Page 37 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

Conversations develop and
®
reinforce AP synthesis skills.
Because students’ ability to synthesize multiple sources is a primary concern of Guided Tour
college composition courses — as well as a skill that must be demonstrated on the
AP Exam — the Conversation section in each chapter provides source material and
®
guiding questions to help students use the words and ideas of others to develop
their own arguments. Making Connections questions help students compare and
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
Many boys are thus often growing up raised
contrast the various arguments in the Conversations, a key intermediary step in moving
government — a much more cost-efficient
4
by single mothers, the share more than doubling
approach than dealing with the downstream
between 1980 and 2019, from 18 percent to
effects. The enhanced child tax credit should be
from analysis toward synthesis. After they synthesize the written and visual sources
40 percent. A study from 2015 found that “as
renewed, helping stabilize families.
more boys grow up without their father in the
Drives for national service and contribution, 10
provided, students are ready to develop their own voices and positions.
such as an American Exchange Program or
home, and as women . . . are viewed as the more
stable achievers, boys and girls alike [may] come national service years, should be resuscitated. Conversation / Andrew Yang
to see males as having a lower achievement And businesses and industries that employ large
orientation. . . . College becomes something that numbers of men, such as manufacturing, should
many girls, but only some boys, do.” be invested in and reinvigorated.
Yes, men have long had societal advantages On a cultural level, we must stop defining
over women and in some ways continue to masculinity as necessarily toxic and start
Redefining Masculinity promoting positive masculinity. Strong, healthy,
be treated favorably. But male achievement —
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
alongside that of women — is a condition for a fulfilled men are more likely to treat women well.
The above is, of course, a prodigious
Masculinity is a term that many know but is difficult to define. Its meaning may depend on
healthy society. And male failure begets male fail-
undertaking. But I see the need around me all
ure, to society’s detriment. Our media, institutions
who you ask, and in what context. The connotations of the term have evolved over time
the time.
and public leadership have failed to address this
and various cultural atmospheres, both public and private, including in the workplace,
crisis, framing boys and men as the problem
A number of my friends have become
school, and media, as well as within families, romantic relationships, and friendships.
detached from society. Everyone hits a snag at
themselves rather than as people requiring help.
The following eight texts comment directly or indirectly on definitions and images of Conversation
This needs to change. Helping boys and men
some point — losing a job, facing a divorce —
masculinity in today’s society. Carefully read the following eight sources, including the
succeed should be a priority for all our society’s
but my male friends seem less able to bounce
introductory information for each one. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at
back. Male dysfunction tends to take on an air of
institutions. Schools that have succeeded in
least three of the sources and develops your position on how masculinity should be
keeping boys on track should be expanded, by
nihilism and dropping out. As a society, we don’t
defined today. both increasing the number of students they provide many avenues for healthy recovery.
serve and exporting their methods to other Here’s the simple truth I’ve heard from
SOURCES schools. Vocational education and opportunities many men: We need to be needed. We imagine
1. Paul Theroux Being a Man (1985) ourselves as builders, soldiers, workers,
should be redoubled; the nation’s public school
system should start the process for early age
2. Stephanie Coontz from The Myth of Male Decline (2012) brothers — part of something bigger than our-
groups, and apprenticeship programs should be
selves. We deal with idleness terribly.
3. Roberto A. Ferdman The Perils of Being Manly (2016) “A man . . . with no means of filling up time,” 15
supported by the federal government. Nonprof-
4. Collier Meyerson Do We Need to Redefine Masculinity — Or Get Rid of It? (2018)
its helping boys and men — such as Big Brothers
George Orwell wrote, is “as miserable out of
5. Gender and Social Pressure (graph, 2018) work as a dog on the chain.” Left to our own
Big Sisters of America and the YMCA — should
receive more investment.
6. Kehinde Wiley Portrait of Oluranti Olaose (painting, 2019) devices, many of us will fail. And from our
Resources that keep families together when failure, terrible things result for the country,
7. David French Grown Men Are the Solution, Not the Problem (2019) well beyond any individual self-destruction.
they want to stay together, such as marriage
8. Andrew Yang The Data Are Clear: The Boys Are Not All Right (2022) 4. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. Yang states, “On a cultural level,
4
2022
we must stop defining masculinity as necessarily toxic and start promoting positive
masculinity” (par. 11). What is the assumption underlying that claim? What evidence does
Questions Yang offer to support it? Ultimately, do you agree with this claim? Explain why or why not.

5. Rhetorical Situation / Reasoning and Organization. How does the closing quotation
4. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. Yang states, “On a cultural level,
counseling, should be subsidized by the Identity
4
we must stop defining masculinity as necessarily toxic and start promoting positive
1. Claims and Evidence. Andrew Yang offers plenty of evidence that shows how boys and
from George Orwell serve Yang’s purpose?
men are falling behind. Which evidence do you find the most compelling? Explain.
masculinity” (par. 11). What is the assumption underlying that claim? What evidence does
Yang offer to support it? Ultimately, do you agree with this claim? Explain why or why not.
2. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. Yang points to many societal
Making Connections
1 Being a Man problems for men and boys, among them the difficulty of getting jobs, of not attending or
5. Rhetorical Situation / Reasoning and Organization. How does the closing quotation
Identity
completing college, of being raised by single mothers. Which of these do you regard as the
from George Orwell serve Yang’s purpose?
1. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. How might Stephanie Coontz
most challenging? What do you think can be done to resolve these problems?
Paul Theroux most challenging? What do you think can be done to resolve these problems?
3. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. What is the concession Yang Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization.
In the following essay, part of the collection Sunrise with Seamonsters (1985), respond to Andrew Yang’s argument about the position boys and men occupy in society
Making Connections today?
makes in paragraph 7? How does it affect the cogency of his argument? Explain.
makes in paragraph 7? How does it affect the cogency of his argument? Explain.
305
2.
American novelist and travel writer Paul Theroux (b. 1941) examines society’s views Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. Which of the texts in this
of masculinity. 1. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. How might Stephanie Coontz
Conversation make arguments you could use Kehinde Wiley’s painting to support? Which
respond to Andrew Yang’s argument about the position boys and men occupy in society
arguments would the image challenge?
here is a pathetic sentence in the chapter man — and perhaps it is an important thing to
today?
T “Fetishism” in Dr. Norman Cameron’s book know about us. 3. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. How might Paul Theroux react to
2. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. Which of the texts in this
David French’s discussion of the idea of a “grown man”?
Personality Development and Psychopathology . I have always disliked being a man. The 06/10/22 4:20 PM
Conversation make arguments you could use Kehinde Wiley’s painting to support? Which
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4. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. Which writers in this Conversation
arguments would the image challenge?
It goes, “Fetishists are nearly always men; and whole idea of manhood in America is pitiful, in
could use the results depicted in the graph on Gender and Social Pressure to support their
3. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. How might Paul Theroux react to Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. How might Paul Theroux react to
their commonest fetish is a woman’s shoe.” my opinion. This version of masculinity is a little
claims? To what extent does this data undermine any of the claims in the Conversation texts?
David French’s discussion of the idea of a “grown man”?
David French’s discussion of the idea of a “grown man”?
I cannot read that sentence without thinking like having to wear an ill-fitting coat for one’s
Entering the Conversation
4. Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. Which writers in this Conversation Claims and Evidence / Reasoning and Organization. Which writers in this Conversation
that it is just one more awful thing about being a entire life (by contrast, I imagine femininity to
could use the results depicted in the graph on Gender and Social Pressure to support their
could use the results depicted in the graph on Gender and Social Pressure to support their
1. AP ® FRQ Synthesis.
287 “Masculinity” is a term that many know but is difficult to define. Its
claims? To what extent does this data undermine any of the claims in the Conversation texts?
claims? To what extent does this data undermine any of the claims in the Conversation texts?
meaning may depend on who you ask, and in what context. The connotations of the term
Entering the Conversation
have evolved over time and various cultural atmospheres, both public and private, including
in the workplace, school, and media, as well as within families, romantic relationships, and
friendships. The Conversation texts comment directly or indirectly on definitions and images
1. AP ® FRQ Synthesis. “Masculinity” is a term that many know but is difficult to define. Its
of masculinity in today’s society. Carefully read the eight Conversation sources, including the
06/10/22 4:20 PM
05_sheatlc4e_40925_ch04_170_315_7pp.indd 287 meaning may depend on who you ask, and in what context. The connotations of the term
introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least
have evolved over time and various cultural atmospheres, both public and private, including
three of the sources and develops your position on how masculinity should be defined today.
in the workplace, school, and media, as well as within families, romantic relationships, and
friendships. The Conversation texts comment directly or indirectly on definitions and images
2. Speaking and Listening. Suppose you are part of a community group deciding whether
of masculinity in today’s society. Carefully read the eight Conversation sources, including the
to implement single-sex classrooms in grades 9–12 in an effort to raise the academic
introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least
achievement level and character development of boys. Develop a position on this proposal
three of the sources and develops your position on how masculinity should be defined today.
informed by at least three of the readings in this Conversation, and write a 2-minute
speech you would deliver to the local school board.
2. Speaking and Listening. Suppose you are part of a community group deciding whether
to implement single-sex classrooms in grades 9–12 in an effort to raise the academic
3. Connections. Many of the texts in this Conversation explore the different ways we talk
achievement level and character development of boys. Develop a position on this proposal
and interact with boys and men as well as the expectations women have of men and men
informed by at least three of the readings in this Conversation, and write a 2-minute
have of themselves. How do these depictions align with your observations regarding
speech you would deliver to the local school board.
different genders? Base your position on at least three of the readings as well as your own
3. Connections. Many of the texts in this Conversation explore the different ways we talk xv
experience and knowledge.
and interact with boys and men as well as the expectations women have of men and men
4. Creative Writing. What does the term “toxic masculinity” mean? Why has the term
have of themselves. How do these depictions align with your observations regarding
become so commonly used (though, perhaps, not clearly defined) in our society today?
different genders? Base your position on at least three of the readings as well as your own
Write a Wikipedia-style entry explaining the characteristics of this term. Develop your
experience and knowledge. position with at least three of the sources from this Conversation.
5. Research. How much of an effect does the media — whether it be television, film, social
4. Creative Writing. What does the term “toxic masculinity” mean? Why has the term
become so commonly used (though, perhaps, not clearly defined) in our society today?
media, video games, or graphic novels — have on our society’s view of men’s behavior
and attitudes? Develop your position by referring to at least two of the sources from this
Write a Wikipedia-style entry explaining the characteristics of this term. Develop your
position with at least three of the sources from this Conversation.
Conversation and two additional sources that provide contemporary research and examples.
5. Research. How much of an effect does the media — whether it be television, film, social
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media, video games, or graphic novels — have on our society’s view of men’s behavior
and attitudes? Develop your position by referring to at least two of the sources from this
Conversation and two additional sources that provide contemporary research and examples.
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Guided Tour TE-xxxv
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