Inform, Persuade, Satire

11^th Grade: Your speeches and videos will be shown in class this Friday. The community service fair will take place next week.

 

Today: Differences between writing styles: Expository vs. Persuasion vs. Satire

 

Inform is along the lines of a research paper, text book excerpt, news broadcast or article

 

Persuasion is involving argument and evidence to support an opinion. This can be seen in debates, trials, editorials, etc.

 

Satire usually involves the sarcastic or humorous interpretation of an event or issue while trying to prove a point or ridicule a person or idea. (Saturday Night Live, Political Cartoons, etc.)

 

Topic: Police Brutality and Violence

 

Informational:

A Brazilian street dancer was fatally shot today in a neighboring community of Rio de Janeiro. Police mistook the dancer for a member of one of the several violent drug cartels in the area. They claim they were forced to shoot once the victim became aggressive while being routinely questioned. Police and government officials have been honing in on the more dangerous areas of the city in an effort to improve safety and morale for the upcoming World Cup games next month.

 

Persuasive:

Police brutality must come to a stop. Often the power-hungry members of law enforcement are encouraged to single out and victimize citizens of poorer communities in order to cover up actual problems and issues with a superficial mask.

A recent example of this took place in Rio de Janeiro, the home of the upcoming World Cup, a sporting event that will be watched by millions of people around the globe. Government officials are attempting to “clean-up” the city, but often at the expense of the innocent and poor. Police murdered a street dancer from an impoverished burro, claiming he showed aggression towards members of their force. All the while, the young man who was viciously killed was unarmed and merely trying to make a living entertaining passersby.

Traumatized and outraged witnesses began to protest, bringing world-wide attention to the corruptness of the people who are supposed to be insuring their safety. For when a murder of a human being is declared acceptable all because a few in power want to make their city “look” nice for a sporting event, you know something has gone terribly wrong with society.

 

 

 

 

Satire

        Thank God for police! They sure know how to clean up a city. I mean with the World Cup coming to Brazil, why would millions of tourists want to be bothered with lively culture, dancers and thrilling entertainment, while helping a poor man take care of his ailing family. It’s a good thing the police cleaned up the area after removing the body, because nobody wants to get blood stains on their new shoes while their out soliciting prostitutes and getting high off of crack. But again, at least the dead dancer will be one less mouth for the government to ignore.

 

Topics: War, Drugs, Pollution, Evolution, Education, International Relations, Religion, Politics,

 

Choose a topic and research a recent news event. Write about it from all three perspectives.