English 102.15 Spring 2011
Essay 1: Rhetorical analysis of at least one course reading.
 Wendell Berry, "To Know the Dark"
 Edward Abbey, "Solitaire"
 Aldo Leopold, "Illinois Bus Ride"
 Thomas Friedman, "Today's Date: 1 E. C. E. Today's Weather: Hot, Flat, and
Crowded"
 Peter Singer, "A Changing World"
 Robert Lowell, “Skunk Hour”
 Elizabeth Bishop, “The Fish”
Essay Guidelines:
 3 pages.
 Double-spaced.
 Standard font.
 12pt.
 1 inch margins.
 Three prior drafts and final copy within a folder. One draft should have comments
from the writing center on it.
 Bring essay draft to the Writing Center by February 11.
 Essay due February 16
Writing Strategies:
 A rhetorical analysis argues how well the components of an argument work
together to persuade or move an audience.

In order to make your analysis you will need to make a claim about how the
argument works. A recognizable thesis should motivate your essay. Please cite inthe-text any words or phrases that are key to your argument.

See handout for additional questions in the wiki bibliography,
http://englishcompositioniiwcu.wikispaces.com/Essay+1+Guidelines