Today students will present their classical arguments from themes addressed in Edward P. Jones's The Known World. We might have time to look at the closing scenes from the film: The Great Debaters.
Homework was to complete the essay (250 words min.) and the exercises in WLTC chapter 8.
Post reflections here on the process of preparing to present the argument and the difference between oral and written arguments per today's exercise. Also reflect on what you did well and where you would like to improve. A part of good oratory skills is enunciation and projection. It's not cute to mumble or make your audience strain to hear you. Practice projecting your voice. For the next presentation, students will lose points if we can't hear you.
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The process of preparing to present the argument involved the Classical Model of Argument. The outline for structuring an argument using the classical model was helpful. I personally took advantage of the Classical Model Flowchart in which I answered the questions to and allowed me to gather my thoughts much more effectively. I incorporated my answers from the flowchart with the outline, which helped me construct my argument in a structured form. My theme reflected education and freedom. I focused on Fern Elston and her educated black students. I included the character of Augustus, a free black man who was uneducated, and was eventually forced back into slavery, for my counterargument that education provided more protection for being able to keep freedom. I provided an illuminating restatement of thesis for my conclusion. Sherry on the other hand, provided a recommending conclusion. In presenting an argument, the orators must appeal to ethos, pathos, and logos provided with evidence. Sherry appealed to ethics, while Sean appealed to both ethics and reason where his thesis involved morality versus immorality.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between oral and written arguments is that oral arguments allow the orator to verbally convey his argument that grants him or her to present the argument in a way where they can bring it to life. The tone of voice, if the orator decides to manipulate it, can illuminate the subject more effectively. Written arguments lack the excitement provided by oral arguments.
The specific process of preparing an argument that we used for this assignment is the classical form of argument. I personally like the simplicity and effectiveness of the classical structure. As I was creating an outline for my essay, I found it very easy to "plug and chug" my essay because the form is very organized and fairly strict. I argued that slavery warps a person's sense of justice and humanity. I focused a lot on how slavery dehumanizes its victims both consciously and unconsciously. One thing I would like to improve on is word choice. One of the main difference between oral and written arguments is that in an oral argument, it's much more effective to use an active and slightly informal voice. As I was reading my essay aloud, I found that many of my sentences and word choices were awkward and my ideas could've been better conveyed if I had chosen a more active voice and more suitable diction.
ReplyDeleteWhat I liked about Hanh's essay is the examples she used to show how greatly family and society affects a person's life. She mentions the way Henry was influenced by his slave master father, the way society over-rided religion in John Skiffington's attitude towards slave, and society's influence on Winifred's attitude toward her slave.
Sean mentioned the many opportunities and alternatives Henry could have taken to become a better person and a more respectable person in society.
Genghe uses Robbins as an example of how slave owners treated slaves like property.
Bernadette focused on religion and how it is essential in freeing blacks from slavery. However, she also points out that education, in Henry and Fern's case, imposed slavery on others.
The Classical form of argument is certainly easier to follow. When someone is presenting an oral argument it is helpful to use the classical form. Oral Arguments I must say are widely effected by the speaker, his/her tone really convinces the audience to believe in what they are saying. In the other hand the speaker could be a terrible speaker/presenter and they may have good arguments but the audience can't hear or follow the speaker.I took a communication class a year ago and my professor had told me confidence is a huge key too you have to believe in what you are saying because if you don't believe yourself then no one else would believe you.I think for my essay it was a little abstract I should have explained Henry Townsend and John Skiffington's background and past more to show a contrast.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Sean's essay, It was mainly about morality and ethics. It really made a person think "wow," Augustus worked himself almost to death to free his son and just so his son can become a slave owner himself. You would think that because he has seen his father mother and friends suffer and suffering himself he would be anti-slavery. I also liked how he added the other option that Henry could have turned to, he could have helped free slaves because of all his power he had. Instead of using his status for good he became like all the other white oppressors in the book. When he brought that up it kind of made me mad at Henry and that's the reaction you want when you are doing an oral argument. You want the audience to feel what ever you are feeling about the piece you are writing.
While choosing a topic/ theme from The Known World, I used the classical form argument to organize my argument as well as the counter argument. Using the classical form argument made it easy to organize my thoughts and ideas because the format is laid out well and comprehensible. I argued that slavery both suppresses and oppresses slaves as well as slave masters. I can improve on articulating my argument through my writing by being more detailed and by using more descriptive words. Writing an argument is easy because you can simply state what your view is on a subject however, orally presenting an argument gives you the space to use words that specifically give definition to your argument so that your audience clearly understands your position.
ReplyDeleteI liked Bernadette's thesis because she mentioned that if black people were educated they had the upper hand to slaves that were not educated due to the fact that they had the key to freedom. If a slave was educated and free they had the ability to remain free. She used an example of Henry who was a slave. He was educated however, his father was not which meant that it would be harder for his father to obtain freedom.
The dark story written by Edward P. Jones begins with a description of the 1855 evening when Henry Townsend, the black master of a Virginia plantation, dies. This novel mostly tells about slavery with justice. I think that the main theme of The Known World pertains to the connection between personal ownership and love or sex. This story frequently draws attention to characters whose ideas of superiority, slavery, and property intersect with their intimate relationships and desires, including affairs between masters and slaves. Slaveholding characters, Robbins, Caldonia, and Maude, consummate relationships with one of their slaves, while Fern, Skiffington, and Clara Martin have a strong desire to do.
ReplyDeleteFor their part, the slaves such as Minerva, Philomena, and Moses, either seem indifferent to a relationship with their masters or view as an opportunity to rise on the social ladder. Moses’ relationship with Caldonia sparks his desire for freedom, and he comes to see it as a pathway to a different life. In chapter 10, the narrator says that Moses wants to have sex with Caldonia. He doesn’t want to satisfy his lust by having sex with her, but “because he needed to be able to walk through that back door again without knocking.” Meanwhile, Fern’s statement that she feels as though she is Jebediah Dickinson’s “property” seems to be her way of saying that she is in love with him. Skiffington and Winifred’s relationship with Minerva is another example of the way in which slavery is tied to love both parental love and erotic love for Skiffington, but the fact that Minerva abandons Winifred in Philadelphia suggests that love between slaves and masters is flawed, and unequal.
In conclusion, the central theme of The Known World is love to me. The reason why I chose love as the main theme of this novel is that love is a feeling. I think that love is the most primary feeling in human’s mind. We cannot ignore the feeling like love. Although slavery was abolished, the feeling called ‘love’ is easily ignored by discrimination. Love should be respected without prejudice of human race.
I'm really sorry that I'm mumbling too much. But I try to make effort to improve my english skills. I'll be better next time.