Introducing the Features of the Profile Essay for Freshman Academic Writing classes

1. Investigating the Profile Essay and the Lizzie Borden Murders

2. What Is A Profile Essay?Click Anywhere on the Screen to Find Out. It reveals the writer’s perspective about a person, place, or activity. It is a popular type of writing because it introduces the reader to unusual places or events or interesting people. It often makes a connection with a social, political, or moral idea.

4. Profiles of An Unique or Uncommon Activity

5. A Profile Featuring Andrew Borden, one of the murder victims Andrew Borden had, as the old Scottish saying goes, short arms and long long pockets. He was cheap, not because he had to be frugal but because he hated to spend money. He had dedicated his entire life to making and saving money, and tales of his unethical and parsimonious business behavior were legendary in his hometown of Fall River, Massachusetts. Local gossips maintained that as an undertaker he cut off the feet of corpses so that he could fit them into undersized coffins he had purchased at a very good price. From “Lizzie Borden” by James Kirby Martin et al. America and Its People, 2nd Edition.

6. A Profile ofFall River, MassachusettsWhere the Bordens Lived One hundred years ago, the city of Fall River, Massachusetts was a prosperous mill town, home to over 100 cotton mills. In fact, it was the leading cotton textile center in the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The town was divided by economics and geography, with the wealthy families living in the elite section known as The Hill. The poorer people who worked in the mills lived in the less desirable section referred to as The Flats, which was near the business district.

7. A Profile of An Unusual Activity:Wood Chopping As A Sport Hundreds of years ago, wood chopping was a necessity to provide fuel for the wood burning stove or fireplace, which heated the family home. Now, in many parts of the world, it has been reduced to a sport. In wood chopping competitions, skilled competitors race to cut through logs in record time. These competitions often take place at agricultural shows and state fairs.

8. Profiles Also Use Vivid Language… “(The maid) Bridget still managed to prepare a large breakfast of johnnycakes, fresh- baked bread, ginger and oatmeal cookies and raisins, and some three-day-old mutton and hot mutton soup.” …To help the reader visualize the people, places or activities in the essay. Here, the author is describing the last breakfast at the Borden home before the murders. From James Kirby Martin. “Lizzie Borden.”

9. Vivid Language Helps the Reader VisualizeTo Describe People and Places How could you describe the Borden House? Here’s an example from the James Kirby Martin essay. How could you describe Andrew Borden? Here’s how one writer did it. “Their house was a grim boxlike structure that lacked comfort and privacy.” “Tall and thin, he even had beady eyes and a bony face.” From James Kirby Martin et al. “Lizzie Borden.” America and Its People

10. Profiles Often Use Quotations. Why? To convey information and help the reader visualize the people in the profile. “Come down quick; father’s dead; somebody came in and killed him.” Lizzie was quoted as saying that her stepmother was “a mean good –for-nothing thing.”

11. ProfilesUsually Reveal the Writer’s Perspective Andrew Borden was cheap. Lizzie strongly disliked her stepmother.

12. Test Your Understanding When you’re ready to test your knowledge of the profile essay, return to Lesson 2 and take the profile essay quiz.