Causal Argument Main Ideas & Body Paragraph Order

1. Do not simply restate evidence from the poem or from the shooting.

2. Show Cause. You are going to have to use inductive reasoning (page 256-57).

• How does X help make Y happen? 

• How does the event (Orlando) help make the text (the poem) go viral? 

• How does the imagery (or one image) help make the poem go viral?

• How does general cultural mindset help make the poem go viral? --> to answer these questions, you have to identify a cultural belief and argue why some element of the poem resonates with that belief enough to share the poem....

3. Review these two sites for further guidance:

• "Identifying possible causes among specific events" explanation from Fayetteville State University faculty site

• X is the difference.... (what makes the poem "different")
• X is the common thread...(what qualities does the poem share with other viral art)

• University of Kentucky, model sample claims

Here is an effective strategy: using an organizational chart... to get you to 

1) Create (and later revise) your thesis and topic sentences, and 

2) Order your paragraphs in a logical thought pattern...(page 263)

***Making the cultural views claims first (whether in the introduction only, or as part of the body paragraphs) will provide a logical context from breaking down the poem...

**You can follow your own pattern, but make sure your pattern is created (by you), not just writing

* The assignment requires both analysis of literature and of culture, which means the final form of each essay will vary based on how you structure claims. For simplicity sake, it would be easier for you to follow our modeling in class, but that may inhibit your writing.

Cause	Effect	Outcome=Argumentative claim (complete sentence)
From cultural/sociological/psychological views… ·      What is happening in culture that relates to the poem? ·      What are typical beliefs that are part of mainstream media that relate to the poem,?  ·      What ideas does the event being focused on (the Orlando shooting) symbolize about American life and times that also relates to the poem?
From the product… ·      What is thematic message, and how does that theme connect to those people sharing the poem? ·      What elements of the poem most help illuminate the thematic message, making them most impactful, and how/why are they so impactful? o   Don’t just state that the imagery is impactful or “powerful,” but argue why in that same sentence… o   Don’t just state that the metaphor is, either; identify a metaphor and argue why that hits home… o   Don’t just state that the poem’s tone is, either…