Persuasive Essay 'Flowers For Algernon'

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Write a Persuasive Essay You have been asked to write a persuasive essay about “Flowers for Algernon.” You must take a position or make a claim about whether or not you believe Charlie should have had the operation and then you must persuade your reader to agree with you. You will not be judged on your opinion but rather on how well you persuade your reader to agree with your opinion. Officially, your opinion will be your thesis statement Another way to look at this assignment is that you are being asked to make a claim and provide evidence for that claim.

For this assignment we are going to go through the following process:
The hook should relate to the topic of your essay, but it can take many forms. It can be an anecdote (very short story), a fact, a quote, or a rhetorical question (a question to which you don't expect an answer). Here are three ideas for hooks that could work for this topic.

Choose one of the ideas below, or use your own idea and write a hook on the lines provided
(1­3 sentences).

ANECDOTE: Describe a story about intelligence or some other topic related to this essay. For example, you could talk about a person in school who is developmentally delayed or about someone you know who is very intelligent for that matter, so long as it has some connection to your opinion about Charlie. SURPRISING FACT: Find a fact that will raise your readers' eyebrows. You could also do some research and find a surprising fact about people with developmental delays or Down Syndrome that is not included in the story. RHETORICAL QUESTION: Ask a question about whether or not people with developmental delays should have the same rights as people without them, or whether or not IQ levels are necessarily all that important.

Your
E xplain the quotation and how it relates to the reason you think Charlie was or was not right to have the operation. (This is a very important step that may NOT overlook!)

R estate in the concluding or clincher sentence what you proved in the paragraph. Start with a transition that signals the paragraphs’ end. (Check out the
GREAT TRANSITIONS handout for ideas!)

CONCLUSION

Now you need to summarize the evidence you have provided for your claim. ● Write a topic sentence which reminds your reader of your central thesis (or claim).
● Then use 2­3 sentences to remind your readers of your main points. ● For a strong final sentence, try addressing your readers directly. Ask a question, or encourage your readers to think about something or do something. Often essay writers return to the same anecdote, surprising fact, or rhetorical question they addressed in the introduction.

PART THREE: RE­READ AND REVISE: First, use the Essay Checklist to evaluate and edit what you have written. My very favorite way to revise is to read my essay aloud to someone else. This allows me to hear confusing sentences that may need revision or to see where my logic breaks