READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY

Reading and thinking critically about an illustration essay requires you to read the selection carefully, considering how the examples support the main point and connecting the ideas and examples to your own experience. But you must also examine and challenge the author’s attitude as it is shown in the selection. (For more on reading actively, see Chapter 3; for more on thinking critically, see Chapter 4.)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR, HIGHLIGHT, AND ANNOTATE

Use these guidelines to read illustration essays actively.

  1. Preview. Preview the essay to get an overview of its content and organization. (For more on previewing, see Chapter 3.)
  2. Understand the main point. Read the essay through, highlighting the thesis or main point. If the thesis is not directly stated, ask yourself what one major point all of the examples illustrate.
  3. Identify the main supporting points and think about how the examples illustrate them. Study and highlight the main supporting ideas in each of the body paragraphs as you reread the essay. In the margin or in your journal, note how the examples provided clarify, explain, or illustrate those ideas, and consider how each supporting paragraph supports the thesis or main idea of the essay.

    Also think about how the examples are organized: Are they arranged in order of importance, in chronological order, in spatial order, or by some other method? Hint: For especially lengthy or complex readings, creating an outline or drawing a graphic organizer can help you identify the organizational pattern. Notice, too, whether the examples fit with any other patterns of development used in the essay.

  4. Think about the meaning. Reread the essay once again, this time concentrating on its meaning by answering the following questions:
    • What is the writer’s purpose in writing this essay? For what audience is it intended? What techniques does the writer use to achieve his or her purpose with this audience?
    • How well do the examples explain or clarify the thesis? Are you convinced of the writer’s thesis after reading the essay? Would more or different examples have been more effective?
  5. Consider your reactions. Consider how the essay relates to your own experience. For example, while reading “Rambos of the Road” you might think about rude or reckless driving you have observed: drivers who are oblivious to those around them, who text or check their smartphones while driving, or who drive too slowly. Each of these examples could lead you to a thesis for an illustration essay.

ANALYZING ILLUSTRATION

When you read an essay that uses illustration to support generalizations, read with a critical eye. Examples are often dramatic, real, and concrete, and it may be tempting to focus on them exclusively. Be sure to consider the examples in terms of how well they illustrate key points of the essay. Use the following questions to think critically about the examples you read.

What is the emotional impact of the examples? Writers often choose examples to manipulate their readers’ feelings, especially in persuasive writing. For example, a description of a tiger pacing in a small zoo enclosure, rubbing its body against a fence, and scratching an open sore would provide a vivid example of the behaviors exhibited by some wild animals in captivity. Such an example can evoke feelings of pity, sympathy, or even outrage.

When you encounter an example that evokes an emotional response, try to set your emotions aside and look at the example objectively. In the case of the tiger, for instance, you might ask, “Why are animals held in captivity?” or “What are the benefits of zoos?” (For more on emotional appeals, see Chapter 20.)

How well do the examples support the generalization? Especially when you read persuasive writing, examine how well the examples support the author’s generalizations by asking yourself questions like these: