FOUR RHETORICAL PATTERNS
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In college composition courses, in other content areas, as well as in some job situations, you will have to write expository prose. Simply, this kind of writing presents a reader in a logical manner some facts you are aware of; it is writing to inform. In the college composition class, the reader may or may not know what you are telling him, and how much he already knows is not always important. On the job, however, you may be writing for a totally uninformed audience. In either situation you want to present information in a systematic and logical manner to impress the reader with what you know. With this objective in view, perhaps you can look at learning the methods of exposition as acquiring necessary communications skills that will help in all college courses and in whatever writing may be associated with your career. Learning to write clearly and communicate effectively is not something to master for English or college courses alone; these are skills that will help you in anything you do.
Possessing a good deal of information about a subject does not in itself guarantee that you will be able to communicate it. You must know how to organize your facts as well. Writing expository prose will require that you know some patterns of organization. The purpose of this chapter and the exercises that accompany it is to introduce you to four basic rhetorical patterns: classification, comparison and contrast, process analysis, and cause and effect.
In previous chapters you worked with the principles of paragraph unity and with several develop-mental techniques. Now you are going to be working with some methods of overall organization in which you will have to use the techniques you mastered in the previous chapters.
In the exercises that follow this chapter, you are asked to write classification, comparison/contrast, process analysis, and cause/effect paragraphs, but you will have to use the developmental devices to develop these. The point to grasp here is that very little of what you learn about writing is discrete or useful only in isolation; all developmental techniques and rhetorical patterns (as well as grammar, punctuation, and diction rules) are a part of good expository writing.
The Classification Paragraph
Sample One
Hazards to Avoid
One of the hazards of classification is overlapping among the members of the class, that is, not making a sharp enough distinction among the members. If you classify types of dogs as mongrels, thoroughbreds, and house dogs, you have made a mistake. The third category is so large as to embrace the other two because both mongrels -and thoroughbreds can be house dogs also. You should seek; another way to classify types of dogs.
Another hazard is setting up categories that lend themselves to simplistic treatment. If you classify dogs as long-haired, medium-haired, and short-haired, you have made a rather nonproductive distinction among types of dogs. This classification lends itself only to a discussion of hair length, the results of which will not be particularly profound or informative.
The Classification Paragraph
A classification paragraph can be built into a classification essay by taking. each member of the class and giving it full treatment in a paragraph of its own. If you had written a classification paragraph on types of parents, the product may have looked something like the following:
ESOL 1309
Classification essay
Dr. Kline
October 31, 2003
Different Types of Parents
Anyone who is biologically capable and who can find another biologically capable person--of the opposite sex, of course-can become a parent. Parent-hood is a state that has no special conditions, and one must pass no qualifying exam to enter it. Since the word parents encompasses such a large number of people, it is easy to understand why there are so many different kinds. In terms of how they treat their children, however, within this variety, there are three basic types: autocratic, democratic, and permissive.
The autocratic parent's word is the law, and when he says jump every one had better do it quickly. He assumes that he and he alone knows what is best for his children and that they will learn discipline and respect for authority from his regimentation. What he does not consider is that he may not know best and that rules untempered with mercy breed rebellion and contempt far authority. The authoritarian whose child came home one hour late from a date because there had been a major accident on the highway tying up traffic for miles would allow the child no opportunity to explain his reasons for being late. The child would be immediately grounded and have his allowance suspended This kind of parent probably has good intentions, wanting his child to grow up "right," but approaches the task as if his family were in boot camp.
The democratic parent is not so strict. He is willing to discuss rules and punishments with his children and to listen to their side of an argument. If his child had come in an hour late from a date he would listen to the explanation about the major wreck that tied up traffic for miles. Since this is such an easily verifiable story, the democratic parent would suspend any punishment in this case when he sees the morning paper or hears the morning news. In general, the democratic parent lays down fewer rules than his autocratic counterpart because he realizes there are some things in; life children must learn on their own. He prefers to work in the role of an advisor and always to be available when his children need help.
The permissive parent has no rules for his children rind offers little guidance Frequently, this parent is too busy to take time with his children and leaves their rearing to TV, school, and chance. Re sets no rules for his children, so it would be impossible for his child to come home late from a date. He allows his children to come and go as they please either because he doesn't care what they do or because he thinks they must learn to set their own rules. He doesn't understand that all young people need guidance because when the; mature, they will have to abide by society's rules. Not learning a respect for order early may cause this parent's children to resent the rules everyone must obey.
Too few, people with children are democratic parents, which is the best of these three. Too much authority. or too little often breeds disrespect and resentment. A good parent should offer guidance and advice and not try to rule or disregard his children completely.
