Monday, February 29, 2016

EB White Rhetoric and Style questions

Questions of Rhetoric and Style: E.B. White –

  1. Characterize the epiphany the speaker has in this essay.  

  1. Find and quote the sentence or passage that you think most closely epitomizes the theme or central idea in this essay.

  1. In one to two paragraphs, explain why your chosen passage epitomizes White’s central idea.

  1. Note White’s use of such original and creative expressions as “had never had any fresh water up his nose.” Find and cite a few others.

  1. Identify three or four examples of figurative language and discuss their purpose.

  1. Discuss the effect of the specificity of detail in paragraph 11.

  1. The concluding sentence of penultimate paragraph begins with “And.”  What is the effect of beginning that way?

  1. Why does White describe the lake as “fade-proof” and the woods as “unshatterable” in paragraph 8?

  1. Discuss the nature of the final image of the essay.  What rhetorical purpose does it serve?

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