Advanced Placement Language and Composition

Rhetorical Modes Narration Description Example Definition Comparison and Contrast Division and Classification Causal Analysis

Narration Purpose

that purpose may be to relate a case history to make a point about a time in history to assert a claim about a historical figure

What happened? What do the events reveal about the

participants or about other events we are likely to experience?

Narration “I was seven years old when I first

became aware of the terrible power of guilt.  For piling our toys into a box, Mother rewarded my brother and me with five shiny pennies.  If I had ten pennies instead of five, I could have bought a gingerbread man with raisin eyes and sugar-frosted hair.”

Description Purpose:

To provide a detailed account To picture in words

What is the appearance and what are its characteristics?

In describing the subject, what can we learn about its meaning, character, or influence?

Description “Never before had Pedro experienced such

a depth of despair and such a sense of isolation.  He began to avoid those nearest to him, returning their friendly greetings with rough and indifferent replies. Often he sat in his room staring vacantly into space with hollow eyes.  His hands were cold and clammy most of the time; yet his forehead burned hot with a mysterious fever.”

Example Purpose

To select one thing to show the nature of the rest

To describe a typical instance What are some typical illustrations? What generality is illustrated by these

examples?

Example “Seneca once said, "Every guilty person is

his own hangman."  The truth of this observation can be illustrated by the lives of countless villains.  Once such is Macbeth, from Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name.  At the instigation of his wife, Macbeth kills the king of Scotland and usurps his throne - an act of treachery for which Macbeth and his wife suffer torments of guilt.”

Definition Purpose

To set the boundaries, to delineate, to limit To determine the nature of To give the distinguishing characteristics of

How might it be defined? In what ways does a definition aid us in

understanding the importance or consequences of an idea, object, person, or event?

Definition “Guilt is the remorse that comes from an

awareness of having done something wrong.  The origin of guilt is psychological.  From childhood, we have all been conditioned by family and society to act within defined standards of reasonableness and decency.”

Comparison and Contrast Purpose

To point out similarities To point out differences

What are the similarities and differences? What can we learn from the similarities

and differences?

Comparison and Contrast “Although the first two words may seem

to share some connotations, guilt is not a synonym for blame.  Guilt must be felt; blame must be assessed.  Guilt implies self-reproach that comes from an internal consciousness of wrong.  Blame hints at fault that has been externally assessed.”

Division and Classification Purpose

To categorize To arrange according to class or type

What are the different categories? Why are the differences between the

categories important?

Division and Classification “The Bible identifies three kinds of guilt: 

guilt of the unpardonable sin, redeemable guilt, and guilt of innocence.  First, the guilt of the unpardonable sin...Second, redeemable guilt is guilt that can be erased...Finally, the guilt of innocence is the guilt that Jesus bore…”

Causal Analysis Purpose

To describe how a result or consequence came about To show a relationship between cause and effect

What are the likely causes? Effects? How can the awareness of the possible causes and

effects contribute to our understanding of people and events?

Causal Analysis “Guilt is caused by the failure of the will. 

The human mind, according to Freudian theory, is delicately balanced between the drive for instant gratification that comes for the id, and the desire for regulation and postponement that originates in the superego, which is sometimes identified with what we call he conscience.”

Process Analysis Purpose

To explain how a procedure is carried out To follow the system of operations in the production

of something To follow an action from beginning to end How does it work?

How does it work? How can we do it? What might we gain from understanding the

operations?