AP English Language The Garden of English

Question 2 Quick Guide

Thesis Template:
In the (Genre) (Title of the Piece), (Contextual Information about Author and/or Text), (Author’s Name) (Rhetorical Choice 1), (Rhetorical
Choice 2), (Rhetorical Choice 3) in order to ____(Answer: What is the audience supposed to understand after experiencing the text?)____, ultimately
moving (insert audience) to ____(Answer: what is the audience supposed to do after experiencing the text?).

Thesis Examples:

1. In his post-9/11 speech—an address that recounts the state of the nation after deadly terrorist attacks—former President George W. Bush
varies his pronoun usage, subtly shifts his tone, and repeats patriotic metaphors in order to highlight that although all are experiencing
tragic grief, the country is—and will remain—strong, ultimately moving the divided American public to unite and prepare for retaliatory
action.

2. In Act [Link] of Julius Caesar Portia—Brutus’s wife—embraces a submissive posture and demeans their relationship in order to get him to feel
pity and guilt towards her, ultimately prompting him to reveal his troubles.

3. Throughout her epistle to her traveling son, John Quincy Adams (JQA), Abigail Adams—a future first lady and historical icon—exposes his
naiveté, references enriching metaphors, and provides examples of honorable role models in order to highlight his potential for excellence,
ultimately moving him to continue to build his character while on his journey.

4. In the piece “He Showed Us the Way,” Cesar Chavez—a labor rights activist—repeatedly refers to civil rights icons, contrasts the outcomes
of violence with nonviolence, and empowers the lower class in order to present the power of pacifist protest, ultimately moving the
magazine readers to either embrace nonviolent tactics or at least support the cause.

5. Throughout the 1962 press release in response to the steel crisis, John F. Kennedy—the president at the time—presents public sacrifice, lists
dire consequences, alludes to Cold War tensions, and reveals voluminous profits in order to vilify the actions of the steel executives,
ultimately moving the American public to join the cause in demanding lower prices and greater public responsibility.

Thesis Notes:
a. When no title is given in the prompt, make one by combining the genre with the audience. (Examples 1 and 3)
b. Sometimes you may need to switch the order of the genre and the title for things to make sense.
c. You don’t need to include the non-essential contextual information about the author and/or text. When you do, though, separate it
with dashes; there are already many commas in your sentence.
d. In a times writing, a strong thesis is perfectly acceptable to stand as your whole intro paragraph.

Body Paragraphing Template:

Topic Sentence(What/Why): (Ordering Phrase—See Rhetorical Stems attachment), (Author) (Rhetorical Strategy from thesis) in order to (answer to
what the audience should understand or do found in thesis).

Textual Evidence (Where): Take, for example, how (summarize the context that comes before your quote and then flow into quoted textual evidence
that shows the strategy referenced in the topic sentence in action) (citation).

Commentary (How): (summary of text for analysis that is derived from quote) (choose applicable verb: showcases, highlights, exposes, evokes, or
something as strong) because (explain how the textual evidence reveals the purpose/effect/answer to the understand or do that is mentioned in the
topic sentence. Commentary is usually at least two sentences. These explanations often focus on explaining general assumptions, stereotypes, and
word connotations. Make sure to purposefully select your verbs to provide vibrant analysis).
Final Sentence(s): All of this would move (the audience) to (purpose (do/persuade) from thesis) because (explain how the information provided by the
author would move the audience to act as identified.)

Body Paragraph Example (for thesis #4 above):

(TS) Cesar Chavez, begins by invoking the memory Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in order to present the power of nonviolent protest. (TE1) Take, for
example, how he begins his article by reminding his audience that “Dr. King’s entire life was an example of the power that nonviolence brings to bear
in the real world” (Chavez 4). (C1) This acknowledgment of King showcases the power of nonviolence because it provides evidence of a tangibly
successful model that gives merit to his claim. Furthermore, in assuming that the audience most likely has a deep respect for Dr. King, referring to
King allows Chavez to tie the positive emotions that are linked to this American icon with his stance on the power of nonviolence. (TE2) Chavez
follows by referring to the cause—the farmworkers’ movement—and reminding individuals that their “convictions” mandate that “every human life is
a […] special possession given by God” (Chavez 6-7) and that “no one has the right take it” (Chavez 8) no matter how just the reasoning may be. (C2)
Relying on the word “conviction” helps in promoting non-violence because it establishes a moral backdrop for his message. As most individuals desire
to be “good people”, they will be drawn toward seeking a moral outcome, typically at any cost, even if it means continuing to be oppressed. In
conjunction with such, noting that life is a “special possession” given by “God,” allows his audience to remember that if they were to act violently, they
would be invalidating the value of life ascribed by Supreme Being. Such a violation, in direct contrast to God’s decisions, would render an audience
member guilty of great sin; seeing as though most people don’t enjoy the feelings of guilt, especially in the eyes of the Immortal, they would be drawn

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toward pleasing God and thus work to protest nonviolently, protecting the divine sanctity of life. Finally, suggesting that life is a human “right” helps
to move people toward nonviolence because acting in violence would then expose hypocrisy in the movement; in no way could a movement for
worker and human rights seem valid if it extinguishes the human rights of others. (FS) Understanding the aforementioned would move the farm
workers and their allies to embrace nonviolent protest because members are forced to recognize the truth of its power, which makes acting in such a
way more desirable. People want to act in ways that work and are behaviorally sound, and Chavez has proven that nonviolence allows for such. Also,
individuals are drawn toward positive emotions, so once they find nonviolent protest practical, positive, and pleasing to God, they will be more likely
to embrace the tactic.

Body Paragraphing Notes:

a. The language “Take, for example, how” is a discourse marker, but it’s not actually needed as long as you know an example follows a topic
sentence.
b. The stronger rhetorical analysis paragraphs typically include at least two pieces of textual evidence. This is not necessary, but it is common in
the better essays. You can write a strong paper and only analyze 2-3 choices. But, it’s better to thoroughly cover as many as you can.
c. Stronger papers are written chronologically because they show the interrelation of the arguments parts and how they build on one another.

Conclusion Steps: Channeling One’s Inner Cinderella

When writing conclusions for Rhetorical Analysis essays, students should highlight the ideas the RA Essay Speaker showcases, rather than summarizing
their own essays and the author’s choices. Once the ideas are highlighted, students need to apply said ideas universally. Steps for generating a strong
conclusion are as follows.

1. Students must identify 2-3 key ideas—singular abstract words—to which the analyzed
piece relates.
Examples.
Bush 9/11 Speech: Resilience, Justice, Unity, Isolation, Suffering
Abigail Adams’ letter: Struggle, Maturity, Anxiety, Compassion, Love, Encouragement, Inspiration

2. With these ideas, students must write a sentence that ties one or all of them to the purpose of the speaker; do not list out any rhetorical
strategies; conclusions are about ideas. (To do this with style, students should try turning the first sentence of their conclusions into a
metaphor.)
Examples.
Bush 9/11 Speech: Throughout his speech Bush reminds the US of their resilient and patriotic spirit during their time of
suffering.
Abigail Adams’ letter: Abigail Adams inspires her son amidst perhaps the most tumultuous time of his life (literally and
figuratively): his teenage years.
(Style)
Bush 9/11 Speech: Throughout his speech, Bush lights the torch of unification and justice in to dispel the darkness of isolation
and suffering.
Abigail Adams’ letter: Throughout the piece, Abigail Adams strives to help her son navigate the tumultuous seas of adolescence.

2. Highlight the ideas that the paper explores by putting them into a universally applicable model and/or make the audience respond to said
ideas, but never by asking a question. You know you are doing this right when you are no longer talking about the speaker and his/her
audience, but are speaking in more general terms: people, individuals, society, etc.
Also try to add an applicable piece of text for an added BAM! Factor. (Channel your inner Cinderella and leave your glass slipper!)
Examples.
Bush 9/11 Speech: Even when an event that occurs whose effects pale in comparison to the magnitude of 9/11 individuals must
strive to come together “respond[ing] with the best of America” to address the physical and emotional consequences, regardless of any
dividing factors.

Abigail Adams’ letter: By embracing her matriarchal role, she serves as a model to all who seek to correct those with less
experience: she exemplifies that one must never shy away from exposing acts of naiveté; however, such criticism must be simultaneously
paired with encouraging words and, most important of all, the love “of a tender parent” (Adams 23).

Below is how each conclusion would look based on the completion of the steps detailed on the prior page.
Examples.

Bush 9/11 Speech (General): Throughout his speech Bush reminds the US of their resilient and patriotic spirit during their time of
suffering. Even when an event that occurs whose effects pale in comparison to the magnitude of 9/11 individuals must strive to come together
“respond[ing] with the best of America” to address the physical and emotional consequences, regardless of any dividing factors.

(Style): Throughout his speech, Bush lights the torch of unification and justice in to dispel the darkness of isolation and suffering. Even
when an event that occurs whose effects pale in comparison to the magnitude of 9/11 individuals must strive to come together “respond[ing] with the
best of America” to address the physical and emotional consequences, regardless of any dividing factors.1

Abigail Adams (General): Abigail Adams inspires her son amidst perhaps the most tumultuous time of his life (literally and figuratively): his
teenage years. By embracing her matriarchal role, she serves as a model to all who seek to correct those with less experience: she
exemplifies that one must never shy away from exposing acts of naiveté; however, such criticism must be simultaneously paired
with encouraging words and, most important of all, love.

(Style): Throughout the piece, Abigail Adams strives to help her son navigate the tumultuous seas of adolescence. By embracing her
matriarchal role, she serves as a model to all who seek to correct those with less experience: she exemplifies that one must never
shy away from exposing acts of naiveté; however, such criticism must be simultaneously paired with encouraging words and, most
important of all, the love “of a tender parent” (Adams 23).

1 Used with permission from Gabi Decosta (Blackstone Valley Tech 2019)
Ordering Words and Phrases for Topic Sentences

Beginning of Text:
(Speaker/Author) begins by/with…

Body of Text:
(Speaker/Author) follows this by/with…

Following this, (Speaker/Author) (action verb)…

Moving on, (Speaker/Author) (action verb)

(Speaker/Author) transitions to…

In order to transition, (Speaker/Author) (action verb)…

(Speaker/Author) then shifts to…

(Speaker/Author) moves to compare…

(Speaker/Author) then contrasts…

(Speaker/Author) exemplifies…

Conclusion of text:
(Speaker/Author) concludes by/with…

Finally, (Speaker/Author) reminds…