thecommonparadigmsrhetoricalmodes.docVIP

The Common Paradigms/Rhetorical Modes Narration Narration is an event or series of events written to express a specific meaning or significance. According to Lee Brandon, there are five (5) “properties” involved in narration: 1. Situation – the background or setup of the event 2. Conflict – the “friction” or the explanation of the problem(s) within the narrative 3. Struggle – comes from the conflict; how the conflict is dealt with (not necessarily physical!) 4. Outcome – the result of the struggle; the resolution 5. Meaning – the “moral” of the story; the lesson learned (often, the overall point of the narration) ** Things to remember: Tense: Generally, personal narratives are written mostly in the past tense (the event has already passed), though works of literature and summaries are generally written in the present tense. Point-of-view: If the narrative is personal, first person (I, me, my, we, our, us) may be used (depending on each instructor’s assignment). Third person (he, she, it, they, them) may also be used if appropriate. Descriptive detail: Make the narrative come alive with sensory descriptions (using the 5 senses) and vivid language (Brandon 102-104). Process Analysis A “process” is a series of actions, functions, steps, or operations that bring about a particular end or result. The chronologically ordered, interlocking steps of a process focus either on how something works or on how something is done. There are two types of process analysis: informative and directive. Informative process analysis explains how something occurs or is done through key information (such as how a wave forms). Directive process analysis tells the audience how to do something step-by-step (for example, how to bake a cake, write a paper, make a paper airplane). Often, this form of process analysis is written in the second person (using you or your to refer to the reader). The follo