Pizza dude sleeps the sleep of the just

Pepperocini with that?

Welcome!

Let’s look at a sample example of a personal essay: Be Cool to the Pizza Dude and then answer these questions individually:

1. Give at least 2 examples of sensory details meant to demonstrate or show something.
2. What is Principle 1 in your own words?
3. Explain the use of the bubbly cheese/pizza metaphor in Principle 2.
4. Why, in Principle 3, does the writer suggest the pizza dudes are better than, say rich people?
5. Paraphrase this passage: I am the equal of the world not because of the car I drive, the size of the TV I own, the weight I can bench press, or the calculus equations I can solve. I am the equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart.
6. Comment on the writing style. What words would you use to describe your sense of the author? Explain.

Now, we’ll try another example: The Choice to Do it  over again.

1. Why is the first sentence surprising and effective?
2. What was the specific consequence to the author’s “delinquency?”
3. What caused the writer to change? How does he show this?
4. How does the author compare Blake’s learning with his own?
5. What does the writer need to work on?  What would make the essay stronger?

Then, I’ll ask you to read D.G. Jerz’s Show don’t (Just) Tell.  We’ll talk about what advice he’s giving us.

Finally, I’ll ask you to write me a paragraph that takes this example:

When I was a kid I had a birthday party. It was awful.  People ignored me. I felt sad. All of the presents were lame.  When they gave me a cake, it was gross and ugly. After I ate a piece, I got sick. I never want to have a birthday again.

and make it stronger with more showing and more sensory details. Put your results here.

HW: Write 2 paragraphs of powerful showing that use situations that you’ve experienced.