Behind the beautiful forevers discussion questions and answers

Rhetorical Analysis Of Behind The Beautiful Forevers

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To me, becoming attached to a country involves pressing uncomfortable questions about justice and opportunity for its least powerful citizens. The better one knows those people, the greater the compulsion to press. Although I had no pretense that I could judge a whole by a sliver, I thought it would be useful to follow the inhabitants of a single, unexpected slum over the course of several years to see who got ahead and who didn’t, and why, as India prospered. There being no way around the not-being- Indian business, I tried to compensate for my limitations the same way I do in unfamiliar American territory: by time spent, attention paid, documentation secured, accounts cross-checked.

—Katherine Boo

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For your first assignment, I am asking you to write a rhetorical analysis of

Katherine Boo’s Beyond the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. While Katherine Boo’s book incites commentary on a number of important issues, you are required to write an analysis essay that explains and evaluates the effectiveness of Boo’s rhetoric. In other words, I’m asking you to consider Boo’s aims, her audiences, and the cultural context, and discuss the writing choices Boo makes as she attempts to negotiate a challenging rhetorical situation. Keep your discussion throughout the essay on Boo’s writing, and consider her rhetorical appeals (e.g. emotion, reason, personal credibility), literary techniques, genre, organization, and diction. Boo covers many topics and employs multiple techniques, so you’ll have to narrow your focus to a specific aspect of the book to analyze. Please keep in mind that I am not asking you to write a book review. Rather, you are writing to an audience that has read the book but is unclear on its meaning and rhetorical strategies. You don’t need to summarize or attempt to cover the entire complex book. Instead, focus on adding your own contribution to the ongoing discussion of the book’s meaning and significance. As you develop your argument, make sure you draw from the academic writing strategies we discuss in class. Your essay must include:

1. A clear stance on Katherine Boo’s rhetoric 2. An accurate portrayal of Boo’s book and any sources you use 3. Textual evidence from Beyond the Beautiful Forevers to support your argument

4. An interpretation of Boo’s aims in writing the book 5. Careful integration of quotations 6. An awareness of alternate perspectives Length and Format: 1250-1600 words, typed in a standard font, double-spaced,

in MLA format. Make sure you include an original title. Due Dates: First Draft 9/28; Final Copy 10/9. Both drafts should be submitted to

the appropriate Blackboard discussion board as a Word document. Assignment Goals: This assignment is designed to introduce you to how to “come

to terms” with a writing project, understand fundamental rhetorical concepts, critically read complex texts, identify evidence from a primary text, and consider how genre shapes writing choices and reading expectations.

Advice: 1. Don’t attempt to address too many points. Be selective. 2. Remember, this is an analysis, not a summary. The essay should be an

explanation and defense of your claims, and your summary should be embedded throughout the essay. Organize your essay around your own claims, summarizing when necessary.

3. Think about evidence. Because your essay is a rhetorical analysis, you’ll need

to cite specific lines and pages in the text to convince readers of your claims. 4. Make sure you identify an interpretive problem early in your essay. Don’t write

an essay that is obvious to your readers. Instead, focus on an interesting question that will make your readers thin deeply about the book.

5. It will be tempting to veer off topic and focus on characters or social issues.

Keep your focus on Boo’s writing choices and her rhetorical situation. 6. As you are writing, consider your audience. Eliminate obvious statements and

unnecessary background information. Work on developing ideas that will be compelling and helpful to your readers.