Daily Activity–Slave Narratives

assignment 1

read it

http://rhetoric.byu.edu/Persuasive%20Appeals/Persuasive%20Appeals.htm

Daily Activity–Slave Narratives

1. Read the document “Literary Contexts for Slave and Ex” first (attached here).

2. Then read the first chapter of Frederick Douglass’s Slave Narrative (attached here).

3. Finally, review this overview of the rhetorical appeals. Feel free to click on other links within the site to further explore the rhetorical appeals.

4. Once you have finished reading everything, answer the questions below.

Douglass is a great master of words; he’ll never use a word or a phrase without having a persuasive intent. Thinking of that, respond to ALL of these questions:

• What aspects of slave life shocked you, surprised you, and or pained you? What language did he use to convey these emotions?
• What effect does the repetition of certain words have on the reader?
• Which words serve as strong images?
• Which verbs seem particularly strong?
• What rhetorical appeals—logos, ethos, pathos—is Douglass using? Is he effective? Why?

assignment 2

-Formative moments

Freewrites are informal writing done so that we can get to know each other better. They are graded on completeness and effort–not on grammar, spelling, format, etc. Time yourself: Set a timer for 3 minutes and write as much as you can about the questions below within that time frame. Don’t worry if you go off topic or digress in anyway.

What have been some of the formative moments that have contributed to your own growth and development up to your current age? At what age these moments occurred, and what was the result of these moments? How doe you reflect upon your life histories: do you keep a journal or a blog? Do any of you write poems or songs that capture important times in your lives? If so, why do you feel the need to record your lives?