Finishing School - Maya Angelou

Finishing School is an essay written by Maya Angelou. Angelou's main character Margaret went through her own " Finishing School" that happened to be inside a white woman's kitchen. In this essay she explaining how, young girl were put through unnecessary 

preparation for adulthood and briefly explained the difference between what white girls learned and what colored girls learned. In this essay she wanted respect and to be treated as a human being rather than just a "slave".

Margaret is a ten year old black girl who lives in the south in 1930's at the time when slavery has long passed gone, but racial segregation and discrimination are still very strong. She comes to work as a servant in a home of a white wealthy women, Mrs. Viola Cullinan. She observed Mrs. Cullinan quite alot, and commented on many things that involved her such as her smile, the lines around her eyes, and even that "The exactness of her house was inhuman". Margaret is willing to accept the new rules and work as hard as possible for the white rich and ugly lady, because Margaret feels sorry for her. She feels pity for Mrs. Cullinan because she couldnot have children for being too " delicate - boned".

Sadly,  she soon  realizes that no one is interested in her feelings and her pity. To her employer she is just a stupid, wordless, and black servant. After one of Mrs. Cullinan's friends said that calling her  Margaret was such a hassle to just her  call her "Mary". After that incident, Mrs. Cullinan began to call her Mary. The fact that her name, her own name that was given to her by her parents, is just now so easily being changed by this white women, makes her very mad. Margaret feels  that she was just robbed of something important,her name. 

Once she was told Mrs. Cullinan's favourite contents of cupboard and particular plates she  liked best, she had  just the  perfect plan. Margaret decided to destroys the casserole like fish and two of the green glass cups. When Margaret was order to serve Cullinan's friend again, she deliberately dropped the empty serving tray that was left to Mrs. Cullinan by her wealthy parents. This collapse Mrs. Cullinan to collapse into tears. She started to insult Margaret by calling her a clumsy nigger. The same old speckled face women who had the idea to call her Mary asked "Who did it, Viola? Was it Mary?  Who did it?". Mrs. Cullinan responded by screaming " Her name's Margaret, goddamn it, her name's  Margaret". In the ending of her narrative, she states “I left the front door wide open so all the neighbors could hear. Mrs. Cullinan was right about one thing. My name wasn’t Mary.” showing her revenge was successful.

Only Daughter - Sandra Cisneros

'Only Daughter' is an essay written by Sandra Cisneros. Sandra Cisneros is a young girl, growing as the only daughter of six other brothers and learns a lot about each other. The authors tells us how 

how she sometimes felt left out because her father would always tell everyone he was the father sons. She wants to her father to understand that she is important also, but the father divert his attention to her brothers. Her father would praise his sons for being doctors but was disappointed when his daughter graduated from college without husband. Her father says that he has wasted her education because she still hasn't got a husband. She later says that she always was writing for her father. After ten years of writing professionally one of her books was sold to a major New York publishing house. Then she flew home to Chicago for Christmas to be with her family. Her father has grown much more sickly, he reads one of her work that has been translated to Spanish and he likes it a lot. Her father looked up and asked, " Where can we get more copies of this for the relatives." At the end of reading the father became very proud to her daughter.

Cause and Effect

Process describe how something happens; cause and effect analyzes why something happens. Cause and Effect essay examine causes, describe effect, or do both. Cause and Effect, links situation and events together in time, with

causes preceding effects. But causality involves more than sequence; cause and effect analysis explains why something happened or is happening and its predicts what probably will happen. Sometime many different causes can be responsible for one effect. Similarly many different effects can be produced by a single cause.

* Main and Contributory Causes

Even when you have identified several cause of an effect, one- the main cause is always more important than the others- the contributory causes. Understanding the distinction between the main cause and the contributory cause is vital for planning a cause and effect paper: once you identify the main cause, you can emphasizes it in your paper and downplay the other causes.

* Immediate and Remote Causes

Another important distinction is the difference between an immediate cause and remote cause. An immediate cause closely precedes an effect and is therefore relatively easy to recognize. An remote cause is less obvious, perphas because it involves something in the past or far away. Assuming that the most obvious cause is always the most important can be dangerous as well as shortsighted. Root cause can be extremely important.

Comparison and Contrast

In the narrowest sense, comparison shows how two or more things are similar and Contrast shows how they are different. In most writing situation, however, you use the two related process of comparison and contrast to 

consider both similarities and difference. A special form of comparison, called analogy, looks for similarities between two essentially dissimilar things. An analogy explains more things by comparing it to second things that is more familiar than the first.

* Ways of Comparison and Contrast

1) Point by point

2) Subject by subject

a) Point by point comparison

When you write point by point comparison, you first make a point about one subject and then follow it with a comparable point about the other. This alternating pattern continues throughout the body of your essay until all your comparison or contrast have been made. Point by point comparison are especially useful for longer, more complicated essays in which you discuss many different points. In a point by point essays, reader can easily follow comparison and contrast.

b) Subject by subject comparison

In subject by subject comparison, you essentially write a separate essay about each subject, but you discuss the same points for both subjects. In discussion each subject, you use the same basic of comparison to guide your selection of supporting points, and you arrange these points in some logical order, usually in order of their increasing significance. Subject by subject comparison are most appropriate for short, uncomplicated papers.

Argumentation

- A logical way of presenting ideas.

- User reasons or logic to support the main idea.

- Connects a series of logical statement and leads to a conclusion.

- It is different from persuasion because it doesnot

try to move the audience towards certain action.

- It has fixed structure: an argument makes points, supplies evidence, establishes a logical chain of reasoning, refutes opposing arguments and accommodates the views of audience.

Purpose of Argumentation

a) To persuade other people to accept your idea/ position.

b) To defend your position.

c) To refute/ reject/ deny a position you believe to be wrong or misguided or false.

Argumentation and Persuasion

- Persuasion is a general term that refers to a method to make someone believe something by giving them a good reasons to do it or by taking them and making them believe it.

- A method by which a writer try to moves an audience to adopt a belief.

- To persuade an audience, a writer may use various appeals - to the emotions, reason and ethics.

Deductive and Inductive Reasoning

a) Deductive Reasoning

1) In deductive reasoning, the reasoning proceeds from general to specific conclusion.

2) In deductive reasoning the conclusion derived from general premises has high probability of being valid.

3) It is considered as a reliable way of reasoning. However, it may aslo fail to give valid conclusion. 

4) Example: All the boys of BDEVS first semester are laborious, Sagar is also a student of BDEVS first semester. Therefore, he is also laborious. 

b) Inductive Reasoning 

1) In inductive reasoning the arguments move from specific to general conclusion. 

2) There is high probability of deriving invalid conclusion. 

3) Mostly used by scientists. 

4) Example: 

I have an apple. This Apple is not sweet. This apple is taken from Ram's bag. There are 50 apples in his bag. So, all the apples in Ram's bag are not sweet.

Definition

A definition tells what a term and words means. Most people think of definition in term of dictionaries, which give brief, succinct explanations of what words mean. But definition also includes explaining what

something, or even someone, its essential nature. Some definition require a word or a sentences and sometimes a whole paragraph or a whole book. There are two kinds of definition. They are :

A) Formal Definition

B) Extended Definition

1) Formal Definition

-  Brief definition 

-  Dictionary definition

2) Extended Definition 

-  Longer and complex definition

-  Useful in academic assignment.

Classification and Division

Division is the process of breaking a whole into parts. Classification is the process of sorting individual items into categories. Through classification and divison, we can make sense of seemingly

random ideas by putting scattered bits of information into useful, coherent order. By breaking a large group into smaller categories and assigning individual items to larger categories, we are able to identify relationship between a whole and its parts and among the parts themselves.

Understanding Classification and Division

When you classify, you begin with individual items and sort them into categories. Since most things have several different attributes, they can be classified in several different ways. Take as an example the student who attend your school. The most obvious way to classify these individual might be according to their year in college. But you could also classify students according to their major, racial or ethnic background, home stage, grade point average, or any number of other principles.

Division is the opposite of classification. When you divide, you start with a whole and break into its individual parts - smaller, more specific classes called subclasses. For example, you might start with the large general class television shows and divide it into smaller subclasses; comedy, drama, action/ adventure and so forth. You could then divide each of these subclasses still further. Action/adventure programs, for example, might include western, police shows and so on. Each of these subclasses could be divided as well.

Formulating a Thesis Statement

Like other kind of essays, a classification and Division essay must have a thesis. Your thesis statement should identify your subject, present the categories you will discuss, and perphas show reader the relationship of your categories to one another and to the subject as whole. In addition, your thesis statement should tell your reader why you categories are significant or establish their relative value.

Process

A process is a series of step or actions taken to accomplish a goal or result. Process writing means writing about a process for other to read and follow. Writing about a process means giving a detailed explanations

of the steps required to complete the process.

A process essays explains how to do something or how something occurs. It presents a sequence of steps and show how those steps lead to a particular result. Process like narrative presents events in chronological order. 

To write an effective process essay, keep the following points in mind;

1) Order the essay chronologically

2) Explain each stage in a different paragraph. 

3) Be clear and thorough in the explanations of the steps.

4) Be careful of your  pronouns. 

5) Don't number the steps.

6) Donot use imperative sentences; otherwise you'll end up with an instruction  manual and not an essay.

Like other essay, a process essay generally consists of three main sections. 

A) Introduction 

B) Body 

C) Conclusion 

a) Introduction

The introduction identifies the process and indicates why and under what circumstances it is performed. This sections may include information about materials or preliminary preparation or it may  present an overview of the process. 

b) Body 

Each paragraph in the body of the essay typically treats one major stage of the procedure. Each stage may group several steps, depending on the nature and complexity of the process. These steps are presented in chronological order. Every steps must be included and must appear in its proper  place. Throughout the body of a process essay, transitional words and phrases ensure that each step,  each stage, and paragraph leads logically to the next.

c) Conclusion 

A short process essay may not need a formal conclusion. If an essay doesnot have a conclusion, however, it will often briefly review the procedure's major stages. Such an ending is especially useful if the paper  has outlined a very long or particularly technical procedure that may seem complicated to general readers. The conclusion may also reinforce the thesis by summarizing the results of the process or explaining its significance.

Exemplification

When you want to understand a general concept or an abstract idea, you probably ask for an example. When you  want to explain an idea, you probably provide example as 

strategy to make you thinking clear. Exemplification is simply a way that writers  and speaker use to explain things so that reader and listeners can better understand the topic  being  discussed. We use examples to support  our ideas. The use of examples help  us to make general ideas. A good writer uses enough examples which enable us to grab his/her idea easily.

We use example to: 

1) Explain and clarify 

2) Add interest 

3) Persuade: Convince

4) Test your thesis.

Description

We use description to describe somebody, some place, things etc. We use description to tell about what/ how it looks, feels like physical features, colour etc. We use description to tell

about our personal opinion, vision feeling etc. It is based on five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. However description can go beyond five senses. When you write description, you use languages to create a vivid impressions for your reader.

There are two types of description:

1) Subjective description

2) Objective description

a) Subjective description

  

*  Describing something, somebody and someplace. 

* Use of personal feeling, emotions , opinion, vision etc.

* Non use of knowledge obtained from sense organ.

* Different people may have different opinion about same thing. 

* Conveys your personal responses to your subject. 

b) Objectives description 

* Describing something, somebody and someplace, precisely, literal picture of subject.

* Non use of personal feeling, emotions, opinion, vision etc.

* Based on facts and data.

* Use of the knowledge obtained from sense organ.

* Different people have same opinion about same thing, exact description of apparatus, conditions and apparatus picture.

Narration

Narration tells a story by representing events in an orderly, logical sequence. Narration is the dominant pattern in many works of fiction and poetry, and it is 

essential part of casual conversation. Narration also underlines folk and fairy tales 

and radio and television news report. In short, any time you tell what happened, you are using narration. The skill you develop in narrative writing will also help you in other kinds of writing. Narratives, like other types of writing, need rich, specific details if they are to be convincing. When you write a narrative, you must be careful to keep verb tense consistent and accurate so your readers can follow the sequence of events. Naturally, you must shift tense to reflect an actual time shift in your narrative. Narration has five elements. They are ;

1) Character

2) Setting

3) Plot

4) Dialogue

5) Action

Many narratives present events in the exact order in which they occured, moving from first event to last. Whether or not you follow a strict chronological order depends on the purpose of your narrative. If you are writing a straight forward account of historical event or summarizing a record of poor management practices, you will probably want to move from beginning to end.

Like other essays, narratives have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. If your essays thesis is explicitly stated, it will, in most cases, appear in the introduction. The body of your essay will recount the events that make you your narrative, following a clear and orderly plan. Finally, the conclusion will give your reader the sense that your story is complete.

Drafting and Revision

After investing ideas and arranging in different parts the task of drafting/ writing 

starts.Drafting occurs when you put your ideas into sentence and paragraph. Here you concentrate upon explaining and supporting your ideas fully. Here you also begin to connect your ideas. At this stage donot pay attention to such things as spelling. After that you will prepare your ideas, the ask of revision starts. Revision means looking again into your first draft. Here you think more deeply and you'll have the opportunity to finetune unclear ideas in your first draft. After making improvement to your first draft, reread your writing out loud to ensure that it looks and sound as you intended. The goal of this phase of the writing process is to improve the draft. In editing step of writing process, writer proofread and correct errors in grammar and mechanics, and edit to improve style and clarity. We also look at to decide to add some ideas or remove.

* Guidelines for Drafting

1) Begin with body paragraph.

2) Get your ideas down slowly.

3) Take regular breaks as you write.

4) Write with revision in mind.

5) Leave yourself time to revise.

* Checklist for Revision

1) Thesis Statement

2) Body

3) Introduction and conclusions

4) Sentence

5) Words

6) Title

* Ways of editing

1) Looking by yourself.

2) Giving to your friends.

3) Giving to express.

Arrangement

Arrangement Before actually beginning to write, you have another choice to make; how to arrange your material into 

essay. This extremely important choice helps to determines how clear and convincing your essay will be and how your audience will react to it. You make a formal outline of your essay. Understanding the parts of Essay. (A) Introduction (B) Body paragraph (C) Conclusion (a) Introduction  * Introduces your subject, engages your readers interest, and often state your thesis.  * Usually one paragraph rarely more than one. * You can introduce your essay and engage your audience interests in the following ways;  (1) You can give the background information and then move directly to your thesis statement.  (2) You can introduce your essay with a definition of a relevant term as concept.  (3) You can begin your essay with ancedote or story. (4) You can begin with a question.  (5) You can also begin with the quotation.  (b) Body Paragraph   It is  middle section or body of your essay. It present the details, facts, examples, data to support your thesis statement.Each body paragraph should be unified, coherent and well developed.  * Qualities : (1) Each body paragraph should be unified.  (2) Each body paragraph should be well developed.  (3) Each body paragraph should be coherent.  (4) Each body paragraph should follow a particular pattern of development.  (5) Each body paragraph should clearly support the thesis statement.   (c) Conclusion  It is extremely important part of the essay because reader remember best what they read at the last. It should be brief. It should be consistent with the content of your essay. Restates the thesis summarizes your essay main idea in different words or review your key point.  Way to conclude your essay   (1) You can conclude on your essay by reviewing your key points or restarting your essay. (2) You can end with a recommendation of a course of action. (3) You can conclude with a prediction.  (4) You can also end with a quotation.

Invention

 

Invention is the first stage of the writing process. This 

process takes place in the mind of the writer. In this