Season 1, Epsiode 2: The Rhetorical Devices (A)

If you told me one year ago that I would not only know what ethos, logos, and pathos were, never mind be able point out where they are used in a passage written by some old guy talking about wars, or voyages across the sea, excuse my French but I would think that you are bat shit crazy.

Ahhhh, the good old Rhetorical Analysis, well now after completing the course of AP Lang I can, and probably have written them in my sleep. I'm not gonna lie and say that the first time I was taught the "RA" I grasped it immediately, it took many, and many, and I mean MANY tries to get it down pact. My first semi-decent good grade on a rhetorical analysis was on my Banneker piece, where I received a 6 out of 9. Reading the analysis over right now, I can guarantee Ms. McMahon was being a tad bit generous by handing me the 84. 

Lets go back to the beginning though, the first week in good ole' AP Language and Composition. Ms. McMahon entered the room and started saying phrases and vocabulary that might as well have been in mandarin Chinese. I had no idea what was going on, but i was also too scared, and a little too cocky to ask a question when i was confused, or to simply stay a few inutes after class to ask what a "chiasmus" was or what "an anaphora" meant. However, as weeks went by and i began to realize that this class is going to be torture if i didn't keep up with the material and workload, i began to broaden. i asked questions when i was confused, i sat down at my dining room table and wrote rhetorical analysis' until i became comfortable, and complain; ALOT. 

Then, the rhetorical Analysis became comprehendible, I understood what Ms. McMahon was saying everyday standing up at the front of the board when she was teaching the class about dual-purpose thesis.

For sole entertainment purposes.. here is my “6” Rhetorical Analysis, kids don’t use this as an example. 

First term, mixed with the rhetorical devices and analysis left a sour taste in not only my mouth, but the mouth of my parents when they saw me barely skating by with a B-, and 80.01 to be exact. They soon came to see how the grade that I was receiving was not a reflection of poor and lazy work, but a reflection of growth, and learning. 

My parents when they looked at my term 1 report card

Now that I am completing the year I can confidently say, yes I am glad it's over, but also yes I am positively going to miss walking into the class and starting a discussion about the current news that I had learned about last night. I will forever be greatful for the experience I was able to go through with my classmates. These experieces did not end at looking at the daunting typed-up agenda that Ms. McMahon had placed in a neat pile on the center table, but also the ways we had used our AP Language knowledge and dedication to benefit our surrounding communities. Including using all our own money, and spare time to find a perfect present for a girl in need during the holiday eason.

Those Activities were just the things that you did in Ms. McMahon's class, with no one tinking selfishly about whether or ot they want to waste gas getting the present, or waste teir money chipping in for it, we all just knew to do it, and wamted to also.