This document provides an agenda and discussion notes for an EWRT 1A class. The agenda includes a quiz, discussions on marginalization essays and students' essay assignments, and a review of the features of an argument essay including developing reasons, support, and counterarguments. Students are asked to choose a character from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets who is marginalized, explain how they are marginalized with examples, discuss how they respond productively or not, and compare their marginalization to contemporary examples. Discussion topics include analyzing sample student essays, developing arguments and counterarguments for their own essays, and collecting evidence from assigned readings to support their positions.

1. EWRT 1A Class 4

2. AGENDA
 Quiz
 Discussion HPPOA
 Discuss Marginalization essay #1 and #2
 Review Prompt #1
 Read Sample Essay #1
 Review Basic features of an Argument essay
 Review: Intro and Thesis
 The Argument
 Reasons and support
 Counterarguments refutation/accommodation

3. Quiz! (Chs 1-8)
1. What does Harry do to Aunt Marge?
2. What is the name of the escaped murderer that everyone is
worried about?
3. What is Azkaban? What kinds of creatures guard it?
4. Which student’s death does Professor Trelawney predict?
5. What is the name of Hagrid’s hippogriff? Which student
does the hippogriff attack?

4. Discussion and Freewrite:
The Boggarts in the Classroom.
 Basic info:
What is a boggart?
What form do boggarts
take?
What spell is used against a
boggart? What does it do?
(Think about Neville’s
encounter with the boggart.)
 Discussion: imagine that you are facing
a boggart.
What form would the boggart take for
you? Explain why.
What transformation of the boggart
would make you laugh? Describe it in
some detail.
 Think about your answers (jot them
down), then share with your House.

5. In Your Houses: Discuss
Marginalization essay #1 and #2
“The Pain of Social Rejection”
Kirsten Weir
1. What is the main argument in this paper?
2. What kind of examples does the author
provide? Do they support her argument?
3. What are the causes of “Social Rejection”
4. What are the consequences of it?
5. What kind of sources does the author use?
6. How can we use this article as evidence to
support our own discussion of
marginalization?
“How the Stress of Racism Affects Learning” Melinda
D. Anderson
1. What anecdote does Anderson use to begin
the paper? Is it successful? Why?
2. What is the main argument in this paper?
3. Where do you see definitions being
introduced? Are they helpful?
4. What are the consequences of
discrimination concerning education?
5. Does the writer offer any solutions?
6. What kind of sources does the author use?
7. How can we use this article as evidence to
support our own discussion of
marginalization?

6. Essay #1: The Writing Assignment
In this essay, you will argue a position. Please consult chapter 6 in the St.
Martin’s Guide for a detailed discussion of the requirements for this type of
essay.
The essay topic: identify a character in The Chamber Of Secrets who is marginalized in some way. In your essay, do
the following:
1. Explain how the character is marginalized and provide examples of the marginalization using quotes from the
book and/or from the film.
2. Then discuss ways in which the character responds to the marginalization that you see as productive or
unproductive and why.
3. Finally, extend your insights to contemporary society; how does this character’s marginalization compare to
others you see who are also marginalized?
At some point in your essay, you must include a counterargument and respond to it effectively.

7. Review Basic features of an Argument essay
1. A Focused Presentation of the Issue
2. A Clear Position
New Writing Today!
3. Plausible Reasons and Convincing Support
4. Anticipating Opposing Positions and Objections
What you should have written already

8. In Your Houses, take a look at Sample Essay #1
1. A Focused Presentation of the Issue: Read the introduction.
a) Does it focus and present the issue?
2. A Clear Position: Identify the thesis.
a. Is the writer’s position clear?
b. Is it arguable?
3. Plausible Reasons and Convincing Support: Find the topic sentences for the argument.
a. Underline them. Are they clear?
b. Do they connect to the thesis? Circle the connecting words or ideas in the topic
sentence and the thesis.
c. Has the writer offered evidence from the text? Underline the evidence. Does the
evidence support the topic sentence? How?
d. From an outside source? How does the outside information help the writer explain his
position to the audience?

9. A Well-Supported Position: Reasons and Support
In arguing for a position, writers may provide various kinds of supporting evidence, including
facts, statistics, examples, anecdotes, and quotes from authorities.
 Facts are statements that can be proven to be true. However, a statement that is not true or only
partially true may be asserted as fact. Therefore, readers may need to be reassured that an
asserted fact is reliable and comes from a trustworthy source.
 Statistics are sometimes mistaken for facts, but they are only interpretations or correlations of
numerical data. Their reliability depends on how and by whom the information was collected and
interpreted.
 Examples and anecdotes illustrate what may be true in certain situations; effective writers do not
usually offer them as hard-and-fast evidence of the universal truth of their positions. Using them can,
however, make an argument less abstract and enable readers to identify with those affected by the
issue. Evidence from a film or novel provides the basis for your analysis in this essay. You may still
need other evidence to back up your insights and assertions.
 Quotes from authorities can carry weight if readers see them as knowledgeable and trustworthy.

10. Developing your
Argument: in-class
writing
Explain how the character is marginalized and provide examples of the marginalization using
quotes from the book and/or from the film. You will need reasons for each of the ways you see
your character as marginalized.
 List Possible Reasons for your character’s marginalization
 Once your thesis is clear, take a moment to list the reasons for your position. (Example: in
the sample essay, the writer says Myrtle is shamed, isolated, and rejected).
 Try to come up with as many reasons as you can. Later, you may add reasons or modify the
ones you have listed.
 Make a Note of Evidence.
 Consider evidence from the novel or movie. Which evidence supports your reasons? (in the
sample essay, to show how she is shamed, the writer points out that Calling her “‘Moaning
Myrtle’ rather than just “Myrtle” turns her character name into a part of a homonym that
simultaneously ridicules and marginalizes her.”
Your Tentative Position. Look at your thesis, that is, your current position
on the issue. You should have written it as homework for today. As you
develop your argument and counterargument, you may refine this claim and
decide how to formulate it effectively for your readers. For now, say as
directly as you can what you see as the marginalization of a certain
character.

11. Consider these two aspects of the prompt:
1. Discuss ways in which the character responds to the marginalization
that you see as productive or unproductive and why.
2. Finally, extend your insights to contemporary society; how does this
character’s marginalization compare to others you see who are also
marginalized?
Take a moment to consider the two articles we discussed earlier. Does any
of that information seem particularly relevant to your argument? Does a
point in one of the essays serve to support an outcome or behavior of your
marginalized character?

12. Tips For Working At Home:
 Collect Evidence. Make notes of the evidence — such as authorities,
facts, anecdotes, and statistics — you might be able to use to support
your reasons. You may already have some evidence you could use. If
you need to do research, make notes of sources you could consult.
 Choose the Most Plausible Reasons. Write several sentences
explaining why you think each reason would be likely to convince your
particular readers to take your argument seriously. Then identify your
most plausible reasons. If you decide that none of your reasons seems
very plausible, you might need to reconsider your position, do some
more research, or choose another issue.

13. Counterarguments: Acknowledge/Refute/Accommodate
Writers of position essays try to anticipate other widely held positions on the issue as
well as objections and questions readers might raise to their argument. Writers have
three options in anticipating readers’ alternative positions and objections:
􀁳 they can simply acknowledge readers’ views;
􀁳 they can accommodate them by making concessions
􀁳 they can try to refute them.
Anticipating readers’ positions and objections can enhance the writer’s credibility and
strengthen the argument. When readers holding an opposing position recognize that
the writer takes their position seriously, they are more likely to listen to what the writer
has to say. It can also reassure readers that they share certain important values and
interests with the writer, building a bridge of common concerns among people who
have been separated by difference and antagonism.

14. Reread paragraphs 6 and 7, where
Estrada introduces two opposing
arguments to his position. Which
sentence in each paragraph best
states an opposing position?
Examine paragraphs 6–9 to see
how Estrada counterargues these
two opposing arguments. For
example, notice that he both
concedes and refutes. Why he
would attempt to do both? What
seems to be his attitude toward
those who disagree with him or, at
least, object to parts of his
argument?
Counterarguments in “Sticks and Stones”
To analyze how Estrada anticipates and counterargues opposing positions, let’s go back to his essay.

15. Even Hermione initially expresses distress at the possibility of having to speak with Myrtle, and when
doing so is unavoidable, treats Myrtle with condescending politeness, calling out “How are you,
Myrtle? [...] It’s nice to see you out of the toilet. […] Just saying – saying—how nice you look tonight”
(134). It is clear to Myrtle—and to the reader—that Hermione is not interested in making a personal
connection with Myrtle, though she does seem aware that going along with others’ marginalization of
Myrtle is troubling when she “sadly” comments “Oh dear” (135) while watching Peeves heckle and
chase Myrtle away. But even if we read this as a moment of conflicted sympathy, it remains clear
that Hermione is unwilling to stand up for Myrtle in any meaningful way. (Student 4).
Let’s return to the essay sample for this essay to look at the counterarguments
there. Note the sentence strategy: the writer offers a concession followed by
refutation
In this example from the argument, the writer concedes that a different reader might
argue that Hermione is sympathetic to Myrtle in this scene; but, in a quick turn, the
writer firmly refutes that notion as one that detracts from the thesis by pointing out that
“Hermione is [still] unwilling to stand up for Myrtle”; ultimately, Hermione also
contributes to Myrtle’s marginalization.

16. One might object that Myrtle needs to be more assertive in standing up for herself and that she
could finally gain some measure of respect if she were to push back at the bullying and abuse that
she faces. However, this objection ignores the unfair irony that, just before her murder, Myrtle was
privately dealing with the aftermath of bullying in the girls’ bathroom, and she took the brave action of
shooing away a boy who should not have been in the bathroom. She paid with her life for revealing
herself and speaking out against him, as that boy was Tom Riddle/Voldemort, speaking in
Parseltongue to the snake, and when Myrtle opened her stall, she was killed by the snake’s deadly
stare. In this situation, standing up to patriarchal violence (in the form of Tom Riddle) resulted in
Myrtle’s death. (Student 5)
Here, in the first sentence of this paragraph, we see a more obvious objection to the thesis of the paper.
This time, the writer turns the counterargument to his thesis back around by using the phrase,
“however.” This language makes it clear that the writer will explain how the argument against the
thesis is illegitimate by providing information that the first reader has not considered—When Myrtle
did assert herself by telling Tom Riddle to exit the girls bathroom, she was murdered by a male who
asserted his patriarchal privilege in claiming space earmarked specifically for females.

17. The concession-refutation move, sometimes called the “yes-but” strategy, is important
in most arguments. Following is an outline of some other kinds of language authors
rely on to introduce their concession-refutation moves:

18. Counterarguing
Readers’
Objections: in-class
writing
 List Possible Objections. Look for places where your argument is
vulnerable. For example, think of an assumption that you are making
that others might not accept or a value others might not share. Imagine
how people in different situations — different neighborhoods,
occupations, age groups, living arrangements — might react to each of
your reasons.
 Accommodate a Legitimate Objection. Choose one objection that
makes sense to you, and write for a few minutes on how you could
accommodate it into your argument. You may be able simply to
acknowledge an objection and explain why you think it does not
negatively affect your argument. If the criticism is more serious,
consider conceding the point and qualifying your position or changing
the way you argue for it. If the criticism seems so damaging that you
cannot accommodate it into your argument, however, you may need to
rethink your position.
 Refute an Illegitimate Objection. Choose one objection that seems to
challenge or weaken your argument, and write for a few minutes on
how you could refute it. Do not choose to refute only the weakest
objection while ignoring the strongest one. Consider whether you can
show that the objection is based on a misunderstanding or that it does
not really damage your argument. You may also need to modify your
position to make sure the objection is not valid.

19. Tips For Working At Home:
 Accommodate a Plausible Reason. Choose one reason that makes sense to you, and write for a few
minutes on how you could accommodate it into your argument. Consider whether you can concede
the point and yet put it aside as not really damaging to your central argument. You may also have to
consider qualifying your position or changing the way you argue for it.
 Refute an Implausible Reason. Choose one reason that you do not accept, and write for a few
minutes on how you could refute it. Consider trying one of these strategies: argue that readers’ values
are better served by your position; point out where the reasoning is flawed (for instance, that it
commits a straw-man fallacy by refuting your weakest reason and ignoring stronger ones); show that
the argument lacks convincing support (for instance, that an example applies only to certain people in
certain situations or that alternative authorities disagree). If you do not have all the information you
need, make a note of what you need and where you might find it. (Note: Do not choose to refute a
position no one takes seriously. Also, be careful not to misrepresent other people’s positions or to
criticize people personally.)

20. Homework
 Read HP POA (Chapter 9-10 )
 Collect evidence from Chamber of Secrets novel or film and
marginalization essays. Choose the most plausible support for
your argument. Draft the reasons and support section of your
essay (20)
 Discussion #4: The Argument:
1. Your two best body paragraphs
 Discussion #5: The Counterargument:
1. Accommodate a legitimate objection
2. Refute an illegitimate Objection