Essay Assignments English 4
Rodin's Thinker

English 4 Essay 1

Length: 2-3 typed pages

Purpose: To analyze the source/s of one important personal idea, attitude, or belief.

Before we begin any major examination of how solid the foundation is for the views expressed by others, it would be good to start with ourselves and one of our closely held ideas. For this essay, select one important idea, attitude, or belief which you hold and discuss how you came to this position: what were the events or people or reading materials, etc. which influenced your thinking? DO NOT argue the merit, worth, or value of the idea; your purpose is not to persuade someone to agree with you; your purpose is to explain how you came to think the way that you do. As part of this analysis, examine and identify any unstated assumptions which you believe helped to create this idea or attitude. As part of your conclusion, discuss whether or not you think that your position is wellfounded.

 

Essay Two

Length:3-5 pages

Purpose:To analyze two print ads for the devices of language used to sell  the products

Advertising is inescapable. Whether we drive, read, or use the internet, we are subject to an abundance of advertising, and since our consumer economy appears to be quite robust, it also appears that we succumb to this advertising. For this essay, you are to select two ads for the same product (cars, cigarettes, perfume, computers, etc.) found in two different forms of the same medium (two newspaper ads, two magazine ads, two internet ads) but aimed at different audiences and analyze them for the devices used to sell the product. The emphasis should be on the devices of language, such as we discussed in Critical Thinking, chapters 3 and 4, but should also include an analysis of the visual elements of the ads. These elements include the setting (the people/animals/cartoon creatures, etc.) and the objects found in the ad. Every ad is a conscious work of salesmanship that is desperately trying to win the money of some defined group of people; ads are not aimed at random audiences! You need to look at the ads to determine what this audience is—its social, economic, and education level— and how the ad appeals to it both with visuals and with language.

Two essays in Chapter 12 of Dialogues will help you with this assignment:

"With These Words, I Can Sell You Anything" by William Lutz and "The Language of Advertising" by Charles A. O'Neill. Be sure to read these essays carefully and apply them in your analysis.

Be sure to have a COMPLETE INTRODUCTION to the entire essay. Remember that anyone—within reason—should be able to follow you ideas based on the introduction you provide.

Remember that sentence structure errors are not acceptable.                                              Please include the ads with you essay.

 

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English 4

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English 2

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Humanities 1

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