuss the following:
a. Is the point of each essay clear?
b. Is the main thesis supported with reasonable logic within each essay?
c. Is the writing arranged in a well-reasoned order?
C. Pathos
1. How is pathos evident in each of these works?
2. Where is it used in the first essay? Supply a quote and source it using MLA.
3. Analyze the quote; explain what the quote means and how you recognize logos in this quote.
4.
III.
Where is it used in the second essay? Compare/contrast the quote from the first essay to the
second essay, using MLA again to source the quote.
5. Within your comparison/contrast discuss the following:
a. Are vivid examples, details and images used to engage the reader’s emotions and
imagination?
b. Do the writers appeal to the values and beliefs of the reader by using examples readers
can relate to or care about?
Conclusion
A. Summarize what you have learned about the two essays and
B. Leave a strong last impression
Your essay must be:
•
Typed using 12 point Times New Roman font;
•
Written in proper MLA format;
•
Approximately five paragraphs in length, typed, double spaced, following the given outline;
•
Edited by you and a tutor for grammar, spelling, and structure errors.
DUE DATES:
1) You will need to meet with a tutor at HCC either in person or online AND make revisions to your work based on
their feedback. Please have the tutor sign and date your rough draft or if you are using Askonline, simply print the
feedback that was emailed to you. (10% of paper grade)
2) Feb 20th (for Monday/Wednesday classes) and Feb 21st for (Tuesday/Thursday classes): A complete rough draft
is due for peer review. (15% of paper grade)
3) Feb 25th (Monday/Wednesday classes) and Feb 26th (Tuesday/Thursday classes): The final draft is due at the
beginning of class.
*Please attach 1) your peer review, 2) evidence of having met with a tutor, 3) the revisions made to your work based
on comments underneath the final draft. All work must be stapled or paper clipped before turning it in.
One Final Thought: While the questions included in the outline can help you identify logos, ethos, and pathos in
writing, it is important to remember that sometimes a particular aspect of a text will represent more than one of these
appeals. For example, using credible sources could be considered both logos and ethos, as the sources help support
the logic or reasoning of the text, and they also help portray the writer as thoughtful and engaged with the topic. This
overlap reminds us how these appeals work together to create effective writing.