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Writers of essays speculating about causes sometimes rely on certain sentence strategies to present cause-effect relationships:
These two types of sentences can be seen in King’s essay:
When we exhibit these emotions, society showers us with positive reinforcement; we learn this even before we get out of diapers. When, as children, we hug our rotten little puke of a sister and give her a kiss, all the aunts and uncles smile and twit and cry, “Isn’t he the sweetest little thing?” Such coveted treats as chocolate-covered graham crackers often follow. But if we deliberately slam the rotten little puke of a sister’s fingers in the door, sanctions follow—angry remonstrance from parents, aunts, and uncles; instead of a chocolate-covered graham cracker, a spanking. (par. 9)
Both of these sentence strategies establish a chronological relationship—one thing happens and then another thing happens. They also establish a causal relationship. (Chronology and causality, of course, do not always go together. See p. 407.)
Write a paragraph or two analyzing and evaluating how King uses these patterns elsewhere in this reading selection: