What is the purpose of the opening paragraph in just walk on by?
Terms in this set (20) (JWB) The purpose of the opening paragraph is to evoke an emotional response from the reader. (JWB) The primary rhetorical function of the sentence “I understand, of course, that the danger they perceive is not a hallucination” is to acknowledge a counterargument.
What is the thesis of just walk on by?
In “Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space” Brent Staples discusses his ability to alter others emotions with his presence. Staples explains his thesis throughout the essay through narratives of incidents in his life.
Why colleges shower their students with A’s?
Some departments shower students with A’s to fill poorly attended courses that might otherwise be canceled. Professors at every level inflate to escape negative evaluations by students, whose opinions now figure in tenure and promotion decisions.
How does Staples describe himself?
1. Staples describes himself as “indistinguishable from the muggers” in a public view, he is often being discriminated and seen as a rapist or a criminal, only because of his skin color.
What does staples mean when he says he has the power to alter public space?
What does Staples mean when he says he has the power to “alter public space” (2)? He is referring to the way that, as a black man, he is often perceived as a threat. Because of the biases many hold, consciously or not, against black men, his presence in a space can incite fear or defensiveness in those present.
What is Staples trying to accomplish with his first sentence?
Staples is trying to draw the reader in by alarming them. His opening sentence implies that something much more sinister is going on. The rest of the paragraph brings light to the irony in this sentence; he did not see her as a victim at all, but she felt fear that she could become one.
When did Brent Staples write just walk on by?
1986
Where is Brent Staples from?
Chester, Pennsylvania, United States