"Notes of a Native Speaker" - Discussion

Question 1

SOAPSTONE

Answer 1

• S: Liu, intelligent, race conscious, educated
• O: upon “making it”
• A: assimilation is bad group
• P: argues that assimilation is not negative
• S: allusions, management of terms, anecdotes
• TONE: candid, tactful

Question 2

focus: tools for writing arguments

Answer 2

• the tone of your argument is an important challenge because when arguing, it is easy to become negative or hostile, which alienates your audience
• when writing about a sensitive subject, humanize it with a pathos appeal:
• • use anecdotes
• • use personal experience

Question 3

step 1

Answer 3

Liu’s

Question 4

step 2

Answer 4

cataloging

Question 5

step 3

Answer 5

of the reasons people could say he’s “white”

Question 6

step 4

Answer 6

exposes some “touchy” points of racial conflict in masterfully tactful way

Question 7

note

Answer 7

• into his convictions that assimilation into new cultures changes people
• the author incorporates the allusions to help with his claim
• parallel structure; figurative language
• figurative language