Wl lecture 2 essay 001

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LECTURE 2: ESSAY Instructor MRS. MABEL R. KINKITO Course WORLD LITERATURE

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Transcript of Wl lecture 2 essay 001

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LECTURE 2: ESSAY

Instructor MRS. MABEL R. KINKITOCourse WORLD LITERATURE

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Essay is easy What is an essay?

What is it for?

Why is it written?

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Essays are brief, non-fiction compositions that describe, clarify, argue, or analyze a subject.’

Essay derives from the French infinitive essayer, "to try" or "to attempt". In English essay first meant "a trial" or "an attempt", and this is still an alternative meaning. 

CONSIDERATIONS IN AN ESSAY: Who is the writer writing for? What is his purpose for writing?

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PURPOSES IN WRITING AN ESSAY RESPOND

Express reactions to a work

INTERPRET Explain possible meanings and analyze the

work EVALUATE

Assess the work’s literary merits; its appeal to different cultures using the critical sense, and opinions of experts to make judgments about the work.

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Aldous Huxley’s three-poled frame of reference:

Personal and the autobiographical essays: these use "fragments of reflective autobiography" to "look at the world through the keyhole of anecdote and description".

Objective and factual: in these essays, the authors "do not speak directly of themselves, but turn their attention outward to some literary or scientific or political theme".

Abstract-universal: these essays "make the best ... of all the three worlds in which it is possible for the essay to exist". This type is also known as Giraffe Style Writing.

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TYPES OF ESSAYS

The Expository Essay. The function of the expository essay is to explain, or to acquaint your reader with a body of knowledge. By explaining a topic to the reader, you are demonstrating your own knowledge.

The persuasive essay must choose a side, make a case for it, consider and refute alternative arguments, and prove to the undecided reader that the opinion it presents is the best one. You must be aware of other sides and be fair to them; dismissing them completely will weaken your own argument. 

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The informal essay is written mainly for enjoyment. This is not to say that it cannot be informative or persuasive; however, it is less a formal statement than a relaxed expression of opinion, observation, humor or pleasure.

The Review. A review may be either formal or informal, depending on the context. Its goal is to evaluate a work, which implies that the reviewer's personal opinion plays a significant role in the process.

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The Research Essay. The research essay leads you into the works of others and asks you to compare their thoughts with your own. Writing a research paper involves going to source material and synthesizing what you learn from it with your own ideas.

The Literary Essay. In the literary essay, you are exploring the meaning and construction of a piece of literature. 

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The Argumentative Essay’s goal is to sway the reader to accept their point of view.

The Cause and Effect Essays. The cause and effect essay includes some elements of writing that might be considered more professional than those a descriptive or narrative essay might include.

The Comparison and Contrast Essays. Writing a comparison/contrast paper involves comparing and contrasting two subjects. A comparison shows how two things are alike. A contrast shows how two things are different.

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QUESTIONS ANYONE?

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Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. ~ Kahlil Gibran ~

THINK ABOUT THIS:

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1. Search for an essay which you think best reflects you or what you believe in.

2. Briefly discuss your reasons for choosing the essay and determine its type.

3. Read and prepare a copy of Francis Bacon’s Of Followers and Friends.

4. This must be submitted by the next meeting.