Page 111 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

4. Claims and Evidence. What is Staples’s purpose in quoting Norman Podhoretz and Edward 4
Hoagland? Do they provide support for his viewpoint, a contrasting viewpoint, expert
testimony, or something else?
5. Claims and Evidence / Style. Is Staples being ironic when he writes, “I began to take chapter 4
precautions to make myself less threatening” (par. 13)? Cite specific parts of the text to
support your viewpoint.
6. Rhetorical Situation / Reasoning and Organization / Style. Is the final paragraph Other Voices / Brent Staples
intended to be flippant? Humorous? Explain whether you find it an effective conclusion
to the essay.
7. Style. How would you describe the overall tone of this essay? You might consider a phrase
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
rather than a single word to capture the complexity of this piece. Support your description
with specific references to Staples’s language.
TRM Rubric
Topics for Composing
A rubric for these pr
ompts can be found in
A rubric for these prompts can be found in
the Teacher’s Resource Materials.
®
1. AP FRQ Rhetorical Analysis. In his 1986 essay “Just Walk on By: A Black Man the T eacher’ s Resour ce Materials.
produced during the twenty-first century, develop a visual essay that presents your argument. for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space” Brent Staples explores the complexities and
dangers associated with being Black in America, particularly when walking outdoors.
Read paragraphs 1–5 carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices DIFFERENTIA TION
DIFFERENTIATION
Staples makes to convey his message about the role physical appearance plays in
public spaces. Scaffolding
Scaffolding
®
2. AP FRQ Argument. In Brent Staples’s 1986 essay “Just Walk on By: A Black Man
Composing Q2.
Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space” he writes, “It is, after all, only manly to Composing Q2. You could also connect
this comment—and others in the essay—to
embrace the power to frighten and intimidate. We, as men, are not supposed to give an this comment—and others in the essay—to
the Conversation on Masculinity that ends
inch of our lane on the highway; we are to seize the fighter’s edge in work and in play the Conversation on Masculinity that ends
this chapter. Students could use para-
and even in love; we are to be valiant in the face of hostile forces” (par. 8). Write an essay this chapter . Students could use para-
that argues your position on whether this quotation reflects modern-day concepts of graphs 8–10 as an additional source in that
graphs 8–10 as an additional sour
ce in that
masculinity. conversation.
conversation.
3. Research. Do some research on the Green Book, a travel guide that helped Black people
travel safely in America during Jim Crow. How do the situations the Green Book was
designed to navigate relate to the experience Staples describes in this essay?
DIFFERENTIATION
4. Connections. Staples makes the point that “being perceived as dangerous is a hazard in DIFFERENTIA TION
itself” (par. 2). Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced this kind of
Connections to World
misperception. The experience can be related to race or ethnicity, age, a physical Connections to W orld
characteristic, gender, religion, or appearance (e.g., clothing, hair, tattoos, piercings). Explore Composing Q5.
Composing Q5. To reinforce the signifi-
the source of the disconnect between self-perception and the perception of another person:
cance of this question, one perspective to
what factors influence a potentially dangerous difference? cance of this question, one perspective to
include her
s
e could be Pr
esident Obama’
5. Multimodal. Do you think that the argument Staples makes in this essay written in 1986 include here could be President Obama’s
July 19, 2013, remarks on the Trayvon Mar-
remains relevant today? Using images from news, sports events, film, television, and art July 19, 2013, r emarks on the T rayvon Mar -
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly
tin ruling. Geor ge Zimmerman, a white
tin ruling. George Zimmerman, a white
rayvon Martin, a
man, shot and killed T
Develop this essay into a film that uses music and/or a voiceover to further emphasize your man, shot and killed Trayvon Martin, a
argument. Black teen, on February 26, 2012. Zimmer -
Black teen, on February 26, 2012. Zimmer-
6. Speaking and Listening. In 1963, Dionne Warwick recorded the song “Walk on By.” Listen man maintained he acted in self-defense,
man maintained he acted in self-defense,
to both the music and lyrics of this original recording; then prepare for and hold a class but he was char ged with second-degr ee
but he was charged with second-degree
discussion about why you think Staples might have chosen a riff on the song for the title of mur der . At his trial, the jury found him not
murder. At his trial, the jury found him not
this essay.
guilty. President Obama’s nearly twenty-
guilty . Pr esident Obama’ s nearly twenty-
minute speech is available on the Obama
minute speech is available on the Obama
White House Archives site. There are also
White House Ar chives site. Ther e ar e also
numerous articles about his remarks
numer ous articles about his r emarks
217
posted by a variety of news outlets.
posted by a variety of news outlets.
Depending on the makeup of your class
Depending on the makeup of your class
and the ways in which your students will
and the ways in which your students will
experience this issue on a personal level,
05_sheatlc4e_40925_ch04_170_315.indd 217 12/10/22 2:35 PM you could have them reflect in writing after
DIFFERENTIATION watching all or part of the video or discuss
their reactions to it as a class.
Connections to Text
Composing Q6. You might have students
contrast Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By” with
Isaac Hayes’s twelve-minute version from
1969. They differ in tone. Which is more
appropriate for Staples’s essay? Also, you
might note that the song was written by a
pair of white songwriters, Burt Bacharach
and Hal David.
Other Voices / Brent Staples 217
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