How to Analyze an Essay

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How to Analyze an Essay 1. Given the content of the essay why is the title “April Fools on Polar Circus” appropriate? I believe the essay is called “April Fools on Polar Circus,”as it corre ... lates to the date and activity that occurred on April 1, 1988. Therefore the titles are appropriate for the article being presented as it is a play on words for what the text explains. The writer connects the text back to the title. The Polar Circus refers to the connection towards the two women who completed an ice climb on Cirrus Mountain of the Canadian Rockies. When approaching a frightening adventure like this, especially during the time of year, she may be perceived as foolish for undergoing a task so challenging. 2. Roddan that “the tango with fear makes me wise.” Does it, in your opinion? Provide phrases that illustrate “the tango with fear.” What evidence is there that it makes the climber “wise”? I agree with Roddan's statement about the tango of fear, making her wiser as new adventures can seem terrifying at first, but after time the nerves can fade away. Therefore I believe that she is implying that dancing helps her manage her fear and, as a result, makes her feel wiser and stronger. Going on adventures that scare you and make you feel nervous can help grow your strength as you will grow and learn to overcome any nerves you may have, which will have you feeling fearless. Feeling fearless is a skill that you can have that will be convenient at many times in your life. Roddan states, "I learn the language; I articulate the right series of moves, body positions, ice axe and crampon placements to dance with a frozen tongue of ice." Roddan explains that her encounter with fear has made her grow stronger as a person as she continues to learn and face her fears. As she explains that she has learnt the language of fear she expresses her problem solving skills as she continues to work past her fears. "The rhythm has been broken. I force myself to breathe, to generate my own flow, to create my own beat." Here Roddan explains that everyone can have a different journey with fear but no ones is similar. Therefore we can interoperate that Roddan must find her own beat to the dance and use that as she journeys through her fear. When there were times that she was at her lowest point and couldn't find the courage to continue, she found the wisdom to help her reach further. "The great Goddess" symbolizes the peak of the mountain that she achieves when she feels she has to end her dance. I find these quotes to be compelling as she has found herself throughout this journey and accepts the challenge she is being faced with and, as a result, chooses to express her fear through the tango. She learns more and more and even though there are times she feels she can't continue any further, she powers through. Therefore these encounters with fear make her wiser to achieve what she wants even if she feels she can't. 3. Roddan uses two sets of linked images to tell her story: dance imagery and wedding imagery. Outline the development of these ideas by listing the sentences and phrases that Roddan uses for each image. The imagery in the text connects dance and wedding imagery as a way to express her story. When she uses dance imagery, she reflects on the way fear made her feel and therefore explains it as a dance with fear. This aspect can be visually represented for readers as they see each new obstacle she faces enhances her dance and sometimes push her to her limits to make her feel as though she wants to end her dance. She then gathers the courage to continue and face her most significant obstacles. She grows wiser and stronger with each new step; she learns greater knowledge on how to keep going. The story uses personification as it describes the dance as a tango, which is considered one of the hardest dances to master. I can see why they used the tango to express her encounter with fear as performing the tango is most challenging to perform, but once mastered, it can become quite simple. "The intensity is replaced with warm, smooth, flowing beats. The rhythm takes hold, and the dance begins again." Roddans explains that she finds her rhythm to the dance which helps her to further her dance through fear. Along with dance imagery, she also expresser her story through wedding imagery. For many a wedding can contain lots of stress as you want the event to be perfect. But the connection to this story is much stronger as she expresses her commitment to the climb, which is an expression used at weddings. A commitment to stay with your partner through sickness and in health is a contrast to her commitment to the struggles she may face to overcome her fear. Roddan describes how "Today's brides approach slowly, touched by the mystery and majesty of the place." As she rises to the challenge of the "enormous wedding gown" being the ice, she reaches the ceremony were she has conquered her fear and achieved her goal, which is similar to a wedding. 4. Although this essay tells a story, it is not an example of short fiction. It is, however, a narrative essay. What characteristics make it narrative? What characteristics make it an essay? This story would be considered a narrative essay; it contains a thesis that is used to connect the main points of the text back to the initial purpose. Having a strong thesis that links back to your idea helps to assure readers about the purpose you are giving. In this essay, the thesis is “the tango with fear makes me wise,” which is expressed in the final lines of the first paragraph. This thesis explores her fear, which initially makes her stronger. Janet Roddans also uses lots of descriptive words to prover her main points and her experience that she faced. Her use of sensory experience when interoperating her challenges of ice climbing helps to create a picture for readers to follow. She uses personification, metaphors, similes, imagery, and irony as the style of writing to develop a compelling image. Along with her style of writing, she uses descriptive paragraphs that help to support new pieces of evidence in chronological order. [Show More]

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