Rhetorical Analysis Of Writing About Yourself By William Zinsser
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Writing About Yourself: The Memoir
In this article, the author, William Zinsser intends to convince his audience that they are allowed and fully capable of writing about themselves in a memoir. Zinsser openly explains a problem that many writers are telling stories that they think will please their audiences, rather than stories about themselves that they can be passionate about. The author believes a personal story is more interesting than an unoriginal composition that has already been created by various authors. He alludes to various memoirs that he felt were successful in order to support his claim that writers are capable of telling their own stories effectively. The examples incorporate a unique voice, heritage, deeply personal emotion,…show more content… The author speaks to writers specifically and emphasizes that they put all of their unique thoughts or passions on paper even if they are difficult to put together or explain at first. She encourages her audience to challenge their own ideals of reading and push the edges in their writing. Also, in order to be an effective writer, she notes that one must fully understand his or her style of writing by studying past works of literature. This reveals the author’s idea that writers will only get better if they are excited by literature in general, and are willing to spend time to overcome mental obstacles in order to create a finished product. Annie Dillard uses a direct advice technique in order to effectively conveysher purpose to the audience. She deliberately states her beliefs, shares them, and becomes an advocate through her words. She wants the audience to be the best writers that they can be and her article is full of tips that could contribute to their growing…show more content… Edward writes about his memories of snapping turtles from where he grew up when he was young. The areas were bulldozed over to provide locations for new housing developments and many turtles lost their habitats and could not survive. The author felt a special connection to the turtles and he was inspired to keep five unique babies and an adult as companions. His clever use of imagery and vivid descriptions in the narrative helps the audience gain the same appreciation for the species that he has developed. Edward describes his companions as “vivacious” with shells that are “the equal of any seashell for sculpturing” and bottoms “splotched like a margay cat’s coat…” (Hoagland 4). These descriptions help readers visualize the beauty of the remarkable