ILLUSTRATION - Mr. Murphy's Roomhhsmurphy.weebly.com/.../illustration_notes_1_of_2.pdf · “The...
Transcript of ILLUSTRATION - Mr. Murphy's Roomhhsmurphy.weebly.com/.../illustration_notes_1_of_2.pdf · “The...
What is Illustration?
Illustration is the use of examples…
•Facts
•Anecdotes
•Samples
•and many other kinds of specific
information
…to make a generalization more vivid,
understandable, or persuasive.
What is Illustration?
EXAMPLE:
“The films coming out of Hollywood place
too much emphasis on violence.”
•This statement is broad, vague, and
even open to challenge.
•Detailed examples from actual movies
would give depth and impact.
What is Illustration?
EXAMPLE:
“Americans are a pain-conscious people
who would rather get rid of pain than
seek and cure its root causes.”
•This statement is overly general.
•Needs to be supported by examples,
situations, and even specific cases in
which Americans have gone to the
drugstore instead of the doctor.
What is Illustration?
EXAMPLE:
“Today’s music is perverted and
sometimes obscene.”
•Again, this is vague and puzzling,
especially to those who don’t listen to
modern pop music.
•Descriptions of specific songs and
lyrics would clarify the statement.
What is Illustration?
•Writing that consists wholly of
generalizations strung together page
after page can be extremely difficult to
read.
•Good writers recognize this fact and
try to provide just the right kind and
number of examples to make their
writing interesting, convincing, and
understandable.
What is Illustration?
•An illustration can be anything from a
statistic to a story.
•It can be stated in a few words or go
on for several paragraphs or pages.
What is Illustration?
The key is, the illustration must be
RELEVANT.
•A statistic showing how much of a
particular drug Americans have
purchased might be interesting.
•A statistic showing the increase in
pain-killer sales have increased more
rapidly than the population would be
more effective as proof.
What is Illustration?
To be most effective, the illustration
must be REPRESENTATIVE.
•The story it tells or the facts it
presents should be typical of many
others the readers are sure to think
of.
•Aspirin statistics would be more
representative than some new, mostly
unknown prescription drug.
Why Do Writers Use Illustration?
1. Examples are used to make
writing more vivid and
entertaining.
An essay about television bloopers
would be dull and pointless
without some examples of on-
screen blunders.
Why Do Writers Use Illustration?
1. Examples are used to make
writing more vivid and
entertaining.
An essay about the dangers of
drunk driving will gain impact if it
is illustrated with descriptions of
the victims’ shattered lives and the
grief and outrage of family/friends.