Humanities Homework Help

Read “French Resistance – The Right to Self-Defense” by Charles de Gaulle and summarize the author’s argument without context with the Toulmin Method and analyze his effectiveness in a 2-page paper.

Remember, this is analysis of regular rhetorical strategies, so it will be very similar to the first 2-page paper on Benatar. My notes that I gave you on that one will be helpful to review in preparing for this one. Remember also that the point of this paper is analysis, not summary. Obviously summary is required, but only enough to then analyze what you’ve just summarized.

As toward the format, you’ll probably want an introductory paragraph with the author’s name (Charles De Gaulle), the pamphlet’s title (“The Right to Self-Defense”), the author’s Main Claim (that the French have a right to defend themselves against their German occupiers), and whether or not you will find it effective.

There should be about two or three body paragraphs, and these body paragraphs will look at two or three Reasonings the author has to support his Main Claim. Summarize the Reasonings, quote where you find them (and cite it), then analyze the effectiveness of the rhetorical strategies being used to make those Reasonings. Remember that it is not enough to simply claim that the strategies are effective or ineffective and then move on. You have to prove to me that the specific use of the rhetorical strategy you are analyzing is either effective or ineffective to the average reader. Your paper will be graded on your ability to convince your reader of the author’s effectiveness or ineffectiveness (and your Grammatical correctness, obviously). For now, avoid any context on the reading or the author, as we’ll add that later in another paper. Analyze the argument in a vacuum of context. (You’ll like Charles de Gaulle, though. He’s awesome.)

You will also want a conclusion paragraph which adds no new information to your analysis, but rather summarizes your body paragraphs and restates your Main Claim about the author’s effectiveness or ineffectiveness.

You do not need a Works Cited for this paper, but you do need:

At least 2 pages of writing.

And standard MLA formatting, including an MLA introduction.

Note: If you’re rusty on how to analyze, see the Analysis Worksheet and review my notes on your first 2-page paper.