Topic: Persuasive Argument Evaluate “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell, “No Witchcraft for Sale” by Doris Lessing, “Once upon a Time” by Nadine Gordimer, and “Marriage is a Private Affair” by Chinua Achebe for clarity, consistency and persuasiveness.
First evaluate each piece separately and answer the following questions:
-How clear is the authors argument? Try to identify a statement (direct quote) or an excerpt that you paraphrase that summarizes the author’s argument.
-Are the arguments within the individual texts consistent?
-How persuasive is each argument? What contributes to or detracts from the persuasiveness of the argument?
List words and phrases the contribute to or diminish the clarity of each argument. Then examine the text as a whole. Is there a common theme or sentiment about colonialism? Do you agree or disagree with these sentiments?
This essay will summarize your findings about the texts individually and assert your position about them and their overall statements about colonialism collectively. This essay should have a thesis statement that is specific and makes an assertion about the text collectively.